DISCO3.CO.UK - View topic - A different question about towing

away

Member Since: 18 Nov 2006
Location: Cossack
Posts: 111

2012 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 HSE Auto Fuji White

A different question about towing

In my travels in the bush I have come across more than a handfull of broken fourbies with a burnt-out automatic transmission caused by towing caravans/camper-trailers in the overdrive gear.

Now I have the Disco 3 with a six speed auto and the dealer has told me not to bother using the manual selection function of the transmission to select a lower gear because the "smarts" in the engine and gearbox will make sure that the correct gear is always selected.

Is this true? I don't want to find myself broken down somewhere out the back of Bumf**k Junction. The Owner's Manual doesn't mention manually selecting lower gears, but it goes against all of the "experiences" I have come across out in the bush.

Has anyone clocked up a heap of trouble-free towing Km's? If so, did you let the "smarts" do their thing or did you choose the gears? D4: Expedition Rack, 104 Litre Long Range Tank, Raised Air Intake
D3: Every bloomin' thing but the kitchen sink

27th Jan 2007 2:02 pm

RetiredBob

Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: New South Wales
Posts: 183

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Chawton White

G'day Away

I have done extensive travelling (towing a 2500 kg van) both on and off road in my TDV6 and before in my TD5 Auto.

I have always let the auto do its own thing and have never had any problerms. Both vehicles have been excellent.

The only time I may have to select a 'lower' gear is on a long climb if or when the auto is constantly changing to maintain speed but this is rare.

I have read many stories on other caravan forums where other vehicles have to travel in lower auto etc but never any bad stories about Discos.

Regards

27th Jan 2007 11:34 pm

away

Member Since: 18 Nov 2006
Location: Cossack
Posts: 111

Thanks Bob,

I guess I'll place my faith in the LR engineering then. I know for sure that you wouldn't tow in 5th gear in my auto diesel NP Pajero...unless you wanted to fry the transmission.

Russ. D4: Expedition Rack, 104 Litre Long Range Tank, Raised Air Intake
D3: Every bloomin' thing but the kitchen sink

28th Jan 2007 8:47 am

lrdef110

Member Since: 21 Jun 2006
Location: Mackay
Posts: 50

2011 Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 SE Auto Unknown Colour

Russ, I have done a few thousand k's towing a compact off road caravan. In my experience the auto senses the weight on the back and rarely goes into 6th. Except for this its hard to know you have anything on the back.
Barry.

28th Jan 2007 9:33 am

disco4x4au

Member Since: 19 Jan 2006
Location: Perth
Posts: 409

Russ,

I towed a 1.5 tonne trailer over the Gt Central / Docker Rd from Laverton to Uluru. I was on a time schedule, so driving pretty hard and fast. After trying all sorts of combinations (normal mode, sports mode, command shift), I ended up just leaving it in normal with the 'gravel' setting on the terrrain response. The auto box handled it just fine.

We ended up doing around 6000 km on-road, 2000km off-road, and the only time I over-rode the auto was on long hills where I wanted to overtake. There seemed to be little or no difference in fuel consumption.

Cheers,

Gordon ex - 2006 D3 TDV6 SE, silver, with lots of stuff - R.I.P.
ex - 2009 D3 TDV6 SE, silver, had lots of stuff too!
Now - 2010 RRS 3.0 TDV6, rimini red, 18" rims + Cooper LTZ, rear eLocker, Spider tuning box, GOE protection plates and rock sliders, GOE 3way shortened rods.

28th Jan 2007 11:41 pm

away

Member Since: 18 Nov 2006
Location: Cossack
Posts: 111

Thanks to all of you for replying. My mind is made up...I'll just let the Landy choose what gear it wants to be in, apart from the occasional long hill... D4: Expedition Rack, 104 Litre Long Range Tank, Raised Air Intake
D3: Every bloomin' thing but the kitchen sink

29th Jan 2007 1:17 am

kenso

Member Since: 29 Aug 2006
Location: NSW
Posts: 111

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto Cairns Blue

Overheating transmission

Went out to millstream which is 200k east of Karratha, 200k corrugated uphill down hill roads all the way and about 350m above sea level on the weekend. I towed a 3000kg van (bushtracker) temp on the exterior was 44 to 45! bloody hot! temp gauge didnâ€™t move at all. Also I have installed a 12000lb hidden winch which doesnâ€™t affect the temp at all.

Cheers
Kenso

29th Jan 2007 5:59 am

PBob

Member Since: 11 Feb 2007
Location: Mudgee NSW
Posts: 167

2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Bonatti Grey

My first post here. I pulled the auto box out of one of my TD5s towing our boat of 2.6 tonnes, so consequently have thought about the same with the D3. I wondered about towing in sports mode, only to stop the gearbox from going into 6th. But maybe leave well alone. You are right that the handbook gives no clues - I'll bet if someone stuffs a gearbox there will be plenty of advice form LR as to what you should have been doing! 2006 HSE TDV6 Bonatti Grey, ECB bull bar, tropical roof, LG Next G car kit, Tom Tom GPS, UHF, Mitchell Bros tow bar, Kimberley Kamper Limited Edition camper trailer and 23 foot Haines Signature half cabin (Towed separately!)

11th Feb 2007 2:39 am

tempestv8

Member Since: 11 Oct 2006
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 57

If you want to keep your Disco for a long long time, ignore Land Rover's recommendation of not changing the automatic transmission fluid. The 6 speed auto gearbox is supplied to Land Rover by ZF, a leading German automatic transmission OEM supplier.

As a matter of fact, its practically the same gearbox as what goes into a 6 speed Ford Falcon auto, or the 6 speed Maserati, or a whole slew of new model BMWs albeit with different shift points and programming.

ZF states that the transmission fluid is "lifetime fill" but to the lay person, this really means lifetime of the warranty of the vehicle. I would get that fluid drained (not flushed) every couple of years, and only use the exact ESSO LT fluid as specified by ZF.

If you do this, you won't have to worry about the longevity of your gearbox because it is one helluva bullet proof transmission, when looked after.

For towing heavy caravans with strong headwinds, it probably won't hurt fuel economy at all by downshifting manually to 5th and leaving it there. Even though the engine may rev higher, it won't be by much and often, the turbo may be spinning more optimally so fuel consumption may even be identical to 6th gear, depending on what speed you are travelling at.

11th Feb 2007 6:47 am

Ocsid

Member Since: 29 Nov 2005
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 255

2016 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 Landmark LE Auto Indus Silver

tempestv8,
From your post can we assume that the ZF auto's fluid can actually be drained and then be refilled to the correct level? I know from my dealings with other fluid couplings that the level of the oil is a critical factor and if it becomes too low it leads to very rapide overheating. So knowing the level is correct would be a worry.
In other words the "filled for life" does not imply that it is a sealed system?

Same question re the diffs; can their oil also be changed, not that here the level has the same criticality?

I ask because like you I am not comfortable with the school of "for life oils".

Thanks

11th Feb 2007 8:36 am

Vo Rogue

Member Since: 16 Jan 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 123

2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Auto Arctic Frost

Humm

as an engineer and person who has poked around a bit inside the ZF Hp24 transmissions - same one as fitted to the older series Range Rovers - my thoughts are :-

1) The Fluids simply wear out over time.
2) The ZF tranmissions are beautifully built but refer to 1). I will be replacing the fluid at about 60,000 km no matter what the manuals say. If you do I suggest that the transmission will last the life of the engine not just the life of the warrently.

Fluid for life. Rubbish.

11th Feb 2007 11:44 am

TDMP

Member Since: 16 Jul 2006
Location: South Gippsland
Posts: 511

2007 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Rimini Red

Re: Overheating transmission

kenso wrote:
... I have installed a 12000lb hidden winch ...

Kenso I'd appreciate some info & pick of the winch

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
(Epicurus BC 341-270)

13th Feb 2007 11:23 am

Pericles

Member Since: 06 Mar 2009
Location: Moonee Beach
Posts: 20

2008 Discovery 3 TDV6 Base 5 Seat Auto Stornoway Grey

D3 TDV6 Gearbox

I came across this old post and was reading the remarks out of interest and felt I should post my experiences of late. I originally read this thread after buying our TDV6 D3 in 2008 together with our new Kedron van. Like most here we decided to follow the "manufactures advice" and leave it in Auto and let the car do the thinking. We have just had to pay for a replacement gearbox after the internal clutch packed it in and started juddering. The $6083 cost was added to our $4750 cost of new HPP and new rear limited slip diff so it was a very painful experience. The HPP and Diff went at 83000km just out of warranty and the gearbox started going at 93000km halfway round Oz. We limped home by driving in sport mode and being judicious with the throttle. After having it checked we then took off for a trip to Tassie and at 115000km the gearbox got so bad that we had to fit a replacement in Melbourne after leaving Tassie early. We have received no help from Landrover nor the dealer we bought it from so its been a very expensive vehicle. We have also been advised that the park brake assembly needs to be replaced at a cost of about $2000. I share our experience here simply because the problems have marred both of our recent trips and feel we should warn prospective owners.
If I were starting out again with a D3 or D4 and towing a van I would certainly do things differently. For starters I would have extended warranty as all our problems started AFTER the normal warranty period expired. Secondly I would change gearbox, and diff oils at 60000km intervals. (every dealer/mechanic and even the gearbox specialists suggested that this should be part of the service schedule when towing) Thirdly I would tow in sport mode at all times. Our van is nearly 3 tonne when fully loaded and locking out top gear is a definite advantage reducing the load on both the motor and the gearbox.
Our experience of our LR D3 has not been a pleasant one. We love the D3 (when it is going as its intended to) but it lacks reliability and good service backup. Dealers know how unreliable the vehicle is but still continue to sell them. Landrover also knows the vehicle is unreliable but still produce them with the faults. Its a bit like the King's Suit of Clothes. Everyone knows but no one is game to say it. Would we buy another one? Only if we had a good 5 year factory warranty and more/better service centres in Australia.

8th May 2013 3:29 am

Pericles

Member Since: 06 Mar 2009
Location: Moonee Beach
Posts: 20

D3 TDV6 Gearbox

I came across this old post and was reading the remarks out of interest and felt I should post my experiences of late. I originally read this thread after buying our TDV6 D3 in 2008 together with our new Kedron van. Like most here we decided to follow the "manufactures advice" and leave it in Auto and let the car do the thinking. We have just had to pay for a replacement gearbox after the internal clutch packed it in and started juddering. The $6083 cost was added to our $4750 cost of new HPP and new rear limited slip diff so it was a very painful experience. The HPP and Diff went at 83000km just out of warranty and the gearbox started going at 93000km halfway round Oz. We limped home by driving in sport mode and being judicious with the throttle. After having it checked we then took off for a trip to Tassie and at 115000km the gearbox got so bad that we had to fit a replacement in Melbourne after leaving Tassie early. We have received no help from Landrover nor the dealer we bought it from so its been a very expensive vehicle. We have also been advised that the park brake assembly needs to be replaced at a cost of about $2000. I share our experience here simply because the problems have marred both of our recent trips and feel we should warn prospective owners.
If I were starting out again with a D3 or D4 and towing a van I would certainly do things differently. For starters I would have extended warranty as all our problems started AFTER the normal warranty period expired. Secondly I would change gearbox, and diff oils at 60000km intervals. (every dealer/mechanic and even the gearbox specialists suggested that this should be part of the service schedule when towing) Thirdly I would tow in sport mode at all times. Our van is nearly 3 tonne when fully loaded and locking out top gear is a definite advantage reducing the load on both the motor and the gearbox.
Our experience of our LR D3 has not been a pleasant one. We love the D3 (when it is going as its intended to) but it lacks reliability and good service backup. Dealers know how unreliable the vehicle is but still continue to sell them. Landrover also knows the vehicle is unreliable but still produce them with the faults. Its a bit like the King's Suit of Clothes. Everyone knows but no one is game to say it. Would we buy another one? Only if we had a good 5 year factory warranty and more/better service centres in Australia.

8th May 2013 3:30 am

colin6307

Member Since: 17 Apr 2010
Location: croydon
Posts: 246

auto transmission

When towing, in my experience one can overheat the auto transmission fluid, fit auto transmission gauge,
one can see just what is going on

8th May 2013 10:12 am