Quadrasteer coming back?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Nov 9, 2008
Messages
23,720
Location
NH
Ward's

Quote:

Consumers wishing their fullsize pickup would maneuver like a small utility vehicle might want to start shopping for a new truck in three or four years.

That’s the timeframe ZF says it hopes to be in the market with technology that steers the rear wheels of pickup trucks.

Since November 2013, ZF has supplied Porsche and several other customers with its Active Kinematics Control, which uses an electrically driven actuator (or in some cases two actuators, one for each rear wheel) to articulate the rear wheels up to 5 degrees in either direction.


Quote:

To demonstrate the potential gain in agility, ZF has equipped a Ford F-150 with AKC capable of pivoting the rear wheels up to 12 degrees in either direction, reducing the turning circle from 48 ft. to 38 ft. (14.6 m to 11.6 m), roughly the same as a Ford Escape CUV.


But I guess not until 2021, according to the article.
 
Oh boy. Just four more balljoints, two outer tie rods, two inner tie rods and two u-joints or CV axles to wear out and need replacing.

No thanks.
 
Yah,way too much to go wrong. Seen a 4wd
grin2.gif
lawn mower?
 
Originally Posted By: Canadastang
Oh boy. Just four more balljoints, two outer tie rods, two inner tie rods and two u-joints or CV axles to wear out and need replacing.

No thanks.


I guess I don't understand. I took my VW from zero to 314kmiles, and it had the original CV's and ball joints at the end. Only struts had been changed (twice), and the rubber boots on the CV's. Done right, I don't see why suspension parts can't be lifetime.
 
If you keep cars RWS might be something to think about avoiding. In many cases, it might be a solution to a problem that does not exist.
 
Originally Posted By: Canadastang
Oh boy. Just four more balljoints, two outer tie rods, two inner tie rods and two u-joints or CV axles to wear out and need replacing.

No thanks.
Good point.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Canadastang
Oh boy. Just four more balljoints, two outer tie rods, two inner tie rods and two u-joints or CV axles to wear out and need replacing.

No thanks.


I guess I don't understand. I took my VW from zero to 314kmiles, and it had the original CV's and ball joints at the end. Only struts had been changed (twice), and the rubber boots on the CV's. Done right, I don't see why suspension parts can't be lifetime.
NH takes better care of their roadways than other states.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Canadastang
Oh boy. Just four more balljoints, two outer tie rods, two inner tie rods and two u-joints or CV axles to wear out and need replacing.

No thanks.


I guess I don't understand. I took my VW from zero to 314kmiles, and it had the original CV's and ball joints at the end. Only struts had been changed (twice), and the rubber boots on the CV's. Done right, I don't see why suspension parts can't be lifetime.


You are the exception to the rule.

Also, if this application is to be on a truck, well, trucks are generally used a lot harder, go over rougher terrain, are carrying more weight, etc.

It's very common around here for 1/2 ton trucks to need new balljoints before 100k miles. Put some weight on the front (snow plow) and that number is easily cut in half.

I couldn't imagine having all that extra complexity in the rear of a pickup truck, especially if you're going to load it up and use it the way a truck is intended, well you're probably gonna be fixing a lot of suspension parts, a lot sooner.

Wonder why GM abandoned quadrasteer?
 
Would be great for the yuppies who drive all paved roads and have a small boat to tow once a year. Or for the soccer mom who likes to drive around the city in a big truck and has trouble parking at Walmart.

Sounds like a great way to tack on a pile to the list price and help GM by buying overpriced replacement parts.
 
How are they going to do that with a live axle? It may work on a Tonka toy like the Honda Ridgeline that uses a unibody but not a real truck that works for a living.
 
Originally Posted By: BrianF
Or for the soccer mom who likes to drive around the city in a big truck and has trouble parking at Walmart.



I saw a lady trying to park a newer F-350 at the grocery store. It was pretty funny to watch.
 
Fair enough, although I don't think the roads where I live are that great.

If balljoints are done at 100k on a truck, then aren't they undersized; or are the loads oversized?
 
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: BrianF
Or for the soccer mom who likes to drive around the city in a big truck and has trouble parking at Walmart.



I saw a lady trying to park a newer F-350 at the grocery store. It was pretty funny to watch.

As long as they don't smash cars up... A full size pickup would sort of work for us, but I'd rather have a midsize just for everyday driving, on and off road.
 
ZF Steering Systems was sold to Bosch last year. Surprised to still see their name in steering articles.
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
If you keep cars RWS might be something to think about avoiding. In many cases, it might be a solution to a problem that does not exist.


They introduced 4WS on the new Acura TLX. What a nightmare. So many problems with the electric motors, at $2000 each. And I bet 99% of customers could not tell the difference.
 
Originally Posted By: Canadastang

Wonder why GM abandoned quadrasteer?


The people that bought it, loved it. Used vehicles that had it were in high demand a few years back, there was some media coverage of it.

GM abandoned it because it was expensive and not enough people bought it new. IIRC it had actual mechanical links. Would be much cheaper to just do it via Canbus. Maybe that's what ZF is doing.
 
Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
If you keep cars RWS might be something to think about avoiding. In many cases, it might be a solution to a problem that does not exist.


They introduced 4WS on the new Acura TLX. What a nightmare. So many problems with the electric motors, at $2000 each. And I bet 99% of customers could not tell the difference.


SH-AWD has been around for years.
 
Originally Posted By: andyd
Yah,way too much to go wrong. Seen a 4wd
grin2.gif
lawn mower?


You mean 4WS?

I have 2 of them and they (quite literally) run circles around non 4WS tractors.
 
Originally Posted By: Brons2
Originally Posted By: mightymousetech
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
If you keep cars RWS might be something to think about avoiding. In many cases, it might be a solution to a problem that does not exist.


They introduced 4WS on the new Acura TLX. What a nightmare. So many problems with the electric motors, at $2000 each. And I bet 99% of customers could not tell the difference.


SH-AWD has been around for years.



Acura's Precision all-wheel steering (P-AWS) system is different than their Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top