Thread: TD5 towing newbie

engage the cdl on dirt, it will cost more in fuel but the disco will handle much better.
I dont go near cruise when towing,, the V8 is super agressive in kicking down in cruise, (usually two gears!)
be interesting to hear rattler owners opinion though.
sport just changes the kickdown/hold point.

Make sure the ELECTRIC brakes work properly, and get good mudflaps for the rear wheels.

and dont forget,,
it never happened without-----

Hello Jedimastermat,

when you're towing, leave the auto in sport mode. The reason being that with the easier kick downs, it reduces strain on your drive line.

Cheers,

Jason

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

engage the cdl on dirt, it will cost more in fuel but the disco will handle much better.
I dont go near cruise when towing,, the V8 is super agressive in kicking down in cruise, (usually two gears!)
be interesting to hear rattler owners opinion though.
sport just changes the kickdown/hold point.

Make sure the ELECTRIC brakes work properly, and get good mudflaps for the rear wheels.

and dont forget,,
it never happened without-----

Oh a night excursion bogged on the Birdsville made me learn the value of working electric brakes.
thanks for tip Pedro

Originally Posted by Jason789

Hello Jedimastermat,

when you're towing, leave the auto in sport mode. The reason being that with the easier kick downs, it reduces strain on your drive line.

Cheers,

Jason

ta mate, i should have said shes an auto
thanks for the advice

I am nearing the end of 15k trip towing a jayco swan equivelant camper with a 00 td5 auto and have found that at the start i was using cruise however it will make the car work really hard up hills now i may pop it on for a while on a flat bitumen road but mostly just use the right foot. Around town i tend to leave the auto in normal mode when towing however on the highway i tend to use sport as it will kick down easier instead of having the motor labouring up a hill. Only the egr has been done otherwise the motor is stock standard. i have averaged 12.5l/100k towing at around 100kph with 6 people in the car.

For towing on the open road, wether you use sport or normal mode, I'd recomend that as you approach hills, rather than let the auto decide when to kick down, that you pull the stick back to 3rd, with enough time before the hill to allow the torque converter to lockup in 3rd ... it will deal with the hills much better than getting 1/2 way up the hill, running out of steam, having the gearbox drop to 3rd and rev its tits off with the torque converter unlocked to get over the top.

They pull really well in 3rd with the torque converter locked (in 3rd it's a 1:1 ratio, where as 4th is really an overdive).

Torque converter locks at 70kmhr+ in 3rd.

On a TD5 they tow much better if you change the torque converter to the uprated Ashcroft unit.

Originally Posted by Fluids

For towing on the open road, wether you use sport or normal mode, I'd recomend that as you approach hills, rather than let the auto decide when to kick down, that you pull the stick back to 3rd, with enough time before the hill to allow the torque converter to lockup in 3rd ... it will deal with the hills much better than getting 1/2 way up the hill, running out of steam, having the gearbox drop to 3rd and rev its tits off with the torque converter unlocked to get over the top.

They pull really well in 3rd with the torque converter locked (in 3rd it's a 1:1 ratio, where as 4th is really an overdive).

Torque converter locks at 70kmhr+ in 3rd.

Likewise Fluids,
I've done a couple of tours around oz now in my 01 TD5 Disco (in fact, on the way back from Kal to NE Vic at the moment) towing close to 3 tonne in a 21' full height van and I always pull the stick back before letting the engine load down too much when coming into a climb. I find once I get to about 70km/hr and pull it back it momemtarily drops into slip gear and I lift the right foot a little it quiety drops into TC lockup and with a little right foot you can feel that theres generally plenty of grunt there still. (thanks to Tombie's magic )