Thread: For the automatic fans

Driving through the brakes is not limited to autos. you can do it in a manual as well.. ITs a lot harder but if you keep the throttle on lightly and ride the brakes down you can help stop the lockups that happen... It can even be done in the R Series mack the army uses pick first low, wind on 900 rpm on the tacho keep your feet clear of everything but the brakes and you can modulate your speed with the brakes.. Listen to the engine dont watch the tacho.

I still haven't got used to steep descents in autos.

The Freelander's HDC is great until it gets bumpy, then you're hitting bumps too fast.

The Jeep in low 1st is good, but still have to ride the brakes a lot which is ... exciting at times! It's the only time I wish I had a big diesel and a manual box ...

it sounds like the auto 1st is too high,,

or is it the other way around?,

manual 1st is low enough to allow take off without inordinate clutch slipping

and a further point to ponder--

could it be the idle speeds causing the problem??

BUB91 (should) idle at 650,,
but BUB002 idles a tad higher I think,,

maybe its that couple of hundred revs thats the problem,,,

I have an auto but I also have Rock crawlers in low range. In 1st low my thing revs out at 10km/h. I have found it been fine so far for steep muddy hill descents.

Hi rangieman, I know very well what you are talking about, it is really scary. I got lesson like that and since always letting tyres down in critical situation. Sometimes very experienced drivers (and not only) becoming very brave... and getting in trouble. IMHO nothing wrong with auto, just human mistakes.

Thanks for posting, it is good reminder for all of us to be careful on and off road.

Cheers,
Ruslan
(manual defender)

Originally Posted by RS652

Hi rangieman, I know very well what you are talking about, it is really scary. I got lesson like that and since always letting tyres down in critical situation. Sometimes very experienced drivers (and not only) becoming very brave... and getting in trouble. IMHO nothing wrong with auto, just human mistakes.

Thanks for posting, it is good reminder for all of us to be careful on and off road.

Cheers,
Ruslan
(manual defender)

Thanks for the appreciation guys it can be a polite debate when we try

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

it sounds like the auto 1st is too high,,

or is it the other way around?,

manual 1st is low enough to allow take off without inordinate clutch slipping

and a further point to ponder--

could it be the idle speeds causing the problem??

BUB91 (should) idle at 650,,
but BUB002 idles a tad higher I think,,

maybe its that couple of hundred revs thats the problem,,,

yes a auto 1st gear is higher than a manual also a disco has a slightly higher ratio transfer case than a defender
the idle speed might be a prblem wih a auto
one thing i did notice on this trip a mate has a nis gu manual diesel and he would catch up to me going down hills and both of us were in low low
if i went to 2nd it felt way too fast for my comfort level
so the ratio on nissans is higher as well

I have used the "drive through the brakes" method it does take a bit to get used to doing it,best to practice on a good down hill section to see how it feels then when it comes to the slippery down hill bit you will at least have some idea what to expect.

it is hard not to lift your foot off the loud pedal but once you get used to this method it does work and I have done this on some of those greasey tracks in the high country when wet, gets the heart rate rate up