Adding traction control

**Whamhammer** · 11-10-2013, 04:14 PM

Hello gang,

I know this is probably a pie-in-the-sky idea, but how hard/expensive would it be to add factory traction control to my 2002 Trans Am WS6 6M? Is it a matter of it being pre-wired and only need a control module (and the switch) and a bpm reprogram so it knows it has it, or is this a real in depth thing needing a new wiring harness and other crazy stuff?

**pajeff02** · 11-10-2013, 06:04 PM

It be a big job. I turn mine off damn near every time I drive the car. Honestly, not sure why you need it... or would want it.

**kingls1** · 11-11-2013, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

It be a big job. I turn mine off damn near every time I drive the car. Honestly, not sure why you need it... or would want it.

I agree with you Jeff, with that said can it be eliminated? Looking at new rears and see you have a extra cost for the t/c set up.

**98TransAmWs-6** · 11-11-2013, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by kingls1

Originally Posted by pajeff02

It be a big job. I turn mine off damn near every time I drive the car. Honestly, not sure why you need it... or would want it.

I agree with you Jeff, with that said can it be eliminated? Looking at new rears and see you have a extra cost for the t/c set up.

Yes it can. It is not that hard honestly. I believe all you really have to do is remove the module, replace your throttle cable with that of a non tcs car(maybe), and remove the rear brake lines for the tcs and plug them. You will have to get it deleted from the pcm as well most likely.

I may be wrong since I don't and never had tcs in my TA. I would think it would be much easier to get a rear without tcs and delete the system that way.

**jonnyman** · 11-11-2013, 04:13 PM

removed mine, well had it removed along with the cruise took about an hour and a half

**pajeff02** · 11-11-2013, 06:05 PM

To add to what I already posted -- the ABS equipped cars have a reluctor on the ring gear and a sensor on the differential housing. TCS equipped cars have reluctors at each axle end that are pressed on and sensors on the backing plates. ABS equipped cars have a single rear brake line and TCS equipped cars have a dual circuit rear brake line. These differences alone result in a substantial swap investment and don't include the brake and engine controls that are exclusive to TCS.

**Whamhammer** · 11-17-2013, 07:17 AM

Thanks, that's what I wanted to know. Only reason why I was thinking about is that I will probably have to keep mine as daily driver for about two more years and there are times when I need to drive it in some snow. Guess some extra wheels and some snow tires are the better choice over just T/C and all seasons then?

**kingls1** · 11-25-2013, 05:05 AM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

To add to what I already posted -- the ABS equipped cars have a reluctor on the ring gear and a sensor on the differential housing. TCS equipped cars have reluctors at each axle end that are pressed on and sensors on the backing plates. ABS equipped cars have a single rear brake line and TCS equipped cars have a dual circuit rear brake line. These differences alone result in a substantial swap investment and don't include the brake and engine controls that are exclusive to TCS.

Just got back to this post, so more or less keep the TCS set up when changing to a new rear end. Even though most of the time it is off because the cost to remove it out weighs the cost to keep it!

**Firebirdjones** · 11-25-2013, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by Whamhammer

Thanks, that's what I wanted to know. Only reason why I was thinking about is that I will probably have to keep mine as daily driver for about two more years and there are times when I need to drive it in some snow. Guess some extra wheels and some snow tires are the better choice over just T/C and all seasons then?

The 4 gens I drove in winter had traction control but I was really on the fence whether it helped or not and I didn't really like the feeling of it either. I prefered to control the wheel spin myself and found a good set of studded tires worked very well.

**Firebirdjones** · 11-25-2013, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by kingls1

Just got back to this post, so more or less keep the TCS set up when changing to a new rear end. Even though most of the time it is off because the cost to remove it out weighs the cost to keep it!

If you have it I personally wouldn't bother with the headache of removing it, unless you're building a race car and dead serious about weight.

As far as adding it that's even more of a headache with extra brake lines and hoses, different axle shafts and backing plates used to accept the reluctor wheels and magnets etc..and that's just the mechanical side of things. Then you have all the electrical. I never investigated it but I wouldn't be surprised if the brake module/distrubution block up front could also be different since you have seperate rear brake lines that run to each wheel with TCS. I see it as a major expense and alot of work.

**Whamhammer** · 11-25-2013, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

The 4 gens I drove in winter had traction control but I was really on the fence whether it helped or not and I didn't really like the feeling of it either. I prefered to control the wheel spin myself and found a good set of studded tires worked very well.

That's good to know, although in Maryland we aren't allowed studded tires. I wonder what 17 inch winter tire size would fit my car and how much it would help it. I am finishing my last semester of college and between driving to work and possibly driving my daughter, I wnat to make sure we get there safe(r).

**Firebirdjones** · 11-25-2013, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Whamhammer

That's good to know, although in Maryland we aren't allowed studded tires. I wonder what 17 inch winter tire size would fit my car and how much it would help it. I am finishing my last semester of college and between driving to work and possibly driving my daughter, I wnat to make sure we get there safe(r).

Now that could be a problem. Regular snow tires are "okay" but I prefer studs over anything, they dig down in the ice and go. Surprised they don't allow them in Maryland since you guys literally get pounded with snow out there.

Other issue, those 17" wheels. You really need a skinny tire to do any good in the snow, wide tires suck. Also those 4th gens I was using were Z28's and had 16" wheels, easier to find snow tires in a 16" wheel (at that time). So what I did was grabbed a set of skinny 6" wide 16" diameter steel wheels that cleared the brakes and mounted a pair of skinny studded snow tires on those. 15" would be even better.

However with your car having 17" wheels I assume we are talking WS6 or SS. You likely can't go less than a 16" diameter wheel because of the brakes, so that's probably your best bet. I don't know that I've ever seen a snow tire for a 17x9 wheel and that width isn't helping anyway. Not even sure you could find a skinny 17" wheel.

**kingls1** · 11-25-2013, 01:22 PM

I have a set of stock 16x8 TA wheels I can let go of.(hint) Only one time did the tc help was on a cold day, roads were cold shifted hard into second and she broke loose and the TC caught it from smashing into a pole...lol

**theorangeguy** · 11-26-2013, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

The 4 gens I drove in winter had traction control but I was really on the fence whether it helped or not and I didn't really like the feeling of it either. I prefered to control the wheel spin myself and found a good set of studded tires worked very well.

This...

I've had a hand full of Fbody's...all of them except one had traction control and it really did not make a difference in bad weather "with the exception of rain". I like having it in a down pour, but I dont really drive my cars in the rain anymore. Only other thing that is cool is slamming 2nd gear with traction control on barks the tires REALLY hard instead of breaking them loose and spinning like crazy...

**Whamhammer** · 11-26-2013, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Now that could be a problem. Regular snow tires are "okay" but I prefer studs over anything, they dig down in the ice and go. Surprised they don't allow them in Maryland since you guys literally get pounded with snow out there.

Other issue, those 17" wheels. You really need a skinny tire to do any good in the snow, wide tires suck. Also those 4th gens I was using were Z28's and had 16" wheels, easier to find snow tires in a 16" wheel (at that time). So what I did was grabbed a set of skinny 6" wide 16" diameter steel wheels that cleared the brakes and mounted a pair of skinny studded snow tires on those. 15" would be even better.

However with your car having 17" wheels I assume we are talking WS6 or SS. You likely can't go less than a 16" diameter wheel because of the brakes, so that's probably your best bet. I don't know that I've ever seen a snow tire for a 17x9 wheel and that width isn't helping anyway. Not even sure you could find a skinny 17" wheel.

Yes, my car is a WS6. Tire Rack does offer 245-45-17's and some 225/45/17s, probably pushing it a bit on 9" wheel. I would like to keep it 17" if I add a larger diameter brake package on it.

As far as Maryland, I am near Baltimore, we really don't get "pounded" like Western Maryland does. We really didn't get accumulation to write home about last year. The government doesn't want us using studded tires because between the road chemicals and the tire studs, they would destroy the (already crappy) roads.