Thread: Towing manual v auto

It has been mentioned on an earlier towing thread (by clarkie?) that it can be done, however I dont recall reading about any further details than that. Have you asked any tranny joints? I think the D2 ZF's do lock up in 3rd.

I have exactly the same problem with the D1 V8.
It's a pity we cannot unlock the torque converter.
Being hydraulic, makes it difficult.

I would like to see some one build a transfer box that had Low range, intermediate and high

THAT would fix the problem.

Ron

Originally Posted by RonMcGr

I have exactly the same problem with the D1 V8.
It's a pity we cannot unlock the torque converter.
Being hydraulic, makes it difficult.

I would like to see some one build a transfer box that had Low range, intermediate and high

THAT would fix the problem.

Ron

I spoke to a place that said it is possible to prevent it from locking in 4th, but the amount of heat it would generate would be damaging, and that locking in 3rd would be a better solution. I think even Blknight said this also

I've found a place that modifies Land Cruiser auto's to lock up in 3rd, they also say they do LR/RR. May just pay them a visit. Wholesale Automatic Transmissions

Extreme A440F Toyota Land Cruiser Valve Body With 3rd & 4th Gear Lock-Up

from Wholesale Automatic Transmissions

my understandng is that it can be done and that it can be done by a landrover shop in Romsey in Victoria not far from you. I had some work done at this place (and I cant remember his name but shouldnt be hard to track down) and he was telling me about this modofiction specifically for towing purposes...I would like to do it myself but no $$. It was about 2 years ago I spoke to him and at that stage he said it would be about 5 to 6 hundred. If he can do it I expect others can too.

Originally Posted by edddo

my understandng is that it can be done and that it can be done by a landrover shop in Romsey in Victoria not far from you. I had some work done at this place (and I cant remember his name but shouldnt be hard to track down) and he was telling me about this modofiction specifically for towing purposes...I would like to do it myself but no $$. It was about 2 years ago I spoke to him and at that stage he said it would be about 5 to 6 hundred. If he can do it I expect others can too.

Thanks for the info

Was it Ray from Romsey Land Rover Service Centre from under recommended suppliers?

Originally Posted by B92 8NW

Thanks for the info

Was it Ray from Romsey Land Rover Service Centre from under recommended suppliers?

yep!

Move the shifter to 3.....problem solved.

My reasoning, gearing is higher in the auto and 3rd is close to what 4th would be in the manual.

You could also adjust your kick down cable so it has a bit more tension on it which will make it shift into "4th as such but really just between 3rd and lock up" earlier as you feed the power on but this can be a pita when not towing as it can make it change up and down constantly at any slight load.

Yes it can be done and Rodney at wholesale has done ZF's before, thats where I have seen them pulled apart but he is more a Turbo box speciallist but is very very competant with all types of boxes.

If you locked it up in 3rd, it wouldnt do much more than skip the "4th" ratio and go straight to lock up so I dont think it is what your after.

I know people who have done it in Jeeps to lock the converter to have engine braking when decending hills but seems that 3rd is really your highest gear I dont see the point, just slip it up into D.

Originally Posted by B92 8NW

The basic question I'm interested in is whether the ZF in D1s can be modified in the valve block to lock up in 3rd gear.

Surely a lot of people who tow vans would experience this.

If they could lock in 3rd (1.000:1), then it would be essentially the same road speed/rpm relationship as running the manual equivalent in 4th (1.000:1). I find the step between 3rd unlocked and 4th locked far too great - hills - it won't manage 100 with a load on in 4th locked, and 3000rpm in 3rd equates to about 80 km/h.

I found the manual would tow uphill all day in 4th, returning better road speed v rpm.

Would I tow 3,000kg with my Tdi auto again - probably not. I'm not saying that the auto isn't any good, as it was flawless around town with the weight on - but on the freeway it was very hard to find the happy medium that the manual had in 4th.

So would a ZF rebuilder have any clue how to modify it? Is anybody else interested?

I'll just add that this is where using 3rd is an advantage without it locked as when you have a torque converter you have torque multiplication so you have a gearing advantage in putting it back to 3rd without it locked.

The auto uses the slippage in the converter to add a gear so to speak so that is why it will go straight to normal lock up if you did that.

If you really wanted to do this it would only be of benifit in 2nd to give you a gear in between 2nd and 3rd (maybe) or possibly something around that 4th that your looking for.