I've got a question about our loved 4x4.

Launching a FWD or RWD car is tricky because you need to find the optimum point between wheelspin and traction. With 4x4 it is supposed to be much easier, because there's twice as much traction as the others.

On Evos and Subarus, since they are AWD all the time, it is common sense to apply as much power as you can to the drivetrain while avoiding dumping the clutch so you dont brake anything (popping the clutch at 7000rpm on a awd is a bit brutal in my opinion and no drivetrian is designed to handle reliably that kind of abuse). So far so good.

Now here's my debate: Since our cars are neither awd or fwd, how do you guys launch your cars? If the haldex only engages when the front wheels spin, then you need to drop the clutch fairly hard, but that would mean stressing the awd fairly hard too (wich was never designed as a performance device in the first place). Now, if we slip the clutch so that the front doesnt spin, the haldex never engages and it's basicly a FWD car.

Personally, on the dry i slip at the very start and then, when the car has some inertia, i drop the clutch and the light spin it produces is sufficent to engage the haldex. On the wet i dont mind popping the clutch since wet tarmac doesnt have enough traction to harm the drivetrain.

So, after all this, what are your thoughts about launching haldexed skodas, audis and vws? I dont recall having heard of haldex failures due to launches (like broken driveshaft or blown clutchpack).:confused:

Dad dumps clutch pretty hard on our octy 4x4 and to this day never had a bad launch and nothing broken and everyone else left in our wake!

For a brisk start I just feed the clutch in fairly quickly with enough revs to avoid being below the turbo.

For a Fast launch then it's a case of ESP 'off', as many revs as you dare (4k+) then just side step the clutch.

I find it very easy to over rev when doing a quick launch, ie: slipping the clutch way too much as the revs rise too quickly. anyone else find this?

For a brisk start I just feed the clutch in fairly quickly with enough revs to avoid being below the turbo.

For a Fast launch then it's a case of ESP 'off'' date=' as many revs as you dare (4k+) then just side step the clutch.[/quote']

I agree for a brisk start, Fast starts, never done one, Im always scared something will break. I normally find with the low 1st a fast start suffices, its always nice when they get their nose in front then you pass them !

http://www.philgooch.com/video/

There are a few videos there of Bengie getting some good starts. The last one is the best.

strange, i actually felt my ears burning

mechanical sympathy? me? :D

4k? 5k? 6k? whatever just get it revving like a nutter and dump that clutch, then off she flies.

but i also have an uprated clutch and lightened single mass flywheel, its fun i tell thee but don't do it constantly

http://www.philgooch.com/video/

There are a few videos there of Bengie getting some good starts. The last one is the best.

Is the scooby uprated? It shouldn't waste the octy like it does in the vid.

Nice vids!

Is the scooby uprated? It shouldn't waste the octy like it does in the vid.

the imprezza is standard and the octavia has the same power output, a poorly turbo and weighs more.

The Fabia has an AMD one-click too

The white Octavia is the 4x4, the other (camera car) is my Elegance FWD with just a Jabba remap.

Cool vids! But is it just me or does the FWD elegance actually stick with the scoob better than the 4x4? (Apologies if I have just upset someone! )

Also interesting to see the difference in gearing in the vrs, elegance, 4x4 shot.

goochie did stay with him better but the bloke pulled away like a fabia driver when racing phil and did it properly when up against me

goochie did stay with him better but the bloke pulled away like a fabia driver when racing phil and did it properly when up against me

You sure?

its easy to see mate, watch when i leave phil for dust off the line when i get a proper start and how when i did the same i was level pegging with the WRX, then watch the video of phil Vs the WRX and tell me he wasn't driving like a girl