I know what effect these buttons have. In the case of the ATC SPIN button, it disables the Traction Control System and allows the tires to spin. In the case of the HSA OFF button, it disables the hill start assist feature that holds the brakes for 3 seconds while you move your foot from the brake to the accelerator.
But!
In what scenarios would you want to disable these features? I can't think of any for the ATC SPIN, but I have found that turning off HSA while backing makes for a much smoother/less jerky experience. I'm used to being able to feather the clutch and back oh-so-smoothly. When I first switched into an automatic, backing the truck suddenly became like trying to drive in reverse through an earthquake.
Thoughts?
ATC SPIN and HSA OFF Buttons (Cascadia)
Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by madmoneymike5, Jan 21, 2020.
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I would run with them off.
There are times those drives are going to spin and times she is dancing. And also times where the RPM is trapped in a limited traction range. It varies. I don't trust the truck to try and make corrections that I will be making manually.
Autos and backing to me equals a kiddie bounce house. Up she goes... boing boing boing, it really messes up everything. So I'll just add power and roar into the dock in one move.
HSA and I would not get along. I usually can come off the clutch adding plate and fuel within 2 seconds and start pulling her to get moving. She will just have to giddy up and roll. -
Looking at your signature (you've been out of the truck for over a decade now) and based on what you said, it's safe to assume you've not driven a new-style DT12 automatic Cascadia, yes? If that is correct, then not to be rude, but I'm really looking for responses from people who have actually driven this model with these features.
Flat Earth Trucker Thanks this. -
I have had up until model year 2010's at the auction house and am current to that year on tractors and what is on them.
If I am in a modern tractor next year with HSA and traction, all of that is going to be OFF. I drive tractor trailers one way and only one way in all weather. I don't do computer assistance for anything except braking.
You were not rude, just being fair. However you were working off a little incomplete history of me. Im finished here, Ive said what I was going to say anyway, I drive them things one way. My way. Not HSA, Traction or computer anything way.
There was only one car that I had experienced to try out the Traction feature and that was a 2006 Cadillac CTS with it on and in sport mode I was able to take a 45 mph marked curve in the hills in excess of 140+ Cadillac did a wonderful job with that particular model, if you can open them things up and go. There isnt much room in Arkansas for anything beyond 160 with it anyway. It's plenty fast and did not mind having the computer ease the power to a tire that is beginning to lose traction or similar situation before I know about it.
Be well, just remember us old grouchies do it our way with trucking in these trucks. Computer tools are for those who are not good enough to run with us old grouchies yet and not really welcome from our esteemed engineers who keep adding stuff that is NOT needed. It just over complicates the tractor too much. And you wonder why we sometimes have problems with them. -
Ha! I understand where you're coming from. You sound like my father. He also hates anything that has a computer chip in it or a touchscreen on it. He's a 40+ year ASE Master Mechanic. That said, coming from a younger generation, I see the merits of technology, accept it, and welcome it. So, respectfully, I disagree and that's okay. Different strokes for different folks, right?
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Never drove anything with HSA on it, but I did spend time with an early Autoshift transmission. It had the ATC disable button. Most times it wasn't used. But at the time, I was running a fair amount of off road type stuff. Turning the ATC off when in the mud up to the axle housings was the only way to get through.
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If ABS detects a spinning wheel (one faster than the others) it applies the brake on that wheel until all are back to the same speed.
If another wheel starts spinning that brake applies.
If you are on slippery terrain (mud, ice etc) it is my experience this system WILL cause you to get stuck much sooner than normal. -
Pulling out of dock that icy and you can turn off ATC SPIN and might get out. In truck stops parking lot ATC SPIN will cut the power and you can't pull even spinning the tires. The risk you take is you can shock the drive line or axles if you hit dry patch. You ever see driver at truck stop spinning drive tires trying to get out of parking spot. They are melting the snow and ice. If the tires get traction at that speed they can rip the drive line out of truck or twist it.
madmoneymike5 Thanks this. -
Interesting. So it seems that you both are suggesting that you could turn off the traction control system in order to help get you unstuck or to prevent getting stuck in the first place. I also gathered that you need to be gentle when using this technique so you don't damage the drive line.
Does that sound accurate? -
That's how I did I before ATC. Only the last two truck I drove had ATC SPIN. So I always would notice the RPMs jump up when you lose traction driving down the road. The spinning or skidding tire ALWAYS wants to lead or come to the front of the truck. So you can't keep spinning the tires going down the highway. Because you will jackknife. So once you noticed your losing traction and spinning tires. You have to let off the power and try getting traction again. You can spin the tires a little but your also making the jacknife start. So it's a fine line. You don't want to stop, and you don't want to jackknife. If your pulling a hill, and can't pull and your just spinning tires. Then you have no choice. You will stop because if you don't you will jacknife and end up blocking more lanes. Your better off stopping in you Lane vs jacknife and blocking all the lanes.
That's were I think ATC SPIN helps because it will see a spinning tires faster then me. It does the same thing at truck stop parking lot. I really notice it when I would back into dock to unload. Now empty I don't have traction to pull out and the ATC SPIN cuts the power off. In my older truck you just spin the tires a little to keep it moving to get out. Something at truck stop parking lots. You just need a little more spinning to get moving. You should not go crazy spinning the tires. Because if they hit a dry pavement. You can break stuff.Last edited: Jan 23, 2020
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