Towing 1.5T

[TheFlyingBadger]

All

As you're (possibly) aware, i've only (relatively) recently got my 'trol. It's a 2010 CRD Auto.

Given some of the excitement that seems to surround the "what gear should I let my auto tow in" question, i need to ask - what gear should I let my auto tow in? :D

It's a Jayco hawk, but it's a lardy bugger and is about 1.5T with 170Kg on the ball. Seeing as i've not got around to getting airbags yet either, i'm wondering whether i should put my WDH on for our 3000Km easter trip (virtually all blacktop).


Jon

[Finly Owner]

Sorry can't help with this one. But I will ask, does it have economy/power button? If so tow in drive in power mode I believe.
See what the others say.

Tim

[YNOT]

2 points here,

1, The one thing that will kill an auto trans faster than just about anything else is heat. If you plan to tow with it fit a BIG transmission cooler.

2, Most of the time you can just leave it in drive and let the auto do its own thing. If you start to go up a rise and the engine (and therefore transmission) starts loading up, pull it back a gear. Don't use heavy throttle in a high gear.

Tony

[TheFlyingBadger]

Hi Jon. Not sure about the auto question but definately put your weight distribution hitch on for this kind of weight. Will make towing much nicer.


cheers for that. whilst it's an outback jayco, it's (naturally) going to do most of it's miles on bitumen. I can always remove the bars once I go onto tracks. it has a Hyland hitch so it's still a ball

[TheFlyingBadger]

2 points here,

1, The one thing that will kill an auto trans faster than just about anything else is heat. If you plan to tow with it fit a BIG transmission cooler.

2, Most of the time you can just leave it in drive and let the auto do its own thing. If you start to go up a rise and the engine (and therefore transmission) starts loading up, pull it back a gear. Don't use heavy throttle in a high gear.

Tony

WRT to the transmission cooler Tony, what would/could Nissan say about my warranty if i got one fitted? Hills shouldn't be too much of a problem, WA is pretty much flat!

[Bigcol]

Hills shouldn't be too much of a problem, WA is pretty much flat!

Jon, you obviously haven't tried the road north out of Gerro to Northampton..............
or south of Armadale - Brookton Hwy or Gt Southern Hwy - Albany Hwy is flat the others surely aint
or that big one called Gt Eastern Hwy / Greenmount Hill

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

they are a 4speed auto box yeah?
try 3rd when you see hills instead of D, as Tony said heat will KILL your auto - and trying to drag you up a hill in D will surely get it hot
have a yarn to ET, if you havent already I know his camper isnt that heavy, but he may have some tips for you

cheers

[Maxhead]

Personally, I never use the overdrive in mine when towing. I leave in in drive and leave it there. I assume yours is the same box with the overdrive switch on the side of the shifter? In hilly terrain I would flick the power button ON so it holds gear a bit longer and if need be just drive through the gears. There's always gonna be hills when you need lots of reves...lol
Actually, I drive with overdrive off most of the time unless over 100km/hr. CRD's love to rev and I find they chew the juice when you labour them. I would experiment as well to find its sweet spot. They take a lot of getting used to

[YNOT]

WRT to the transmission cooler Tony, what would/could Nissan say about my warranty if i got one fitted? Hills shouldn't be too much of a problem, WA is pretty much flat!

Nissan cab be a bit dodgy when it comes to honouring legitimit warranty claims so you do need to be careful. For Nissan to be able to knock back a warranty claim on the basis of you having a tranmission cooler they need to be able to prove that the cooler caused the failure. Make sure any cooler you fit/get fitted is top quality.
Check with Nissan spare parts and see if there is a factory option transmission cooler. Get Nissan to fit that if it's available, then they HAVE to honour the warranty.

Tony

[TheFlyingBadger]

Personally, I never use the overdrive in mine when towing. I leave in in drive and leave it there. I assume yours is the same box with the overdrive switch on the side of the shifter? In hilly terrain I would flick the power button ON so it holds gear a bit longer and if need be just drive through the gears. There's always gonna be hills when you need lots of reves...lol
Actually, I drive with overdrive off most of the time unless over 100km/hr. CRD's love to rev and I find they chew the juice when you labour them. I would experiment as well to find its sweet spot. They take a lot of getting used to

yep, overdrive button on the right of the gearstick, and POWER/HOLD button down near the cig lighter. no means of "dropping it to 3rd" apart from that - do some patrols have a tiptronic box?

[Sir Roofy]

I drive my gu to the conditions i come upon
long sloping hills with passing lane use over drive button stops the rig from changing up and down,can use power button as well
short hills or undullating just let the auto do its job
i drive this way with or with out the trailer
hope this helps
it a learning curve getting to know your truck and what best suits you

[nowoolies]

WRT to the transmission cooler Tony, what would/could Nissan say about my warranty if i got one fitted? Hills shouldn't be too much of a problem, WA is pretty much flat!

hay Jon what rock you hideing under (WA flat) strewth not where i been hahahahahahahaha

[TheFlyingBadger]

Vertical alignment on State Roads in WA


Curve Type Length (km) Length Weighted Avg Gradiant (%)
Flat 6860.48
Uniform Upgrade 3442.18 1.35
Uniform Downgrade 2897.32 1.33
Vertical Curve 4571.10

Grade
Gradient measured in percentage to two (2) decimal places.


K Value (Vertical Curves)
Degree of curvature. K = length of VC / change in grade. Crest curve = K value. (990 is maximum) Sag curve = 999.


Flat, and what isn't flat isn't very hilly!

:p

[Bob]

Vertical alignment on State Roads in WA


Curve Type Length (km) Length Weighted Avg Gradiant (%)
Flat 6860.48
Uniform Upgrade 3442.18 1.35
Uniform Downgrade 2897.32 1.33
Vertical Curve 4571.10

Flat, and what isn't flat isn't very hilly!

:p


Great Answer and I will take your word for the figures

[TheFlyingBadger]

Great Answer and I will take your word for the figures

:D

Lies, damned lies and statistics...

But that *is* straight from the asset management database

[the evil twin]

Great Answer and I will take your word for the figures

He's just showing off but I would take his word for it as well... then again I happen to know where he works

[Bigcol]

my bad,

I just realised that the "4" speed auto is really a 3 speed with electric overdrive

is this true?

sorry for my previous post Jon, about the gear selection
the things you learn when reading the forums


cheers

[the evil twin]

my bad,

I just realised that the "4" speed auto is really a 3 speed with electric overdrive

is this true?



Yep... well for the R4 boxes certainly... and you can throw in "and Torque Converter Lock Up" for the purists... so they are a "3 speed with electric overdrive and Torque Converter Lock Up"

[pjg4wd]

Hi definitely use the wdh when towing. It will put the weight back on the front wheels and make steering and breaking easier. Turn the OD off and drive to the road conditions. I try to stick to about 90 - 95km for better fuel economy, but each to their own with speed.

[MQ MAD]

1.5T,shouldnt be an issue using a 4x4 with any engine
Itll be the extra drag over the roof hieght thatll cause more of an issue

All mentions above regarding not labouring the auto,is correct