off roading in an auto

[philwelch820]

i own a 300tdi manual discovery which i love off roading in but have to hold back the enjoyment just in case the unthinkable happens as its also my daily transport.

ive recently bought a cheap 3.9 rrc auto for off roading and before i go and spend the cash on big tyres 2" lift ect, ive suddenly got doubts about the fact its an auto.

any experience or advice on my problem?
any problems i should be aware of?

cheers
phil

[andyb]

They have slightly less engine braking down hill but otherwise autos are a no brainer off road.

[diesel_boy]

cant fault auto off road like ya man say's  no engine brakein  but if u select 2nd or 1st  u wont go rong  but then i like  auto  to drive as i change gears about 10,000 times aweek in the works wagon   :lol:

[jjsaul]

less engine braking but other than that they're fantastic off road...
ive driven manual and auto off road and prefer the auto any time

[Skibum346]

cant no engine brakein

Just like to challenge this statement... whislt I can't comment on the relative amount of engine braking provided against a manual I can confirm that an auto does provide the engine braking required for steep descents. Simply select "1" and it locks the gearbox in that gear.

Selecting "2" means the gearbox is free to use 1st & 2nd as it sees fit.

Selecting "3" means it can use 1st, 2nd & 3rd gear as it sees fit.

Selcting "D" of course allows the gearbox to use whatever gear is appropriate.

The main benefit of an auto is that there is no loss of drive to the wheels during gearchanges and this can prevent a loss of traction that could occur with a manual gear change.

I drove a 3 speed auto off road for some time and I was perfectly comfortable in steep descents with the gearbox locked in first and the transfer box in low.

Skibum

[blueosis1]

got a auto rrc myself,cant fault it . :D





mark

[Colin 009]

My Auto Discovery is the Dogs dangle's  :lol:

[Thrasher]

Can you get Land Rovers without auto-boxes nowadays? <grin>

autos are ace offroad.

[philwelch820]

thanks everybody for all your help i think ill take the plunge and spend the cash on the rangie, after all if auto isnt for me ill just take it all off and put in on my disco

thanks again for all your help
phil

[Smego]

I have the 300tdi Auto and it's fantastic, I have a 2" lift and bigger shoes and also Traction Control and it's ace  no issue with engine braking.

[ChrisW]

after all if auto isnt for me ill just take it all off and put in on my disco

That is another kettle of fish  :lol:

[jayjay]

I have an 86 rr auto and in my opionion the auto is excellent for off road.

[baileys_1984]

we have a 89 R/R auto were the drive 1st gear clutch is gone so a bit of manual changine till its moveing but still great off road just have to remember when we go below 5mph it drops out of gear and have to stick it back in first but still easyer than fitting and buying a new gearbox :D

[richard_sephton]

mine sometimes sticks in first for a while dunno why but is been used offroad eversince it was new and it has never been a problem its much easyer for hillstarts on slippy surfaces because its much smoother and u wont burn the cluch out if u havn't got one

[Range Rover Blues]

I'm toying with the idea of chucking a 4.2 in blue with an auto, it's by far the best auto box I've ever driven and totally superb.  Just think of how many times you end up slipping the clutch in a manual only to drop back again when off-road, an auto gives you as much control if not more once you learn to left-foot-brake.

[Jonny Boaterboy]

I have a auto on my 1994 3.9 V8 Rangerover and I was also told that haveing a auto is better for offroading due to the fact that you do not lose power to the wheels.... however I have found it difficult to controll off roading as when trying to get over obsticals like big steps in rock, or a lardge bolder, you have to increase the power untill there is enogh, to power over the rock/obstical at which point you have to jump on the brakes and then back on the power etc. I have just read from Mr Range Rover Blues that there is a technique called "left foot breaking" after thinking about this does it go something like this: increase the engine reves whilst holding the foot brake on, and then realeae the brake to move over the obstical? therefor the movement of the Rangerover is controled by the brake not the engine reves? If that is right can you damage the auto box using this method? and do you just keep the reves up around the 2500-3000rpm mark?
Apart from this auto is the best!

[DaveS]

We have an 89 auto and have used it for some serious laning and at fun days, have had no problems with it.

Plenty of engine braking in low and lots of traction.
Mine is standard apart form mud tyres, and "armour plating" on the sills, diffs and a front steering guard.
Plus the obligatory scratches and dents!!! :shock:

[Range Rover Blues]

Jonny, you're justabout there, say you are trying to drive over a rock.  With a manula you'd be slipping the clutch, mine also bangs and hamers through the backlash in the transmisioin just to make things worse, well your clutch starts getting hot and if you declutch too early you slide back down, if too late you fly over the top and possibly damage something.

Well with your auto obvuoulsy you have no clutch, so build the revs to get the wheel to climb the obsticle, say the rock.  Keep your left foot over the brake and dab it to prevent the car running away, so it's checking the motion rather than stamping hard on the brake and reving out the engine.

Practice it on the easy stuff and you should soon get the idea.

As for damage, well there is a test for the auto box, you put the box in D and stamp on the brake, rev the engine out and it should not rev beyond 2200 RPM, it's called the stall speed.  It will heat up the auto box fluid but the boxs themselves are way stronger than a manul box because of the way they are built ie a planetery gearbox.

I can't imagine you'd need to give it full throttle AND be stood on the brakes, so you're well withing the ability of the 'box to use left foot braking.

[Jonny Boaterboy]

Thanks Mr Blues, I have been having a go at it today and it seems to work quite well and as you said the rves were only about 1300rpm I think with pratice it will make offroading alot more controlled for me.

I been thinking about the test you mentioned.... if the Auto will not rev above 2200RPM if all the wheels are locked you will have not reached the peak power output of the engine? So is it ever possiable to get in the situation offroading where this might happen and if so surely you will need the engine to rev up to 3000-4000RPM to gain the extra power to move the wheels......haveing said that I guess that will never happen but interesting all the same!!

[Range Rover Blues]

I think 1300 might be a bit low, are you sure your rev counter is accurate? they are notoriously poor.

Anyway, don't think about power, think torque, peak torque is roughly 2000 rpm and that';s what you need to get stuck wheels moving, that's why the auto box is set up like that.

Anyway, provided you aren't ghoing OTT with the brakes (gently does it) then you're on your way.


One question I don't know the answer to, how do you do a failed hill climb in an auto? or do they never stall when they run out of steam?

[richard_sephton]

when u start going back down again with the wheels spinning forwards :lol:

[Jonny Boaterboy]

A good question, I got stuck in a ditch once when I first had the Range Rover, in low range the wheels would turn, however when I switch to high range (to see if the traction control would work better as you have to have the wheels turning faster than 5mph to work... I think) it was unable to turn them. just reved.... to i guess about 2300RPM

So if on a hill climb and traction wasn't lost it would just come to a stop with the engine reving at about 2300RPM.... however tis would have to be a very steep hill or a very heavey Range Rover! either way I think you would have the power to keep going. The only time I can think of when the wheel would'nt turn i.e. out of power is when the wheels are compleatly bogged down in a glue like substance!!!!

[muddyweb]

One question I don't know the answer to, how do you do a failed hill climb in an auto? or do they never stall when they run out of steam?

Depends what has caused the failed climb....  with a manual, you can fail a climb by stalling the engine...  this doesn't happen with an auto, so you don't ever have the job of having to restart the engine whilst you descend.  More likely is that you've run out of traction... in this case you follow normal procedures...  foot brake, parking brake, reverse gear and back down the hill.   (a bit of judicious braking can help here)

About the worst failed climb in an auto is if the engine stops working of it's own accord.. (fuel starvation or similar) since the only method you have of preventing your descent is the foot brake...   so a bit of care is needed to get back down safely in order to fix whatever is broken.

[muddyweb]

Jonny...

I've been off-roading with an auto for years, and for everything except racing I'll never use a manual by choice again.

The situation you describe is pretty rare, where the box won't turn the wheels due to the resistance.... bear in mind, these things are designed to tow up to 3.5 tonnes of trailer weight...   in low box, they take a *lot* of stopping ;-)