Came across this video on YouTube....

Now reading on this forum and the video's I've seen on Youtube, the haldex 4X4 system used in the Yeti, Octavia Scout etc, is very impressive.

But do you think it pass this test? Thoughts?

Came across this video on YouTube....

Now reading on this forum and the video's I've seen on Youtube, the haldex 4X4 system used in the Yeti, Octavia Scout etc, is very impressive.

But do you think it pass this test? Thoughts?

Good link. I've always thought that 4x4 without diff controls means you have a 75% chance of getting stuck (any 1 of 4 wheels slipping can prevent progress) vs 4x2 being 50% (any 1 of 2 wheels slipping can prevent progress). But I thought most 4x4s used Electronic Diff Locks (ie braking spinning wheels) to ensure progress? I'm surprised the other cars didn't pass.

Lots of info in here.

http://briskoda.net/...e__hl__haldex+4

I've had very limited use of the Yeti haldex sytem so far, we've had very little snow since getting the car but on this basis I would say the system is good, nothing more nothing less,

Its certainly not better than my last 4x4, an X5 with the Xdrive sytem which was much more fluid and under control. Its unfair judging them against each other as one is half the price of the other and with winter tyres I'm sure will cope with my needs.

Edited 8 February, 201214 yr by servicepoint

I posted a similar video before doing the same test in 2007:

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/159259-4x4-systems-tested/

That video was also sponsored by Subaru going on about the symmetrical drive system. Interesting though that in this new video they did NOT have any Haldex cars there.

Here is the Haldex doing its thing on an Octavia Scout with grip on only one wheel:

The Yeti ought to behave just the same. This is a test without a gradient. It is not clear whether the Haldex Skodas would climb a steep ramp with grip to one wheel only. But after some of the things I did last weekend in the snow, I'd expect them to do OK.

Here is the Haldex doing its thing on an Octavia Scout with grip on only one wheel:

The Yeti ought to behave just the same. This is a test without a gradient. It is not clear whether the Haldex Skodas would climb a steep ramp with grip to one wheel only. But after some of the things I did last weekend in the snow, I'd expect them to do OK.

Looks like a FL Scout, which as I do believe is now Haldex 4 like the Yeti, so the Yeti ought to be able too do the same as the Subaru in the OP.

Looks like a FL Scout, which as I do believe is now Haldex 4 like the Yeti, so the Yeti ought to be able too do the same as the Subaru in the OP.

As far as I'm aware the Scout switched to the GEN 4 system before the face lift.

Borg Warner bought out the Haldex drive division a year or two back; also manufacture the turbo's for the CFH diesel engines (110 & 140)

My link

Oh forgot to say the GEN 4 set-up is not dissimilar to an aircraft hydraulic system.

TP

Here is the Haldex doing its thing on an Octavia Scout with grip on only one wheel:

The Yeti ought to behave just the same. This is a test without a gradient. It is not clear whether the Haldex Skodas would climb a steep ramp with grip to one wheel only. But after some of the things I did last weekend in the snow, I'd expect them to do OK.

I'm afraid this video proves very little to me. That ramp is not uphill and it could even be pointing slightly down!!! You basically just release the handbrake and the car would roll off that. The front wheels did not even spin!!!! Nope stupid video I'm sorry. In the original OP video the whole point is that there has to be some mass for the car to push up an incline.

Granted the old Halfex system in the 2007 video I posted above managed it so I'm sure the Yeti can do it, but alas this video is scant "proof" of that.

Agreed, that test proves no more than what it shows. We want to see the same 3-roller test on an incline, with the Yeti vs. several other 4WDs.

It can't be that hard to get hold of a ramp with rollers if you are in the motor trade. There's an opportunity here for an enterprising Skoda dealer to create some good publicity - based on the car's real ability, as opposed to Clarkson's Yeti test that, although amusing, was very little to do with Yetis and everything to do with parodying the clichés of motoring journalism and the selective comparisons of car marketing.

Any dealers up for it?

Going back to the Subaru video, watch it again.

You will notice that in all the other cars as soon as the wheels start spinning then the power is eased off. This either stops the "system" working completely or reduces it's effectiveness a lot. However with the Subaru the power is continuous.

When I taught Freelander owners it was one of the things that took the most time to get over, as the natural reaction as soon as you sense the wheel spin is to ease off, but to get the VCU and traction control system to work, you actually had to keep the power ON all the time. It is counter intuiative, but it is the only way.

The Yeti is exactly the same, it needs the power to be there all the time to get the Haldex to lock and the individual wheel braking systems to work.

We once put a Freelander on 3 sets of wheel roller/skids, with one front wheel on the ground and drove it around a smooth car park! There isn't much control, but it is fun!!

Lots of info in here.

http://briskoda.net/...e__hl__haldex+4

Its certainly not better than my last 4x4, an X5 with the Xdrive sytem which was much more fluid and under control.

Wow - im amazed to read that from an owner of both vehicles, the X5's certainly dont seem as capable as a Yeti at the off road courses Ive attended so far. Interesting to read though. :yes:

I had mine in two situations on Sunday in deep sno, off road when one wheel was clean off the ground and the diagonal one to it had minimal grip but as long as you keep on the power it pulls away very cleanly and smoothly. Really very impressed with it tbh.

Wow - im amazed to read that from an owner of both vehicles, the X5's certainly dont seem as capable as a Yeti at the off road courses Ive attended so far. Interesting to read though. :yes:

I had mine in two situations on Sunday in deep sno, off road when one wheel was clean off the ground and the diagonal one to it had minimal grip but as long as you keep on the power it pulls away very cleanly and smoothly. Really very impressed with it tbh.

Surprising to some, yes.

Two of my neighbours also had/ have X5's, they thought they weren't very good in the snow and couldn't get them up our road without great difficulty, the problem was that they never read the manual and they aren't the best drivers. Switching off the DSC puts the Xdrive sytem into constant 4 wheel drive and makes an incredible difference. They would watch in absolute amazement when I drove past their abandoned cars, up the hill and then up my steep driveway. During our horrendous snow last year one of the X5 owners traded it in for a nice new RR Sport thinking that would be the end of their woes, they also got it stuck!

I frequently used my X5 for pulling my boat (1500kg plus the twin axle trailer) out the water up a steep stone beach then up a steep grass hill, it would not do it if left in the Xdrive mode, switch to constant 4x4 and it pulls it up with ease. I have seen RR sports get stuck doing the same thing.

There are many clips on Youtube of the X5/6 against the RR off road and in the snow and they fair very well considering they don't have the ride height of the RR.

Surely the RR will get further up the hill than the X5.

Edited 9 February, 201214 yr by servicepoint

The Yeti is exactly the same, it needs the power to be there all the time to get the Haldex to lock and the individual wheel braking systems to work.

My dealer told me that turning off-road mode on also engages full time all-wheel drive (i.e. locks the Haldex). Is there any truth in it?

My dealer told me that turning off-road mode on also engages full time all-wheel drive (i.e. locks the Haldex). Is there any truth in it?

Nope!

My dealer told me that turning off-road mode on also engages full time all-wheel drive (i.e. locks the Haldex). Is there any truth in it?

It is astounding the rubbish dealers can come up with!!! No truth in this. The Haldex system is 100% of the time in a mode that only sends slip to the wheel(s) that mosts need it. 98% of the power normally goes to the front wheels. Pressing the TCS or Off-road button(s) have no impact on this operation.

Thank you for your answers.

PS I wish the design documentation for all these fancy electronic devices was freely available to know for sure how they are supposed to work.

Thank you for your answers.

PS I wish the design documentation for all these fancy electronic devices was freely available to know for sure how they are supposed to work.

Few things you should know about driving with yeti in the snow:

- tyres are 70% of the equation...with summer tyres you will get stuck on the smallest uphill...even with 4x4 (tested by myself)

- EDLs...well...sometimes they work...sometimes not...i found out that they work more often when off road button is NOT pressed!??!

- ESP...great safety feature....but also fun killer number one...it only lets the rear end to step out like half a meter

all in all...this car is very very good in snow. It will only stop when there is so much snow that all four wheels get of the ground.

What surprised me mostly was that it is capable of doing dounuts...I always thought that only rear wheel drive or rear end biased 4wd cars are capable of doing them. I filmed it...will upload when I have time...makes great fun doing them:-)

My dealer told me that turning off-road mode on also engages full time all-wheel drive (i.e. locks the Haldex). Is there any truth in it?

No, but you can buy a duplicate Haldex that looks like the original but has a switch to give more rear drive bias.

Obviously it's not a VW part, it's one that someone has altered.

But it does look very interesting...

Link here, gen4 down the page a bit:

http://hpamotorsports.com/haldex.htm

I'd assume you know a fair amount about winter tyres etc.. as you are in Moscow.

Last time I was there everyone was driving around quite happily on sheet ice.

The official Haldex tuning company is Ram Tech, believe they supply the parts to HPA above.

My link

UK distributor is, the TT shop;

My link

Regards,

TP

- tyres are 70% of the equation...with summer tyres you will get stuck on the smallest uphill...even with 4x4 (tested by myself)

Depends on how you drive!! I had no problems around here last year, including 15% hills!

Few things you should know about driving with yeti in the snow:

- tyres are 70% of the equation...with summer tyres you will get stuck on the smallest uphill...even with 4x4 (tested by myself)

I agree that tires are of the most importance. But in my very limited experience with Yeti, tires affect how the car brakes in the first place (that is ABS operation) and only then its offroad capabilities.

- ESP...great safety feature....but also fun killer number one...it only lets the rear end to step out like half a meter

Well, I managed to fool the ESP and put my Yeti into a skid somehow the other day I was driving with my friend on a deserted icy road towards a local quarry to test how the Yeti handles and decided to demonstrate how its ESP works. I had done some testing of my Yeti's ESP before and was rather confident. I gathered some speed before a road bend, turned the steering wheel and stepped onto the accelerator. The car began turning so quickly that I had to steer back right away to prevent slewing round. I think it was a 4WD effect. I know how to act in situations like this rather well as I try to practice each winter. But I definitely wasn't expecting that ESP would allow a deep skid so I got the wind up a bit

No, but you can buy a duplicate Haldex that looks like the original but has a switch to give more rear drive bias.

Obviously it's not a VW part, it's one that someone has altered.

But it does look very interesting...

Link here, gen4 down the page a bit:

http://hpamotorsports.com/haldex.htm

Looks like this thing will void warranty if fitted... Besides, things like that usually do have a negative impact on durability.

I'd assume you know a fair amount about winter tyres etc.. as you are in Moscow.

Last time I was there everyone was driving around quite happily on sheet ice.

They use that so called "Luzhkov's cocktail" to melt ice even if the temperature is 20 degrees below freezing (they simply spill tonnes and tonnes of it on the roads). I'm not sure which is worse though: ice or that deicing chemicals

Edited 11 February, 201214 yr by briskycat

What surprised me mostly was that it is capable of doing dounuts...I always thought that only rear wheel drive or rear end biased 4wd cars are capable of doing them. I filmed it...will upload when I have time...makes great fun doing them:-)

Been there done that and LOVED it:

Been there done that and LOVED it:

Nice! Gotta try that too