Gravel drive woes

daglocks

Junior Member
Messages
30
My 4200 spins the wheels when reversing on my gravel drive. Ive tried using auto, and ice mode, and she still digs holes in it no matter how gently I prod the throttle.

First gear also spins the wheels when gently accelerating, so I pull away in 2nd which is marginally better.

Its normal 3/4" limestone gravel, level and not too deep, so nothing wrong with the drive.

Any ideas?
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,748
Sounds like your throttle is too aggressive or the PIS point on the clutch needs adjustment.

Try a throttle reset first.
 

rossyl

Member
Messages
3,312
My 4200 spins the wheels when reversing on my gravel drive. Ive tried using auto, and ice mode, and she still digs holes in it no matter how gently I prod the throttle.

First gear also spins the wheels when gently accelerating, so I pull away in 2nd which is marginally better.

Its normal 3/4" limestone gravel, level and not too deep, so nothing wrong with the drive.

Any ideas?

It's pretty normal I had the same.

The initial bit of throttle will spin the wheels. You just need to keep your foot gently pressed on the throttle, the wheels will stop spinning and you will move fine.

If you keep dabbing the throttle you will pepper whatever is behind you with stones!
 

alfi boy

Junior Member
Messages
114
Triangulated gravel binds together better giving a more solid base than rounder gravel.
 

Lozzer

Member
Messages
2,280
There are bigger thing's to worry about, I mean ffs...
 
Last edited:

philw696

Member
Messages
25,114
Down here in New Zealand there is loads of gravel and I have never had an issue.
Get someone to video your problem and post up.
 

Ewan

Member
Messages
6,757
Years ago I was invited by Porsche to the launch of the, then new, 993. It took place at Le Manoir Quat'Saisons - Raymond Blanc's place in Oxfordshire. The cars were lined up in a crescent shape in front of the house/hotel, while we guests dined on a fabulous Michelin starred lunch. Yum.

Anyway, when we come out and saw the cars, I'm allocated the one in the middle, bang in front of the open double doors.

Once I'm in, the instructor says "Sir, you are the first off, and everyone is watching. Whatever you do, don't stall it."

Obviously I'm not used to the car, the peddles, the clutch bite point etc. Leaving me little choice but to dial in a few more revs than perhaps necessary.

Net result? A lot of Cotswold gravel sharply shot into the hotel entrance and us leaving in a dramatic cloud of dust.

So, to the OP, it's not just your car and your gravel. It happens.
 

Mott The Hoople

Junior Member
Messages
188
I have deep gravel and the same problem. It seems odd that yours only does it reverse though. You can get concrete blocks that are mostly large holes to put just underneath the surface that should help. I've not tried this myself though.
Other ideas I've had were to put nylon netting just under the surface or to put small piles of cement dust at regular intervals and water it down under the surface. All untried as yet. What you don't want to do is to markedly affect the permeability of the gravel.
Steve.
 

Danny

Member
Messages
442
Years ago I was invited by Porsche to the launch of the, then new, 993. It took place at Le Manoir Quat'Saisons - Raymond Blanc's place in Oxfordshire. The cars were lined up in a crescent shape in front of the house/hotel, while we guests dined on a fabulous Michelin starred lunch. Yum.

Anyway, when we come out and saw the cars, I'm allocated the one in the middle, bang in front of the open double doors.

Once I'm in, the instructor says "Sir, you are the first off, and everyone is watching. Whatever you do, don't stall it."

Onbviously I'm not used to the car, the peddles, the clutch bite point etc. Leaving me little choice but to dial in a few more revs than perhaps necessary.

Net result? A lot of Cotswold gravel sharply shot into the hotel entrance and us leaving in a dramatic cloud of dust.

Brilliant!
 

RobinL

Member
Messages
456
Clutch biting is a problem on my 4200 too - reverse is all or nothing but to be fair I don't use reverse much.
The other day I had cause to have my motor up on some wheel ramps (changing exhaust cans for MOT friendly ones) - reversing up the ramps is always nailbiting as there is real potential to go clean over the top with only a breath of throttle - hence carefully placed wheel chocks 75cm behind the front wheel :)

Didn't do the same coming down off the ramps, at night. Slight dab of the throttle and the car stayed in place - but spat both ramps out the back - luckily the main gates are solid and closed so they just bounced harmlessly off - 20ft away :)

My missus was not impressed - not even a little bit

needless to say I wont be getting a gravel drive anytime soon!
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,547
I can move my GS almost as smoothly as a real auto inch by inch as I enter the garage.

Yeah, mine was more like that. I wonder about the hair trigger throttle ones.

Agreed the wonderful AV spent some time with me setting the PIS correctly, though
.

C
 

markp4200

Member
Messages
331
My 4200 spins the wheels when reversing on my gravel drive. Ive tried using auto, and ice mode, and she still digs holes in it no matter how gently I prod the throttle.

First gear also spins the wheels when gently accelerating, so I pull away in 2nd which is marginally better.

Its normal 3/4" limestone gravel, level and not too deep, so nothing wrong with the drive.

Have to say I have the same gravel; and I do have the same problem but it's more with 1st than reverse. I don't think we have a problem and it doesn't seem to harm the car, which is what would worry me. I guess that since you have the issue with reverse there is more likelihood of the spray of gravel banging on the underside of the car. Sorry but I don't see an immediate answer and I expect you use your car quite a lot? I guess you could 'set' a short row of paving slabs into the gravel for the wheels to gain purchase at the place where you begin to reverse out.
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,931
If you park in the same spot each time could you put 4 x either paving slabs of a similar colour to act as pads under each wheel ?

The other thing that springs to mind is some sort of plastic, polycarbonate or metal waffle just under the surface of the gravel to hold it mostly in place. You could possibly put some form of resin over the top to make a gravel paving slab in effect. Its reliant on you parking on the same bit each night.

Something like this :

http://tracmat.com/index.php?id_cms=8&controller=cms
 

Mott The Hoople

Junior Member
Messages
188
If you park in the same spot each time could you put 4 x either paving slabs of a similar colour to act as pads under each wheel ?

The other thing that springs to mind is some sort of plastic, polycarbonate or metal waffle just under the surface of the gravel to hold it mostly in place. You could possibly put some form of resin over the top to make a gravel paving slab in effect. Its reliant on you parking on the same bit each night.

Something like this :

http://tracmat.com/index.php?id_cms=8&controller=cms

That link does look promising indeed.
Thanks for that.
Steve.
 

Rwc13

Member
Messages
1,668
I had something similar laid before the gravel was poured on my drive a few years back. Works brilliantly at holding the gravel in place, and no problem with traction


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Spartacus

Member
Messages
3,184
Iv got a gravel drive and a 4200 and mine does nt spin ....Mind you there is no gravel left under each wheel ... only mud ;P
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,114
I too have a gravel driveway which must be 500 meters long before I get to the tarmac road and my biggest issue is dust in the Summer.
Joys of living in rural New Zealand.