Focus RS

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Andrew_Frick
Yeah that AWD system sounds really interesting.

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Nubby

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Andrew_Frick
Yeah that AWD system sounds really interesting.

Yeah, as in bevel gears and clutches suck. At least with what's in an Evo or Subaru everything falls back to a mechanical diff. What happens when one of the clutches in the RS in the rear gives up the ghost? That wheel is unhooked from the drive train. I would assume that's how torque is getting split F/R as well, because that's a lot cheaper than an active center diff.

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Andrew_Frick

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Nubby

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Andrew_Frick
Yeah that AWD system sounds really interesting.

Yeah, as in bevel gears and clutches suck. At least with what's in an Evo or Subaru everything falls back to a mechanical diff. What happens when one of the clutches in the RS in the rear gives up the ghost? That wheel is unhooked from the drive train. I would assume that's how torque is getting split F/R as well, because that's a lot cheaper than an active center diff.

So what you are saying is when the mechanical parts break it may not perform as designed. I don't see how that is different than the currently available stuff

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Nubby

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Andrew_Frick

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Nubby

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Andrew_Frick
Yeah that AWD system sounds really interesting.

Yeah, as in bevel gears and clutches suck. At least with what's in an Evo or Subaru everything falls back to a mechanical diff. What happens when one of the clutches in the RS in the rear gives up the ghost? That wheel is unhooked from the drive train. I would assume that's how torque is getting split F/R as well, because that's a lot cheaper than an active center diff.

So what you are saying is when the mechanical parts break it may not perform as designed. I don't see how that is different than the currently available stuff

The ACD pump in an Evo can go kaput, then you end up with an open center diff. To me, diffs aren't that finicky, electro-mechanical-hydraulic-computer-controlled stuff is where I expect things to fail. So if it's going to fail, I prefer it to fail gracefully.

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tipo158
From C&D interview with the Ford VP of Product Development, concerning the AWD system -

"Q: Talk us through that system—the rear axle has a continuously turning propshaft and then two clutches that can engage each side separately?

A: It has. You can almost look at it as like an active limited slip, you’re actively working the clutches and so obviously doing the typical varying between front and rear torque splits, up to 70 percent to the rear. But at the rear, 100 percent is available to go to the outside wheel, that’s what’s different. We’re still using brake torque vectoring at the front, which is great for helping turn-in. But for coming out of a corner and laying power down you don’t want to lose anything. So we’re able to electronically control the clutches and infinitely vary the torque, make sure it’s all being delivered."

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Robert Culbertson
Judging from this extremely clear and highly technical schematic, it looks like a clutch pack failure would result in a loss of drive. Hydraulically actuated clutch packs, there might be some issues there. Though the industrial industry seems to design high load clutch packs that don't fail all the time.

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Pete
..........

Hopefully the RS coming out will drive ST prices further into the ground the same way the ST drove SVT prices down. Was looking at 2 year old STs and they can be had in the $10-12k range.

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rallytaff
Didn't the Focus come with and on/off traction control swicth? I have one on my Fiesta ST. Steering input is very precise.