Quote:
Originally Posted by footie
Sorry for my previous replies, was having a bad day which were apparent in my posts. You are quite correct that in all out braking the drivetrain has no bearing on things and on the posts were I did touch on this subject I said as much but as I also had at that time that if you need to brake to cause ABS to activate then you have failed in your bad weather awareness driving. In any case in snow ABS makes braking worse then without it but more occasions than not it's benefits far out weigh it's failing.
So that's why I talk about engine braking and it's importance, what you want in snow is the ability not to lock up, so that is when engine braking is important and more benefical in an awd car as I highlighted in the previous post it will no unsettle the chassis and with twice the effect from two axles and not one.
Engine braking should be used when possible, even in a rwd car only that it's better with an awd car.
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I did get the feeling that we were talking about slightly different concepts...
My wife and I were going skiing last year and she learned the benefits of engine braking...we were traveling at about 7 am on a clear morning on an exposed highway...it was a crisp clear cold morning and had been a little warmer the day previous....when she hit a huge sheet of black ice at about 60 mph...the SUV got a little loose...she gently lifted from the gas...never hit the brakes and kept the truck straight and let the engine coast us down...truly scarey stuff...a mile past the next entrance....another sheet of blackice...there were cars scattered everywhere...about 100 feet off the road..