R34Gtt Couldn't Get Up Steep Wet Driveway -No Traction

[rondofj]

So I was exiting out of my mate’s apartment basement car park at Wolli Creek the other day, it has a really steep (30 degree?) and tightly curved sloped driveway which also happened to have a little pool of water at the bottom flat portion of the drive. Now my mate in his stock Lexus IS200 went up this drive as easy as a snake sliding up a fence. Following him, I got like 1-2 car lengths up the drive and couldn’t go further – so much excessive wheelspin and could smell the tyre burning (thought it was the clutch at first).. 3-4 attempts and no luck. I even pulled up the handbrake on the slope, gave it some revs, then dumped the clutch normally, while putting the handbrake down, and still wheelspin at 3,4,5,6k rpms…

Got my mate and another guy to sit in the backseat to get better traction and we only JUST managed to crawl up in centimetres, wheelspinning as before, after the second traction we went up the slope easily, just at the bottom curved bit which was also wet.. My R34GTT has quite firm rear Cusco adjustable coilovers and the front end is a noticeable bit lower than the rear – same Cuscos in front.

My other mate with his stock Nissan Tiida who lives on the block never had this issue before.. So you can imagine them both ribbing me about how my high performance turbo car couldn’t get up that ridiculous driveway when their shopping trolley rides slide up and down like pros.

Anyone got any suggestions as to whats wrong with me not getting traction – hard suspension, front bit lower than rear?? – my tyres are really good – 235/18s, my traction control dosen’t work though, the light in dash is always off.

[rondofj]

Maybe I was revving too much, but still? The lexus is a manual and I do know how to drive haha so thats not the issue, I even thought my car is pulling too much torque at low revs causing the wheelspin, but then a lot of you guys are pulling waaay bigger numbers than me and I've never heard of anyone bring up an issue like this..

[jay-rod]

Your skyline has way more torque than those other cars.

For a steep hill/driveway ( AND WET!!! ) you would need to ride the clutch quite a bit or like you did handbrake start, but dont rev it so high, creep it.

More power = more wheelspin, keep the revs down low, 1-2k range.

Edited June 22, 2011 by jay-rod

[rondofj]

ahaa thanks Jared...more Torque/Power...ahhaa now I feel goood.......ahhhh, hope thats the reason..

[jrm]

My question is - what happened to your traction control system? Anytime I've been in that situation, traction control would kick in and make it fine.

[jay-rod]

ahaa thanks Jared...more Torque/Power...ahhaa now I feel goood.......ahhhh, hope thats the reason..

Than and type of tyre.

Cheap tyre/ No tread = Spin

[rondofj]

Dunno mate, bought it like that, that was the only thing in my car that dosent work, thats why its pretty dangerous in the wet, even driving it normally, wheelspins very easily, it does have the 2nd traction control butterfly in the intake though, I think either the unit is fuct or the fuse is blown..Anyways I am pulling a kinda healthy 545Nm torque on the stock turbo, tuned to awesomeness by DVS Jez on SAU

[jay-rod]

My question is - what happened to your traction control system? Anytime I've been in that situation, traction control would kick in and make it fine.

As far as i know Traction control does not stop both tyres from spinning after they have started.

It only stop loss of traction from the beggning.

So if he floored it, traction control can only do so much.

But yes no TCS would not help either

Edited June 22, 2011 by jay-rod

[rondofj]

I have the expensive Bridgestone Potenzers with healthy tread so tyres are not an issue thankfully ...

[rondofj]

I did strongly think its my stiff suspension, but my tuner said my suspension is beautiful compared to the really hard race-type suspension that he is used to... Could be that my low rpm torque is a bit much for that slippery steep slope..?? The IS200 also a rear wheel drive, didnt have any issue at all, and niether my other mates Tiida - which would have more traction as its a front-wheel drive with the heavy engine in front?

[rondofj]

I always thought the R34 has a good front-rear weight distribution although not as good as a mid-engine mounted car, so thought how the hell is the weight distribution causing this issue or is it something else..

[jay-rod]

I did strongly think its my stiff suspension, but my tuner said my suspension is beautiful compared to the really hard race-type suspension that he is used to... Could be that my low rpm torque is a bit much for that slippery steep slope..?? The IS200 also a rear wheel drive, didnt have any issue at all, and niether my other mates Tiida - which would have more traction as its a front-wheel drive with the heavy engine in front?

i just think you gave it to much throttle.

[rondofj]

I did, but even at low rpms 2-3k, it just wouldn't move up at all, was more happy doing a circus spinning act..

[iruvyouskyrine]

545nm, a wet 30 degree slope and no traction control. Yep, that'd do it.

[rondofj]

any other views people??

[r32line]

Have you checked all your fuses? The traction control not working could simply be the previous owner taking the fuse out or it could have blown?

*Edit - If problem persists buy a GTR

Edited June 22, 2011 by r32line

[GTR-N1]

any other views people??

You turn the car around 180 degrees > Put into reverse gear > Becomes a FWD

[rondofj]

Anyone else had this problem? Nobody thinks its my stiff suspension and heavy engine in the front = less grip? I must say its very easy to wheelspin in this car, even in the dry straight roads, when coming on boost suddenly..

[Cassbo]

Doesn't the traction control system in R34s cut power by closing the throttle body? If this is the case might be able to get up the driveway if you use more delicate throttle control... or no throttle at all

To be honest, I'm thinking either diff or tyres (or a combination of the two). You definitely won't be going anywhere if you are single spinning... I remember trying to drive my cousin's Commodore onto my lawn and I got stuck because all it could do was peg leg!

Stiff springs on the rear end is probably a contributing factor but not the cause

[Dingus]

Yeah sounds like you're just giving it too much. Only time I ever had similar in my old 33 was when I had bald tyres, with good tyres you should be able to just take it easy and slip the clutch a little.