D4 Tardy acceleration up steep slope in 4wd

[Sparkybreno]

I've just driven the Bloomfield track from Cape Tribulation to Wujal Wujal in both directions today, my first real play with my 5 month old D4. The weather has been dire up here all week on holidays but I thought I'd go as far as I felt comfortable, the locals were saying give it a miss. Despite the extremely slippery conditions and river crossings being up the D4 walked through everything, hill decent control amazingly effective down the very slippery clay on the Donovan Range.

One weird situation continued to happen, up the steep and slippery inclines I could put my accelerator to the floor when I thought I needed slightly more power and nothing would happen for what felt like 2-3 seconds. The car would slow and eventually kick down and momentum would continue without any problems.

I turned off DSC thinking the wheels spinning was causing the retardation but the same would happen regardless.

Is this a case of the D4 being smarter than I am trying to reduce sudden acceleration? I wasn't stabbing the throttle, I was just trying to maintain the same momentum I had on the very steep hills. It appears I was wanting it to drop back to 1st from 2nd.

I was thinking later on maybe I should have selected 1st myself with the paddles?

Car is a 2014 3.0l TDV6. I was driving in high range, off road height.

[lpj]

What setting did you have terrain response in?

[101RRS]

It would most likely DSC kicking back in - even though turned off it will turn back on if too heavy with the right foot - take hill a little slower - less throttle and let TR do its own thing and if DSC is turned off it should stay off.

Also in most offroad circumstances (except for open fast country) you are better off being in low range as the vehicle still has a reasonable turn of speed in low range without revving its head off. Just gives the car the best range of gears to select for the terrain.

Garry

[Sparkybreno]

Tried TR in both grass/gravel and mud/ ruts. I was never attacking the hills at speed. It was second gear, getting slower/getting slower come on kick down already.

Another observation was DSC would automatically turn back on when changing TR modes or changing height. Very annoying.

I've been 4wd in many different cars and this has been the easiest experience ever. I'm gobsmacked at the ease in which the d4 does what it does.

Here is a pic at the end of the track almost back at Cape Trib

[Sparkybreno]

I should mention I am enjoying myself up here. Sitting in the hammock looking at ancient rainforest and the water in the distance. Here comes the rain again, time for a beer perhaps.

[First LR]

Tried TR in both grass/gravel and mud/ ruts. I was never attacking the hills at speed. It was second gear, getting slower/getting slower come on kick down already.

Another observation was DSC would automatically turn back on when changing TR modes or changing height. Very annoying.

I've been 4wd in many different cars and this has been the easiest experience ever. I'm gobsmacked at the ease in which the d4 does what it does.

Here is a pic at the end of the track almost back at Cape Trib

Sorry cant really offer any suggestions, but also being new to LRs, just wondering if you have the std 19/20 rims/tyres or have you upgraded?

Just so I know if I ever need to try that track in the wet. I have done it in the dry in other cars and I know the clay you refer to :)

[Geedublya]

Try the other modes as well, I think you will find that sand will spark things up. I mostly use rock crawl if it looks gnarly.
DSC turning back on and the suspension height changing for different TR modes are the two most annoying things for me.

[AnD3rew]

Sounds a bit like the normal response in grass gravel snow which tames everything down on initial acceleration to minimise wheel spin.

[Sparkybreno]

Sorry cant really offer any suggestions, but also being new to LRs, just wondering if you have the std 19/20 rims/tyres or have you upgraded?

Just so I know if I ever need to try that track in the wet. I have done it in the dry in other cars and I know the clay you refer to :)

Running the standard 19" rims, tyres are oem as well. Car is bog stock except for the Traxide dual battery setup which has performed flawlessly to run the fridge non stop since we left Brisbane.

[Redback]

Tried TR in both grass/gravel and mud/ ruts. I was never attacking the hills at speed. It was second gear, getting slower/getting slower come on kick down already.

Another observation was DSC would automatically turn back on when changing TR modes or changing height. Very annoying.

I've been 4wd in many different cars and this has been the easiest experience ever. I'm gobsmacked at the ease in which the d4 does what it does.

Here is a pic at the end of the track almost back at Cape Trib

Don't use grass/gravel for climbing it will do what you are experiencing, in mud/ruts it will do this also, especially if you give it a big boot full, use Rock Crawl for climbing and ease the throttle on slowly.

I learnt this the hard way, first time out in the car, used grass/gravel climbing a big long steep hill towing the camper, came to stop about 1/3 the way up.

Baz.

[nat_89]

I've noticed similar thing in general mode hard to explain but when your going up a very steep bitmen hill and you kinda back off a bit then you wanna take off it doesn't do anything the other day I had it flat and it wouldn't kick down it just stayed in second and slowly came up speed till the big torque came on around 1500rpm. Noticed it a couple of times on steep hills, but I don't have any steep hills near me only when I go away to family in Yeppoon or Airlie Beach.

[BobD]

You always need to be in low range in most off road situations, other than high speed sand. The 4WD systems are designed to work in low range, including cross valving of the suspension, transmission settings and TR etc. some are not active unless you are in low range. As others have said, maximum traction occurs in Rock Crawl mode and when all else fails you will usually be able to get going in low range Rock Crawl mode, even in soft sand.

People like DiscoTwinTurbo and maybe GGHaggis might chime in with some advise (DiscoTwinTurbo has some posts on similar problems in sand and low range was the main answer for him) but failing going to one of Gordon's courses I would purchase his handbook, which will reveal all. It is available from the GOE web site.

Bob

[Gribbsmy13]

Interesting, I had a similar issue at barrington a couple of weekends ago, was in the mud tr system and seemed not to want to kick down. Was in high, as I got higher up the track I switched to low range and the issue disappeared. All of a sudden the d4 felt unstoppable, to steal another brands line... I love that car

[jon3950]

I've never liked how the transmission behaves when climbing steep hills off-road, in both the D3 and the D4.

The way I get around it is to just select gears manually - problem goes away.

Cheers,
Jon

[discotwinturbo]

Grass/snow/gravel completely retards throttle....designed to stop any mashing of the loud pedal. I don't have snow over here, and on gravel I prefer to mash it when appropriate. If I was on a slippery grass hill, I would not use this mode....so basically I will never use this mode.

Slippery muddy climbs (not heavily rutted or with much wheel lifting....steep slippery track), I have found works better in low range, dsc on, mud/ruts. Steady throttle.

When you need slower going with wheel lifting and better throttle control, low range, dsc off, rock crawl works best. Rock crawl is such a great mode. Just applying light, steady throttle input (keep pushing it a little harder) builds up the torque enough to get the best out of the traction control, and the D4 crawls up and over obstacles even on factory tyres without a sweat.

GOE course is the way to go...read "mandatory". Gordon gives you the tools and guidance you need to get out and experiment yourself.

It's an amazing car. It will smash even modified Toymoto's and Patrols.....and it's good to watch their jaws drop when they have struggled and not gone through, where you have just been.

Sand.....well that's another story on how well you can blow the others away when you learn how to drive her.....GOE course.

Brett.....

[Sparkybreno]

I was able to consistently replicate the issue on a steep asphalt road leading to the lookout in Port Douglas. It seems it has a pause and think before deciding to kick down regardless of accelerator %. Only seems to do it in 2nd to 1st situations.

[nat_89]

I was able to consistently replicate the issue on a steep asphalt road leading to the lookout in Port Douglas. It seems it has a pause and think before deciding to kick down regardless of accelerator %. Only seems to do it in 2nd to 1st situations.

Mine seems to do it even when you floor it still seems to think about it for what feels like quite a bit before doing anything it's a bit odd!!

[Glynhouse]

Did the same trip 2 weeks ago, dragged the van to Cape Trib, but went solo to Wujil-Wujil.
No full on rain then but was damp, D3 td. can't say that I noticed any problem on the hills (but I do find the drop back from 2nd to 1st can be slow at most times - different box I know), did the whole trip in high range normal height, did go to off road height once in a creek on the way up but not coming back.

Because of the damp conditions was surprised at the number of vehicles pulling camper trailers we passed on the Bloomfield, most going south. We took all day for the drive, a look to stop and look at.

DD

[chuck]

Using command shift is a very valuable tool when climbing.

Went out with RMP who showed me this tip and have done it ever since.

Simply select manual mode and try & keep it in the 2000 RPM band, it then does not experience that lag you are speaking off.

Also Low Range is another valuable tool.