Ridgeline VTM-4 Explanation from Gary Flint

[arteegee]

Originally Posted by PerryLynch

How do I spin the tires?

Turn the VSA off.

[MDVE39]

Thanks to Gary Flint and T MAC. Great article. Love this truck more every day!

[Bacpacr]

Very informative reading. A good reference to remember all the applications, depending on the circumstances and season. Accelerating out of the apex of the curve and quick starts at the light in the rain. This is where the truck really separates itself from all the others.

[MoosePond]

thanks Gary & Tom for sharing this, really makes it understandable for those of us whose automotive "engineering" is limited to installing bolt-on mods!

[DoodleBug]

I never realized the system engaged when accelerating from a stop... Great info, thanks for sharing!

[xridgelinex]

And I thought I was good driver... especially in the snow.... ... I always knew most of my skills was really the RL... and it is one of the many things I enjoy about owning a RL...

[Cajun Country Ridgeline]

Great article, keep the educational stuff coming!

Thankyou TMac and Gary!!!!!

[Whaleya]

The explaination did not help. It was graphs without units, something my 4th grade math teacher would not allow.


In particular I would like to know at what speeds torque to the rear wheels diminishes and what is the max torque to the rear wheels in "auto" mode. When I accelerate hard on a freeway onramp the front end gets very light indicating that the front wheels are carrying most of not all of the engine torque.

I also don't buy the bit that Honda looked long and hard at every 4wd system and finally decided that the one already in their parts bin was the best. I figure that they looked long and hard and figured the Honda system was good, not great but was already designed, light weight and used fewer parts.

For on road driving a computer controlled separate center clutch would allow the same predictive torque transfer of the Honda system yet allow a more even torque split verses the Ridgeline's FWD system with rear torque only at low speeds. Some issues with the Honda system are high speed cornering, high speed acceleration. Porsche and Subaru are two examples of a computer controlled center clutch pack that is separate from the rear diff and allow a more balanced torque split and better driving feel.

For off road driving it's not an issue since the lack of skid plates and the low ground clearance limit the RL before limits of the 4WD system are reached.

There are trade offs to combining an active center clutch with a rear differential.

-W

[BLK RTS LSU CM]

Thank you for the post. That's why the Ridgeline is the shi_!

[Pug]

Wow.

Thanks to TMac and Gary for bringing this to the ROC...
... and thanks to ChrisM for bringing it to my(our) attention! (If not for his "Attention to those who haven't driven a RL in Snow" thread, I may have missed this very informative contribution.)

I had some idea of how the VTM-4/VSA worked, but I didn't realize just how hi-tech it really is!

A great read, and, as Bacpacr mentioned, a very informative reference to help sort-out what is happening when... during various traction, grade, and cornering circumstances.

One thing I still need help in understanding, however...

How does reducing the drive train to FWD help in deceleration?
It would seem to me, that using all four drive-wheels' resistance would be more effective at slowing a vehicle. Are the rear wheels then turning freely?
Or am I completely misunderstanding the following excerpt...

Automatic Mode
The VTM-4® electronic control unit, or ECU, constantly monitors vehicle speed and road conditions. When cruising or braking, the Ridgeline operates in front-wheel-drive only for maximum fuel efficiency.

I can't wait to get back into the RL and "experience, first hand" what Gary wrote was going on between the ECU, VSA, VTM-4, etc...