Question about Traction Control and BLD

[Torero]

I couldn’t find anything on the manual. The question is on the Rubicon do we always have BLD? Regardless of of the traction control button?
I found an article from FCA about the JK that says that is the case on the JK. I just want to know about the JL Rubicon specifically.
For reference this is what the article says about JK:
There are times when controlling how fast the wheels spin may not be desirable for driving conditions such as mud or deep snow. In this case, pushing the ESC button once (in 4wd high range) will disable the brake and engine portions of traction control that control how fast the wheels are allowed to spin but leaves BLD on. In 4wd low range, only BLD functions so there is no need to turn off traction control.

Just to get this out of the way; from the Jeep perspective, BLD is not a substitute for locking differentials. It is a means to greatly expand the off road capability of vehicles that were not purchased with or do not offer locking differentials.

A Jeep vehicle with BLD will negotiate almost any obstacle or driving situation that a similar vehicle with locking differential will. BLD does require a change in driving style and more torque to negotiate the obstacle.

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[Jeepsterfreak]

Sorry I don’t have the answer but after reading the owner’s manual, it seems BLD remains active unless you turn off ESC completely by pressing and holding the button for 5 seconds. A single press of the ESC only turns off ESC partially and BLD is still active.

“BLD may remain enabled even if TCS and ESC are in a reduced mode”

“When in “Partial Off” mode, the TCS functionality of ESC, (except for the limited slip feature described in the TCS section), has been disabled and the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will be illuminated. When in “Partial Off” mode, the engine power reduction feature of TCS is disabled, and the enhanced vehicle stability offered by the ESC system is reduced.”


“Full Off — If Equipped
This mode is intended for off-highway or off-road use only and should not be used on any public roadways. In this mode, TCS and ESC features are turned OFF. To enter the “Full Off” mode, push and hold the “ESC Off” switch for five seconds while the vehicle is stopped with the engine running”

 

[Torero]

Sorry I don’t have the answer but after reading the owner’s manual, it seems BLD remains active unless you turn off ESC completely by pressing and holding the button for 5 seconds. A single press of the ESC only turns off ESC partially and BLD is still active.

“BLD may remain enabled even if TCS and ESC are in a reduced mode”

“When in “Partial Off” mode, the TCS functionality of ESC, (except for the limited slip feature described in the TCS section), has been disabled and the “ESC Off Indicator Light” will be illuminated. When in “Partial Off” mode, the engine power reduction feature of TCS is disabled, and the enhanced vehicle stability offered by the ESC system is reduced.”


“Full Off — If Equipped
This mode is intended for off-highway or off-road use only and should not be used on any public roadways. In this mode, TCS and ESC features are turned OFF. To enter the “Full Off” mode, push and hold the “ESC Off” switch for five seconds while the vehicle is stopped with the engine running”

Thanks, you did answer the question.
Interesting to think how the LSD and BLD interact, who comes on first?

 

[Compression-Ignition]

Any more insight into this topic after owning a JL Rubicon for a while?

 

[Arrowhead]

I think the BLD system is under rated. I believe part of the reason is it's passive and always on in low range and there is no button or light to tell you it's working. You can feel it and hear it working though and you can see it working in videos. Going over obstacles you can hear the brakes being applied to the slipping wheel(s) and the jeep just keeps moving. Without the BLD you'd be hung up and only 2 of your 4 wheels would be driving.

 

[HoundDude]

hey @Arrowhead, what's it sound like? does it sound like rapid clicking when antilock brakes kick in? or slower / less frequent clicking?

 

[Arterius2]

Any more insight into this topic after owning a JL Rubicon for a while?

BLD is always on, on every trim model, regardless of what mode you put your Jeep in.
They are just like always-on automatic lockers.
@HoundDude It sounds like brakes are being applied, and wheels intermittently stops spinning.

TCS is disabled in 4LO or disabled manually by holding that button.

LSD is passive, always on, just like BLD when needed, if equipped.

 

[The_Phew]

I think the BLD system is under rated. I believe part of the reason is it's passive and always on in low range and there is no button or light to tell you it's working. You can feel it and hear it working though and you can see it working in videos. Going over obstacles you can hear the brakes being applied to the slipping wheel(s) and the jeep just keeps moving. Without the BLD you'd be hung up and only 2 of your 4 wheels would be driving.

Under-rated, but also nothing special. Every new passenger auto sold in the U.S. this millennium has some form of brake-based traction control. It's cool that the Wrangler has different programming depending on transfer case setting, but that's also been common on 4x4s for a long time.

The Toyota guys have been similarly enamored with yota's 'eLSD', which is basically identical to BLD, and effectively the same tech most 4x4s have had since the Clinton administration.

 

[Uhdinator]

Currently driving a 2Dr Sport/no LSD. Previously also owned a TJ 2dr Rubicon with Rear LSD and no TCS system, and a YJ with open diffs.

Highway driving on packed snow/ice in 4H is the only condition where I would leave TCS on. It senses if one axle is spinning faster than the other and uses braking and cutting engine power to hopefully mitigate a situation where you could slide into a ditch.

Last winter I drove across a frozen lake on a plowed path with packed snow and then went over the banking along the path into the deep snow that was crusty but not fluff or hard packed and zoomed along at 35 mph. Snow was prob a foot deep. I could feel the power cutting back due to spinning while trying to maintain speed. This is a condition where with TCS off.......the power will not cut back and the brakes will not try to keep both axles at the same speed and also match the forward speed. The BLD will compare the wheel speed of both wheels on the same axle only. BLD is not instantaneous in my experience and technique must be gentle when low range crawling over obstacles. When encountering wheel spin, loss of forward motion.......don't slam the skinny pedal. Maintain consistent easy throttle and gently accelerate and let the sensors do their thing. The brakes will gradually increase until the diff senses resistance/torque and will start to shift 50% of that torque to the other wheel. If you have good traction on the wheel thats not spinning and you slam the skinny pedal............you will be launched and it could be bad if you are in rocks or a tight spot where you end up in the trees.

i'm impressed with BLD. Have went thru the same trails in the JL that I did in the TJ Rubi. The Rubi needed the rear locked in a few spots to drive up some ledges and tree roots across the trail that were like stairs. The JL handled the same obstacles with BLD.

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