D4 Tardy acceleration up steep slope in 4wd

**Sparkybreno** · 21st May 2014, 02:44 PM

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** · 21st May 2014, 02:49 PM

What setting did you have terrain response in?

**101RRS** · 21st May 2014, 02:54 PM

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** · 21st May 2014, 03:03 PM

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** · 21st May 2014, 03:20 PM

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** · 21st May 2014, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by 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

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** · 21st May 2014, 03:42 PM

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** · 21st May 2014, 03:49 PM

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

**Sparkybreno** · 21st May 2014, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by First LR

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** · 21st May 2014, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by 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

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.

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