Off-road Mode.

[FORD FOR LIFE]

My truck seems to be faster and more responsive at lower speeds with the off-road mode OFF. Has anyone else noticed this. When in off-rod mode seems to start slower and have lag. Works good at at higher speed. Am I doing wrong. Traction control is disabled and locker is on.
Thanks
Josh

 

[07Alloy]

I feel the same way. I end up turning it off but then have the traction control stuff to deal with.

 

[MarkT]

In the old days the manufacturers sometimes used goofy linkage arrangements on the carburetor so that at half throttle at the pedal, the throttle plate in the carb was almost wide open. This "fools" the driver into thinking the vehicle is faster than it is.

These days, these types of tricks are done in the computer. In fact, one of the "computer tune" tricks is nothing more than remapping the electronic throttle so that the throttle plate opens wide with very little throttle pedal movement... the truck jumps when you barely touch the gas giving the impression of huge power gains.

When you enter off road mode on the Raptor... you don't have less power. What you have is a LINEAR throttle pedal map... half throttle is half throttle... not half throttle is 3/4 throttle or whatever the stock mapping is when you're not in off road mode.

This provides for better throttle control in loose, low traction, or critical (ie rock crawling) situations.

 

[Squatting Dog]

Excellent response Markt...

View attachment 7346

-Greg

 

[FORD FOR LIFE]

Thanks Mark. I do get what your saying and that does apply to my truck at higher speeds. I just really noticed it when hit a smaller shorter course areas and jumps. I had way more low end torque. It was really snappy with with mode off. But had traction off and locker on.

 

[MarkT]

What Greg posted is the right idea but it looks like a graph from an RC car where the purpose is usually to "desensitize" the throttle... Electric motors have full torque at zero rpm and can be a handful to drive.

What they do on full size vehicles is "over sensitize" the throttle so a slight touch on the pedal produces a large throttle opening. If you flipped Greg's graph it would be more like what I'm talking about.

Here's one from two versions of a Ducati TPS:



The TPS blue line opens the throttle much quicker than the linear red line giving the illusion of snappier response and more "low end".

They use non-linear throttle curves because it works! (if "working" means giving the impression you have more power at low speeds) But off roading I would prefer the linear curve which is what Ford gave us.

(There is also a possibility that Ford "detuned" the power in off road mode to prevent breaking parts at low speed... One of the "tuning experts" that has looked at the Ford tune could probably tell for sure.)

What I do know is the throttle mapping goes from non-linear to linear when you select off road mode and I'd bet that's most of what you are feeling.

 

[Squatting Dog]

Damn MarkT is sharp... It is from an rc car.. Trigger/throttle map for the electric motor, so it doesn't just spin the tires. It allows better application of the electric motor 100% torque.

It was the only picture example that I had handy.. Same concept...

-Greg

 

[SOCOMech]

Which is why we tell people that ask about drag racing to NOT use ORM. Out in the desert, on and off the throttle alot, ORM engaged.

 

[Squatting Dog]

Which is why we tell people that ask about drag racing to NOT use ORM. Out in the desert, on and off the throttle alot, ORM engaged.

Use tow/haul ass mode instead... Lol

ORM allows better throttle steering of the truck. It makes the 6800 pound beast feel like a quad in corners.

-Greg

 

[BigJ]

^^Great stuff guys.

And be aware, playing with that map is how the less-than-honest tuners will fool you into thinking they've increased power numbers when in fact they've done nothing of the sort. They'll remap the pedal position so that you get a ton more response for much less pedal press. And as you can see based on the graphs posted, all that does is take away the power you're used to having up top. They haven't added anything; they've just given you what you already have a little sooner than you're used to getting it.