Thread: Won’t be retro...

For sure. Always exceptions. I would like to like VW products given they are different and quirky but just can't. It's the company and their attitude to owners I think particularly to known problems. It's been like that for many years and now we know why given their attitude at the highest levels. Cheers

Never noticed an issue with them when we have had vw's (4 In total), they have been exceptional in every way.

That's good to hear. Unfortunately not the experience of a lot of my close friends ( including one in Germany ironically) and my family.

Cheers

Originally Posted by blackrangie

I understand the V6 Manual Amarok now has Dual range transfer.

The manual Amaroks have always had a dual range transfer case - it has only be the autos that did not have dual range.

Originally Posted by Vern

Pat in the hat never seemed to have any real dramas with his, and he was mainly towing.

But Pat's vehicle was a manual so had dual range, not a single range auto. One of his support vehicles was the auto single range.

Originally Posted by garrycol

The manual Amaroks have always had a dual range transfer case - it has only be the autos that did not have dual range.



But Pat's vehicle was a manual so had dual range, not a single range auto. One of his support vehicles was the auto single range.

I hardly ever watch pat, but the one or two times I have there was 2 amaroks, one auto, one manual. Still managed to go everywhere. Not a fan of not having low range myself.

Yes - the second auto was a backup vehicle - Pat always drove the manual unless he was demonstrating the auto.

The only reason we have dual ranges is that it is easier to do it that way - a smaller sized gearbox with less gears and a 2 speed gearbox attached to the back. Car makers could have always put in gearboxes with a large number of gears with the lower half being for offroad but would never have been cost effective. Defenders (and just about all traditional style 4wds) have a cross over of gear ratios between high and low range so the available ratio are not 8 or 10 (in 4speed and 5 speed gearboxes) but less as many of the overall ration in higher gears low range and similar to the lower gears in high range.

For my RRS that is great - when I go offroad in any scenario I go into low range as I can still cruise along at 60kph if I need without the engine screaming but still climb the steepest hill.

You dont really need dual range gearboxes for serious 4wds but that is they way we do things. My Haflinger will match the climbing ability of any 4wd and it does not have low range - it just has a low geared system with a single 5 speed gearbox (earlier were 4 speed and an additional Krawler gear). Offroad I will use 1st gear but onroad I rarely use it.

Modern 4wds do not have 8, 9 and 10 speed gearboxes for 4wding as such, but because engines are becoming smaller in capacity. with torque developed at higher revs and in a narrower band - having more gears keeps the engine "on song".

garry

Earlier four wheel drives have almost always used an existing gearbox designed for a two wheel drive (e.g. the Series Landrover gearbox is a 1932 Rover box, the R380 started life as a Jaguar box, I believe), and since a transfer box is required to provide an output for the front axle, since the main gearbox has no provision for this, it is relatively easy to make this a two speed device. The only box I can think of specifically designed for a four wheel drive is the LT95 - and it incorporates the transfer gears.

My modern 4wd has a 7 speed transmission and a 5.6L engine. Plus there are a few large capacity engined 4wds with 8 and 10 speed trans as well.