AWD in Reverse?

[Mark]

Question for the group.

I have a 02 WRX. I was visiting my friend's house in the country this
weekend and drove down their 300-foot paved driveway that's on a steep
hillside. It was raining and leaves covered most of the driveway.
When I was trying to back up the driveway, I started to smell the
obvious odor of burring rubber. Now, this was a steep driveway and
traction conditions were not ideal (rain, leaves, steep sloping
driveway).

My question is, does the AWD feature of the WRX work in reverse? I
assume that the rubber smell was the tires however I'm not totally
sure (hope it was not the clutch!).

 

[Rob Munach]

Question for the group.

I have a 02 WRX. I was visiting my friend's house in the country this
weekend and drove down their 300-foot paved driveway that's on a steep
hillside. It was raining and leaves covered most of the driveway.
When I was trying to back up the driveway, I started to smell the
obvious odor of burring rubber. Now, this was a steep driveway and
traction conditions were not ideal (rain, leaves, steep sloping
driveway).

My question is, does the AWD feature of the WRX work in reverse? I
assume that the rubber smell was the tires however I'm not totally
sure (hope it was not the clutch!).

No reason it shouldn't as it only senses rotational speed difference not
direction. It may have been your clutch. Were you slipping it
excessivley to maintain a slow speed and control?

Rob Munach, PE
Excel Engineering
PO Box 1264
Carrboro, NC 27510

 

[Danny Russell]

Question for the group.

I have a 02 WRX. I was visiting my friend's house in the country this
weekend and drove down their 300-foot paved driveway that's on a steep
hillside. It was raining and leaves covered most of the driveway.
When I was trying to back up the driveway, I started to smell the
obvious odor of burring rubber. Now, this was a steep driveway and
traction conditions were not ideal (rain, leaves, steep sloping
driveway).

My question is, does the AWD feature of the WRX work in reverse? I
assume that the rubber smell was the tires however I'm not totally
sure (hope it was not the clutch!).

On my 4EAT it's definitely functional in reverse. I'd assume it's true for the manual as well.
-Danny

 

[Mark]

No reason it shouldn't as it only senses rotational speed difference not
direction. It may have been your clutch. Were you slipping it
excessivley to maintain a slow speed and control?

Rob Munach, PE
Excel Engineering
PO Box 1264
Carrboro, NC 27510

Not really, I was going slow cause it was dark... Would a slipping
clutch smell like rubber burning?

 

[David Betts]

I assume that the rubber smell was the tires however I'm not totally
sure (hope it was not the clutch!).

Much more likely to have been the clutch. Very easy to slip it
excessively in those circumstances. You need to keep your foot off it
when reversing. It won't last long otherwise.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Mike]

Much more likely to have been the clutch. Very easy to slip it
excessively in those circumstances. You need to keep your foot off it
when reversing. It won't last long otherwise.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)

Why does Subaru insist on such a steep gear ratio for reverse any how?
I really wish they would have taken the opposite approach and used a
granny gear - I don't need go 30 mph in reverse. A granny first gear
would also be nice to have in certain situations since they don't
offer a low range (at least not in the US).

 

[Yousuf Khan]

Not really, I was going slow cause it was dark... Would a slipping
clutch smell like rubber burning?

Definitely. And it doesn't take a lot of slippage to get it to smell either.
I get the same smells from time to time in my 2000 OBW.

The Subaru service department explained it to me as if you're going too
slowly, you're not outrunning the smell, so you get to smell it. If you were
going pretty fast, regular gearshifting would likely also cause the same
smells but you are outrunning the smell before it gets to you.

Yousuf Khan

 

[David Betts]

Definitely. And it doesn't take a lot of slippage to get it to smell either.
I get the same smells from time to time in my 2000 OBW.

The Subaru service department explained it to me as if you're going too
slowly, you're not outrunning the smell, so you get to smell it. If you were
going pretty fast, regular gearshifting would likely also cause the same
smells but you are outrunning the smell before it gets to you.

Sorry, but they are talking nonsense. If you get the smell it is
because of excessive clutch slip, which certainly shouldn't be
occurring during routine gearchanging. In fact, the only time you
should slip the clutch atall is when moving away in first or reverse.

Sufficient clutch slip to cause a smell may be deliberate in the case
of a fast launch, or unintentional if it happens while manoevring.
Either way, if you keep on doing it you will wear out your clutch
prematurely.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Alan]

So, you are basically exceeding the smell barrier? Is that referred to as
stench 1?

 

[ScotsMark]

Why does Subaru insist on such a steep gear ratio for reverse any how?
I really wish they would have taken the opposite approach and used a
granny gear - I don't need go 30 mph in reverse. A granny first gear
would also be nice to have in certain situations since they don't
offer a low range (at least not in the US).

mike, small tip for you, if you want granny style gearing then don't go for
a wrx, cheers, mark