Got my car dirty - Freelander to the rescue

Ahhh...... that reminds me of a day when I got to Sassafras gap (Vic high country) and turned left down a track marked 4WD and drove all the way down to the waters edge of Dartmouth dam .... in my VW T3 campervan (2WD and road tyres) ... it was summer but you should have seen the looks on the faces of all the "hard-core" 4WD types when I rolled up to camp for a few days ... "how did you get down here???" ... came the question from a camouflage clad, beer swilling Toyota driver standing next to what appeared to be a prop from a mad max movie ... "very slowly and carefully" was my reply and that's the way I drive my D3 and it sure pays dividends ... I'm not in a race and I like my car in one piece - not lots of little pieces spread all over some hillside.
cheers :D

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Originally Posted by garrycol

By posting this up - I have certainly learnt a lot of other little tricks.

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So have I and I've owned the bloody thing for a year !! Mind you I'm currently marvelling at its abilities in snow, we've had 12" of the stuff in the last 36 hours.

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It is a shame you cannot manually select extended mode (albiet with restrictions) as to go into that mode after you have bellied out and come to a stop (and lost momentum) is often all too late.

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Isn't there a smart kit developed by some chap over there that can give you the ability to override the height system and raise the car up to super extended (and beyond) yourself ?? I'm sure I've read about it on rrsport, must be on here somewhere as well.

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Originally Posted by gghaggis

Forgot to mention - you really should _always_ be in low range. The systems are calibrated to work best in that mode, and the wheel travel (articulation) is much greater due to the cross-link valves being activated.

Cheers,

Gordon

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In the D2 the traction control is much more aggressive at stopping wheel spin and sending drive to wheels with grip in low range compared to high range. Which is why when fitting say a D1 output housing and internals to a D2 to re-introduce centre diff lock like I did, it is important to make sure you have a button to push when in low to tell the SLABS that you are in low to make the trac control more aggressive (the D1 output housing does not have a low range switch on it, just a diff lock switch for the dash light and the housing is too thin where the low range switch would go to drill and tap one in - hence the dash switch, for which I used another HDC button).

I assume that the D3/4 works the same way in terms of the computer getting more serious when the machine is in low.

Cheers

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Originally Posted by ozscott

I assume that the D3/4 works the same way in terms of the computer getting more serious when the machine is in low.

Cheers

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Yes it does, but it is the difference in wheel articulation that makes selecting low range more important in a D3 than a D2. You're essentially transforming an independent suspension vehicle into a live axle vehicle.

Rule of thumb - if you don't need to exceed 60kph off-road, switch to low range.

Cheers,

Gordon

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Originally Posted by garrycol

Well there you go - in the situation I was in, if you were in a D1 or D2 or even my 101 you would not go into low range as there is a big chance of just getting wheel spin and digging in.

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It's hard to do coming from other 4WD's, but just trust the car - you won't get wheel spin ;)


Cheers,

Gordon

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Originally Posted by gghaggis

Yes it does, but it is the difference in wheel articulation that makes selecting low range more important in a D3 than a D2. You're essentially transforming an independent suspension vehicle into a live axle vehicle.

Rule of thumb - if you don't need to exceed 60kph off-road, switch to low range.

Cheers,

Gordon

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Gordon, thanks. I forgot about that. So low range gives the cross wheel air lines the good news, forcing wheels down on the side opposing the wheel travelling up to, as you note, simulate live axle?

Cheers

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Originally Posted by Mike_S

Isn't there a smart kit developed by some chap over there that can give you the ability to override the height system and raise the car up to super extended (and beyond) yourself ?? I'm sure I've read about it on rrsport, must be on here somewhere as well.

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Llams Height Controller Llams PTY LTD

Garry

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Originally Posted by gghaggis

It's hard to do coming from other 4WD's, but just trust the car - you won't get wheel spin ;)


Cheers,

Gordon

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I did - I actually got out of the RRS with it in gear and engine running - front left wheel spinning, right rear wheel spinning others stopped and no sign of TC doing anything :mad:. But I think dsc was sabotaging things though,

Garry

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Originally Posted by garrycol

I did - I actually got out of the RRS with it in gear and engine running - front left wheel spinning, right rear wheel spinning others stopped and no sign of TC doing anything :mad:. But I think dsc was sabotaging things though,

Garry

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In those circumstances it won't. It needs throttle input. Maybe
consider a course.

Cheers,

Gordon

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Originally Posted by gghaggis

Forgot to mention - you really should _always_ be in low range... and the wheel travel (articulation) is much greater due to the cross-link valves being activated.

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I'm not so sure about this. The workshop manual only mentions increased articulation and improved ride comfort at low vehicle speeds, without any mention of low range.