Difference between PDL lock and off road switch

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Evl1, Apr 10, 2014.

  1. Toomanybikes

    Toomanybikes Road Train Member

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    I did. Did you!
     
  2. sdaniel

    sdaniel Road Train Member

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    Don't own any more internationals . But am not guessing what it does .
     
  3. Toomanybikes

    Toomanybikes Road Train Member

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    Same system with all the manufactures. (paccar, volvo, frieghtliner, international)

    Probably did not read those manuals either?

    I did and I just told you how the system works.
     
  4. sdaniel

    sdaniel Road Train Member

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    Own 1200 trucks , not a one in our fleet has a "off road switch" . And which answer did the manual give , your first or second one ?
     
  5. Toomanybikes

    Toomanybikes Road Train Member

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    Go back and read any one of your 1200 truck manuals because even if it not equipped with one the information will be in there.

    The answers are the same. You have a problem with your reading or just comprehension?
     
  6. jorlee

    jorlee Light Load Member

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    Wow, just wow. Have any of you actually drove a truck with a traction control system?

    Toomanybikes, described exactly how it works.

    The offroad switch. This is just a term for the new breed of people driving trucks, like mud/snow and Normal, on KW trucks. Just a traction control switch, that it that's all.

    Power Divider is just a differential between the front and rear axles. Locking it allows the front and rear axles to travel at the same speed. This does not mean that either side will turn at the same rate.

    Have a 2000 FLD Freightliner in the fleet with a traction control switch. It uses the anti-lock braking system to keep wheel or wheels from spinning ( You can hear the antilock module pulsating air when it detects wheel slip. The power divider has no effect on this system. Turn Traction control off and you can spin tires if the occasion calls for it.
     
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  7. windsmith

    windsmith Road Train Member

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    PDL: Power Divider Lock. Normally, only one of your two axles is driven by the drive shaft. When you switch on the PDL, power is sent to both axles instead of just one. Use it if you are on rough terrain and if your tires are spinning and you're not moving. Or if you've got one of your drives up on a curb and you're not moving because the other is spinning. *important* - Before switching it on, be sure that the tires are no longer spinning or you may damage or destroy the power divider. In the old days, there was a speed limitation for using the PDL. With the newer systems available today, there is no speed limitation; the only limitation is that you not switch it on or off if a wheel is spinning.

    Off Road: Navistar traction control uses power limiting and brake modulation to stop your drive tires from spinning when they don't have traction. If you add power on a slick surface such as ice, you can hear the air brakes 'spitting' as they apply and release on each wheel that spins. If traction is low enough and your drive tires are spinning excessively, the system will reduce power available from the engine. Sometimes you don't want your power to be limited if you need to rock back and forth to get out of a slick hole in the snow. That's when you'd use the Off Road switch. That ensures that you have full engine power available without interference from the traction control system.

    Yes, I drive Navistar trucks with these features. :)
     
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  8. CondoCruiser

    CondoCruiser The Legend

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    Copy/paste from the Prostar manual


     
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  9. Toomanybikes

    Toomanybikes Road Train Member

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    Copy/paste from the Prostar manual. ATC means Automatic Traction Control.


     
  10. Toomanybikes

    Toomanybikes Road Train Member

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    Copy/paste from the Prostar manual.