Automatics Off road

[benbenukuk]

Hi, Does Any One Use A Automatic Instead Of A Manuel Off Road As I Have Noticed That There Are A Lot Of RRC With Automatic Gearboxes, What Are the like Compared With A Manuel Etc.  Ben

[thermidorthelobster]

They're great - you can feed the power in very gently and it gives you a lot of control.  Given the choice, I'd rather have an auto, apart from the slight loss of fuel economy, and the arguably greater complexity when it breaks.

Out of interest, why do you put a capital letter at the beginning of every word?  Doesn't that make typing a lot slower?

[jjsaul]

ive driven autos and manuals offroad, and certainly with a v8, i'd choose an auto anytime...you just need to get the hang of cadence braking on steep downhills...other than that they are much easier to drive offroad.

[clbarclay]

I know some that prefer a manual, but having inadvertantly bought one I'm converted. V8s and autos go together nicely.


The one trouble with auto boxs I've come across is where someones converted to a diesel using the V8 torque converter, said vehicle was ok on the road, but off road it struggled to get up any significant slopes.

[benbenukuk]

thermidorthelobster, I Use Captitals At The Begging Of Each Letter As I Have Always Done E-Mails Like That And Im Just Used To It Now.  Ben

[Bowie]

It makes it really really hard to read :x

[AndyN]

It Is Actually A Secret Code, Virtually Impossible For The Non Range Rover Owning Masses To Read!

my auto is very controllable off road (tried it this week) , was really suprised how easy they are, hardly any rolling back when off the throttle. although it is rubbish on fuel.

[Richard-E]

I use a RRC with V8 engine and 4-speed auto box for 'laning and off-road and find the auto box excellent. See my Avatar.

It allows very close control over your speed for crawling up or down steep slopes or steps.

Gear changes are seamless so traction is not lost by de-clutching when changing gear, for example in slippery conditions when the box will change up if wheel spin occurs. It doesn't always work but is more likely to than trying to change up manually.

It is a myth that there is no engine braking. For short (1-2 car lengths) downhill slopes I use cadence braking otherwise its easy to select a lower gear to provide engine braking. On ordinary roads engine braking by selecting a lower gear is only required on long descents, otherwise current driving teaching says "brakes to slow and gears to go".  

It's noticeable how many competitors now opt for auto boxes for Road Taxed or Cross Country Vehicle Trials (RTVT/CCVT), Competitive Safaris and Hill Rallies.

Auto boxes cannot be abused in the way manuals can so are more reliable.  :D

[Steven]

thermidorthelobster, I Use Captitals At The Begging Of Each Letter As I Have Always Done E-Mails Like That And Im Just Used To It Now.  Ben

You need to relaxe mate, lol.

I have driven the disco which is auto offroad many a' times and its great, so easyier than a manual 90 I drove  :shock:

[Thrasher]

You need to relaxe mate, lol.

..or alternatively .. relax. Much easier.

[Steven]

You need to relaxe mate, lol.

..or alternatively .. relax. Much easier.

 :oops:  :lol:

[Range Rover Blues]

Well I asked the same question ealier this year and no-one managed to give me a reason to stay manual, other than some people prefer it.

The 4 speed Auto is so much better than autos I drove when I was younger and bigger engines suite Auto, I know my LSE is much faster on-road partly due to the 'box.

One disadvantage with an auto is that it keeps pulling in low 1st and as you have no clutch you have to use the brakes sometimes to stop the car pulling itself into something.

Recently I took the new 'van to Whitby and one of the hills, Blue Bank, is a 1 in 10 descent.  I know that's not steep but with 1900Kg of 'van on the back....
Anyway, the sign at the top of the hill said low gear now, so I stuck it in 1st gear high, it damn near stopped, even on the steepest part I was hardly touching the brake and most of the way down I was on the gas to get it to move.

I really like the Auto for towing too, especially manuevring.  Oh! and in traffic.

[benbenukuk]

The main reason I asked is because I will have to replace my series 3 (hopefully not to soon) and can't decide between a rrc or a 200/300 tdi defender, what are your thoughts about which one I should get, the only thing that puts me off the rrc is that petrols and water don't mix and the sizeof the rrc compared to my series, how much bigger are they compared to my series 3 swb?  Ben

[Richard-E]

The main reason I asked is because I will have to replace my series 3 (hopefully not to soon) and can't decide between a rrc or a 200/300 tdi defender, what are your thoughts about which one I should get, the only thing that puts me off the rrc is that petrols and water don't mix and the sizeof the rrc compared to my series, how much bigger are they compared to my series 3 swb?  Ben

Overall dimensions are:
... ... ...  ..Wheelbase ... ... Length ... Width
S III ... ... ...88" .... ... ... ... 138.5" ... 64"
S III ... ... ..109" .... ... ... ...175.0" ...  66"
RRC early ..100". ... ... ... ...174" .. ...  70"
RRC late ...108 .. ... ... ... ...182" ... .. 70"
Def/90 ... ..92.9" ... ... ... ... 142" ... . 70.5"

Water is rarely a problem with the V8 unless you go too deep wading or hit a big puddle too fast. Once out of the water a squirt of WD40 usually does the trick.

The RRC will do anything the Defender/90 can but in comfort and style! You might gather from my Avatar that I am prejudiced :D

[jjsaul]

I'd agree with that...i've only killed V8's a few times in water...usually due to approaching at audience pleasing speeds  :lol: ... bit of WD40 and they always fire up again straight away.

100 inch (standard RRC / disco) is a nice wheelbase for offroading, and in some cases will go places a 90 wont.

The comfort factor is also a big one...i have a RRC for daily use and another as an offroad toy and both are a lot more comfortable than our 110.

[clbarclay]

Most common hang up with a range rover is the big fat over hang at the rear, notably affecting departure angle which is why so many have been bobtailed.

For greenlaning the departure angle is mor than adequate, its rearly only pay and plays where this can become a problem.


One advantage the RRC have over defenders is it has softer/longer springs as standard giving them better traction on rough terrain.

[Smego]

if you are worried about V8 auto RRC, buy a TDI!!

I have a Vogue SE 300TDi auto, and it is the dogs!!  has traction control and air con :)

No issue with the auto it is SOOO much better then all the manuals I have off-roaded! I have a 3 inch spring convertion and a southdown tank gaurd so no real issues with the overhang!

If you are seriously thinking of buying, an impending house move is putting pressure on me to sell the truck...??

[land-def-90]

i would go for diesel unles you dont do many miles or have deep pockets, mate of mine had a v8 rrc lovely motor on and off road but horendesly thirsty. I get around 30 mpg out of my 200 tdi my mates rangie did around 15 mpg.... lovely motor though.

[Smego]

oh I get about 28mpg on-road and I have bigger tyres..

[Range Rover Blues]

I don't give a rats posterior about MPG, Blue does about 225-240 miles on £32 of LPG and the LSE does about 140 miles to £25+, with or without the caravan on the back!

Don't get too caught up on the water thing, driving through water deep enought to drown a V8 is going to wreck lots of other expensive bits that won't be ficed as easily as a squirt of WD40, whatever fuel you use, and petrol engines don't grenade when they get hydraulic'ed.  V8s can be waterproof enough to go in over the roof, by which time the interior is goosed.

[jjsaul]

Most common hang up with a range rover is the big fat over hang at the rear, notably affecting departure angle which is why so many have been bobtailed.

My offroader rangie has been turned into a pickup but the lower body is still full length, i have a 2 inch suspension lift and im running 265/75R16 tyres...also got a tank guard and tow hitch fitted.

With that setup i managed to show up quite a few 90's on an offroad week i've just been on so the overhang really isn't a huge problem!

[clbarclay]

I take it thats the new cage fitted james, it looks good.

I tend to agree that the overhang is not a huge problem, but it is still probably the most common problem on a stock RRC off raod when compared to a 90.

[Jonny Boaterboy]

I have a RRC V8 auto and it took me a long time to get used to the auto box. I did used to do alot of green laning in a....... 1969 VW Beetle (in search of remote camp spots!) which was a manuel and when I switched to the auto I felt like I lost alot of control, with a manuel you can control pricisley how much power is going to the wheels by use of the cluch, in a auto I found that you keep on increasing the revs untill it lurched over the obstical....... this is how I struggled on untill Mr Blues enlighted me to "Left foot braking" Now I have mastered that I have regained the prisision that I felt I had lost and therefor would go for the auto every time.

V8's and water..... no problems at all! my RRC is stock and I have driven through a section of lane that had a stretch of water about 100m in length. I thought that there was no way this water would be deeper than half way up the wheels........ about half way through the water came over the bonnet!!! The Range Rover didnt miss a beat (however the same can not be said for my heart!) and with the help of traction control made it through easily. I do however cover the whole engine and ignition system with wd40 every time I lift the bonnet, i do this  to help it cope with water and to kill the rust bug off.

90 or a RRC....... RRC can do most things a 90 can do but does it in comfort and has heaters/air con, heated seats, dimming rear view mirrors, a stereo you can hear, smooth ride, does not leak water over you when it rains, it's quite, and if you want, will sit at 100mph on the motorway which is why I went for the RRC over a 90

[grizz]

You can pick up a RRC really cheaply giving you loads more comfort whilst playing an leaving spare cash fo a few mods, I've got two auto's and I personally think they're better off road as they deliver the power smoother so your less likely to spin a wheel, on road the auto could do with an extra gear for cruising, shorten the tow bar put some bigger wheels an a lift on and the rear end isn't a problem

[Range Rover Blues]

Griz, my LSE cruises at 30mph/1,000rpm in top, how fast is yours?

[barriesheene]

I've got a 3.9 v8 auto and would never go back to a manual. Just taken it offroad for the first time,( I also have a pajero,diff locks etc ) and I was absolutely gob smacked at what this thing can do. Bearing in mind that it's running standard road tyres it was unstoppable, honestly  :twisted: There was ALOT of tomfoolery going on in mud at least axle deep and the thing just kept going !!! I was driving around people with mud tyres and 4" lifts. As for the tow bar I just use that as an early warning device  :roll:   :lol: I've heard stories of diff's and axles made out of baked been tins etc and whinced everytime I hit something  :? ( They really should have some sort of diff gaurds, is it cos they got live axles ? ) And I was really worried about the water thing  :oops: But it really was the muts nuts offroad.(Any advise on waterproofing greatfully received,using damp start at the mo £££££££££££  :shock:

[jjsaul]

barrie you can buy diff guards / axle guard and guards for just about anything else underneath if you shop around!

probably about one of the first things you should do tbh...spending £100 on underbody protection can save a lot of money later if you hit a rock or two.

[clbarclay]

I take it its on standard 205 "road" tyres, if so then don't worry about the axles. The only time I've seen one go was on a defender with 265/75r16 anaconders that had just been given some serious abuse trying to get a near 1:1.


I strongly recomend diff guards, certainly on the front. In my experiance the diff pan will recive more abuse than anyother part, I dented the diff pans long before I bent anything else. Best bit is that a diff guard cost only a few quid new.

Good to hear someone else discovering that you can do a surprising amount with a standard RRC. Don't just remove the tow bar on a RRC anyway as its the only good recovery point on a standard veicle. I would say the first thing you should consider if your doing a lot of off roading is to get some good strong recovery points for the front of the vehicle.

[DEANO3528]

Wheel spin is greatly reduced as mentioned. Here's Shed on a table top - no diff lock. There's still almost no wheel spin despite the angle and height (not easy to gauge by the vid)



Slushboxes?
I love 'em!

[Angry Badger]

Auto all the way - wouldn't go back to a manual if you paid me.  Much more progression when feeding the power in, plus the ability to go even slower to maintain control.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzL41ILCJMs

Here's a brief clip featuring both my rangies (mainly my P38).