Low Range Towing advice needed.

[Choppers]

Hi. Background: I have a 2.7tdv6 D4 towing a 3.5t caravan. Tomorrow I'll be towing from tumut to Cooma over the snowy mountains. It's going to be a slow climb and I want a safe decent. The climb and decent is about 800m vertical. Anything wrong with towing up and descending the steepest parts in low range?

[jon3950]

Is this on the Snowy Mountains Highway?

If so I don't think there's anything there that would warrant low range, even with 3.5t on the back. Heading that way, the steepest bits are uphill.

Cheers,
Jon

[LandyAndy]

It wont hurt it,make sure you dont use any of the special programs,they may lock the CDL,not good on sealed roads.
Andrew

[mowog]

I did the Snowy Mountains Highway a couple of years ago I do have 3.0L D4 but I found no need for low range.

Just take your time on the decent you will be fine

[BMKal]

I've driven this road many times. Family used to own the dry cleaners at Tumut.

The climb up Talbingo is much steeper than the descent into Cooma.

You won't have any problems with the D4. Just flick the transmission into "Sport" at the top of the descent and then manually select the right gear to hold it back with a bit of engine braking.

Using "Sport" mode on the way up Talbingo will also hold it in a lower gear for a bit longer giving you better engine revs for pulling.

[MR LR]

Absolutely no need for low range unless you get stopped on one of the hair pins climbing out of Talbingo... even then. If the trailer has electric brakes it will be fine down hill anyway.

[Stuart02]

I've seen a few comments lately about using sport mode when towing, but I was under the impression the gearbox mapping changed when a trailer was detected anyway?

[jonesy63]

It does, but sport mode makes the gearbox hold gears longer - which is especially handy when towing.

[Blknight.aus]

sports mode lock it in 1 perhaps 2 depending on if you're creeping too slowly.

then you just gently apply the brakes on the approach to a corner or on the exit of the corner but back them off as you enter the turn.

if you have command trailer brakes (and with the GTM over 2.00T you should have) you can just drag the trailer a little instead of using the foot brakes.

the 2.25D in a series will just keep about that much under control on the towoomba range in high range so I suspect that you should be fine in high.

[Melbourne Park]

Biggest issue will be if your trailer has drum brakes, then be careful that you minimise their usage, as if they get hot, then you may loose your van brakes.

Do as others have said and use gears to engine brake where possible.

Drums pull up quicker than disc brakes if they are cool, but if use often, they loose their effectiveness. The 2.7 has smaller rotors than the 3 litre Discos, so you have less Disco brake reserves too. So ... don't be embarrassed to take it easy!!

doug