Member Since: 20 Dec 2010
Location: yorkshire
Posts: 877
towing back from portugal and some of the inclines were huge just going up hill for miles and miles i wish the d2 had been manual the v8 screaming in second doing 50-60 was not pleasant not to mention the cost of it in fuel
i work on a farm and we have diferent gear boxes in the tractors and powershift (clutchless shifting manual) is the gearbox of choice for towing trailers
the other gearbox we have is a vario and they are great at low speed field work being able to match the forward speed to the conditions but stap a trailer on and they just feel gutless and use a lot more juice
14th Jan 2012 11:14 am
pinhead
Member Since: 20 Dec 2010
Location: yorkshire
Posts: 877
discotres i think i took my photo from the wrong angle it makes the boat look smaller than the d2 but i can asure you it is not. as it is designed as a wakeboard boat weight is pretty important so they didnt make anything light on purpose and an all iron big block chevy in the back and walter v drive will not do much to help the weight
that is just a fair lump you tow about must have been stripped bare inside to come in under 3.5 ton including trailer
14th Jan 2012 11:23 am
dragonfly28
Member Since: 08 Jan 2012
Location: South Coast
Posts: 66
Thanks guys, some v useful info there.
Deafener Lo-Hi shift is easy once you get the knack, only operating the transfer lever (but with a pause in neutral to avoid graunching) so sequence is usually lo-1st, hi-1st, hi-2nd....
I guess shifting up through the D3 low range will give enough momentum to allow time in neutral to make a lo-hi shift. Is there a max speed for the transfer shift?[/img]
P.S. This is my rig:
14th Jan 2012 11:37 am
Discotres
Member Since: 25 Jan 2010
Location: London
Posts: 8491
Nice looking rig, set up seems nicely balanced looking at the defenders wheel arches Always important to get the hitch weight right, too much and you can lose your steering and braking at the front Mine was craned on and off a few times while they set the axles up, had 100kg on the hitch which was about right Always important to watch where you load additional stuff on the boat when moving it, I have seen some people fill the forward cabin and forget about the additional weight that puts on the hitch
Pinhead, I know those boats hence my response saying that one must have been heavy, they have a low centre of gravity and good in tight turns As for picture angle you could be right although the chap standing at yours and the car behind mine put the heights into perspective.
14th Jan 2012 12:10 pm
Chicken Duck
Member Since: 11 Nov 2009
Location: Italy
Posts: 1387
dragonfly28 wrote:
I guess shifting up through the D3 low range will give enough momentum to allow time in neutral to make a lo-hi shift. Is there a max speed for the transfer shift?
20 MPH sir
14th Jan 2012 2:28 pm
dragonfly28
Member Since: 08 Jan 2012
Location: South Coast
Posts: 66
Disco duck wrote:
20 MPH sir
Thank you
14th Jan 2012 3:35 pm
pinhead
Member Since: 20 Dec 2010
Location: yorkshire
Posts: 877
Discotres wrote:
Pinhead, I know those boats hence my response saying that one must have been heavy, they have a low centre of gravity and good in tight turns As for picture angle you could be right although the chap standing at yours and the car behind mine put the heights into perspective.
that handsome looking chap stood next to my boat is me
i was not denying your boat is a monster just suprised that it came in under 3.5 ton inc trailer knowing just how heavy mine is
14th Jan 2012 8:21 pm
B16 KJR
Member Since: 10 Jul 2006
Location: Rosyth, Fife
Posts: 3005
Just to follow on from this post, how many of you towing with an auto use the "sport" setting. Do you feel it makes any differance to the MPG ? In the "sport" setting am I right in saying it never engages 6th gear, only up to 5th.
15th Jan 2012 1:17 pm
MadJax
Member Since: 30 May 2011
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 120
I'm sure in sport mode when towing mine does go into 6th, only towing 1.5T thoughDiscovery 4 2.7 SE
Defender 130 TD5 - Daily Drive
2.7t Caravan
Java TD5 HSE - Gone but not forgotten.
Java V6 Freelander - Had fun in it.
14th Feb 2012 11:12 am
dick dastardly
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: wiggleigh bottom
Posts: 1112
auto, maintenance easier, oil change as opposed to clutch change.There's one wheel on my wagon, but i'm still rollin' along, it's the cherokee, they're after me, but I'm singing a happy song
14th Feb 2012 12:07 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8100
Once you've towed with an auto you won't want to go back to a DIY gearbox. D3 auto best tow car ever- official.It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
14th Feb 2012 2:35 pm
MadJax
Member Since: 30 May 2011
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 120
I spent years towing with a manual, from 17 all the way till I was 34. Then I bought my First Land Rover, a 2.5V6 Freelander and my first Auto, without even test driving one as they had yet to be built. I have never looked back.
With the Freelander I towed a 1.7T caravan a 6M Rib (boat). Once full of water and dive gear, so inexcess of 2T up a 1 in one way 4 hill. The auto had no issues during the number of enforced stops as other cars comming down the hill wanted me to give way to them and reverse back down the hill. I won that argument.
However as both towed items are heavier than the car I moved to a Discovery 2 TD5, but still an auto, however I did miss the manual shift mode.
Now I am fortunate to own a D4 2.7 auto. Would I have a manual again. Only if I wanted to race.Discovery 4 2.7 SE
Defender 130 TD5 - Daily Drive
2.7t Caravan
Java TD5 HSE - Gone but not forgotten.
Java V6 Freelander - Had fun in it.
14th Feb 2012 11:45 pm
GrahamH
Member Since: 28 Dec 2011
Location: Kent
Posts: 76
Click image to enlarge
Just been pointed in this direction as asked the same question. The beast above is towed with my manual Td5 but im looking for a D3 but im unsure on whether to go auto or manual... looking at replys auto looks a good bet
17th Feb 2012 3:15 pm
Curly
Member Since: 30 Sep 2011
Location: suffolk
Posts: 687
I would love to know what your procedure is when changing from lo to hi with a D3 as im worried i might end up crunching gears
17th Feb 2012 3:31 pm
Dexter
Member Since: 21 Sep 2007
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 1391
Had both, auto is streets ahead for all applications including towing. Made for the job
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Always important to get the hitch weight right, too much and you can lose your steering and braking at the front 
Mine was craned on and off a few times while they set the axles up, had 100kg on the hitch which was about right 
Always important to watch where you load additional stuff on the boat when moving it, I have seen some people fill the forward cabin and forget about the additional weight that puts on the hitch 
