CX-9 Skid Pad Question

[Stealth01]

OK, so my son is taking Master Drive's course this weekend, driving our 2005 Grand Cherokee. But they can't let him do the skid pad because it requires e-braking and since the Jeep can't come out of 4WD, they said it would damage the tranny to e-brake on the skid pad. They don't show the CX-9 on their list of vehicles that are NOT approved for the pad, but they weren't sure it would work, either.

What do you guys think? Would it damage the tranny?

 

[benben01]

If your 9 is a FWD without DCS the answer is yes. Otherwise, you will risk damaging the drivetrain.

 

[sjg]

Doesn't seem like a great idea. I'm not sure what technique they're teaching exactly but I don't know that the foot operated brake on the CX-9 is the way to go. It's pretty annoying to engage and disengage and even harder (if not impossible to modulate). For example, to release the brake you need to step on it which presumably engages the brake even further just when you're trying to release it. I'm no expert but I think the parking brake on the CX-9 should be used when parked and that's about it.

 

[Lindyrect]

here here with the parking brake use. Oh how I miss my jetta e-brake handle. It was so fun to park my car in the driveway going sideways in the winter. (sad2)

 

[sjg]

Another point. I put the CX-9 in drive and started rolling with the parking brake on this morning. The car has an alarm that goes off when you do this. I actually like this feature since the smallish dashboard light is the only way to know that the parking brake is engaged as the pedal is somewhat obscured.

 

[mihalis]

took the cx-9 to skidpad school about 1 month ago. My wife drove it the whole time as I wanted her to before driving the car at it's limits. She had a blast, and they even allowed the cx-9 to do a dual lane change! Didn't let the other SUV's there do that. When we were circling the skidpad, we were trying to get the rear end to come out (DSC off), and we could not. Usually the instructors will hand brake the car to get it to come out, but that was not possible in the 9, so I tried overinflating the rear tires, but still, nothing. If anything when we tried the "scandinavian twist" and the rear end came out a little, but then it went right back into place. "Problem" is that a AWD car goes straight, no matter how much you try and get it sideways, it will get you straight again.