How to shift gears quickly in a Defender?

**tempestv8** · 14th June 2009, 12:32 PM

I took a brand new Defender for a test drive yesterday and I was surprised that I could feel the gears slightly crunch when I was shifting from 2nd to 3rd. It's as if the synchros weren't able to keep up with a normal shift motion. And to those who are wondering, no I'm not even pretending that I was at a traffic light derby. I was actually shifting like a normal person would.

I would imagine that the "crunch" sensation would be even more pronounced in low range but I didn't end up trying low range.

1st gear is awesome - very nice and low. 2nd gear starts on flat roads with no load seems entirely possible.

What do people do when they need to shift quickly, e.g. towing a load and climbing up a hill from start?

Cheers all,

Lawrance

**slug_burner** · 14th June 2009, 12:36 PM

double clutch

**dmdigital** · 14th June 2009, 12:44 PM

Lawrance, you really are a closet Defender lover! Isn't it about time you bit the bullet and got one

I haven't found a problem, the gear shift is a lot shorter than the Tdi, so I guess I'm just used to it. First is low... Low range first is even better

There's a trick to starting in 2nd gear, but I'm not allowed to tell you as you don't own a Defender

**Captain_Rightfoot** · 14th June 2009, 01:45 PM

Maybe the car was just new and still bedding in?

In the td5's R380 filling them with syntrans makes a huuge difference.

**tempestv8** · 14th June 2009, 01:48 PM

I am told that the 6 speed manual gearbox is the same as that used in the Disco 3, which I find really hard to believe because I can't see many D3 owners who will be skilled at double declutching.

I took my wife to test drive the Defender on Saturday with the hope that she might say yes to one. Unfortunately the lack of sound insulation gave her a big headache and so it put a kybosh on the hopes of upgrading to a Deefer....

She still prefers the D3 TDV6 auto. I wonder why.

She said that the Defender is very cool but as an "everyday" car, it's a bit too truck like. And she's probably right (no offence, Defender owners!).

So we are just going to focus on D3s instead.

Lawrance

**Captain_Rightfoot** · 14th June 2009, 01:51 PM

Yeah... see defenders are a bit like that. They also don't test drive well. You need to live with them for a bit. You kind of get used to the racket and appreciate their other qualities.

Comparing a D3 to a defender on comfort is not really very fair

**dmdigital** · 14th June 2009, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by tempestv8

She said that the Defender is very cool but as an "everyday" car, it's a bit too truck like. And she's probably right (no offence, Defender owners!).

You don't deserve a Defender now

**dmdigital** · 14th June 2009, 01:55 PM

By the way the new Defender's have Syntrax in the transfer case.

**tempestv8** · 14th June 2009, 01:59 PM

I was just reporting what my wife said!

**Blknight.aus** · 14th June 2009, 05:31 PM

for uber quick shifts I go halfway between a double clutch and no clutch change...

I match the revs on the way out with a little slipping of the clutch and as the engine dies off punch the clutch in snick the next gear flick my foot off the clutch and get on the noise.

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