4wding with Auto Transmission.

[Simmo]

Hi All, just a quick question, apologies for it being simple but would be good to know.

I have a friend who is coming away with us camping in a couple of weeks.

He hasn't been offroad a hell of a lot and we are heading to some spots that can get a little tricky.

Medium rock/hill climbing and a couple of places can get quite steep when coming into the river flats.

Also I remember some areas in the flats that have some deep boggy tracks too.

Moral of the story is, he has a stock auto landcruiser 80 series and I must admit I have never been offroad using an Auto transmission.

Does anyone here have an auto or done some 4x4ing in one?

Is there any secrets to climbing or descending down steep hills and powering through deep boggy tracks?

Do the autos hold the gears well when descending on steep hills and muddy tracks?

I'm just a little bit paranoid taking this friend but want to make sure I give him good advice.

Thanks for your help.

[the evil twin]

....

Does anyone here have an auto or done some 4x4ing in one?

Is there any secrets to climbing or descending down steep hills and powering through deep boggy tracks?

Do the autos hold the gears well when descending on steep hills and muddy tracks?

Two Patrols ago I had an auto and grew to love it. I did have a Torque Converter Lockup Switch fitted tho, which meant I could lock the TC when I needed too and it was a big help.

Most Autos are geared 1 up from manuals IE in the GQ's 1st in an Auto is similar drive ratios to 2nd in a Manual so keep that in mind.

Climbing is pretty much straight the same in either transmission and maybe the auto is more forgiving if you get the wrong gaer 'cause you can change without too many issues.

Descending is an 'art form' and is IMHO the only time a Manual far outshines an auto (until you put crawler gears and a TC lock up in and then Auto's kick butt).

Best way to descend a steep slippery downslope in a stock auto is really s.l.o.w.l.y in Low Range 1st and drag a bit of handbrake on... the handbrake acts equally thru the drive train instead of your foot brake which acts thru the brake proportioning valve and you may get lock ups on the "lightest" wheel/s.

After a while I had fitted a front locker and a TC lockup and my old girl was brilliant at climbs, better than any manual, and not too shabby at descents... almost as good as a manual but not quite

Hope that makes sense... and... others may disagree or have different methods

[Mark]

I did have a Torque Converter Lockup Switch fitted tho, which meant I could lock the TC when I needed too and it was a big help.

My mate had this on his auto and sweared by it too!

Descending is an 'art form' and is IMHO the only time a Manual far outshines an auto

Agreed 100% Artform....I've been down some pretty hairy descents and sometimes the only way to get out of trouble was to quickly crank into second otherwise I would've slid off some scary ridges. Have to be on the ball.

[Timbo]

Slippery down hill track make my arse grab the seat. I'm not a fan of them.
Most experienced 4wd'ers will tell you to stay in the ruts, and if the wheels start sliding, gives the accelerator a bit of a blip and she'll most likely pull into line.

Even though both tips have worked for me, using the accelerator down a slippery track still worries me haha.

[GQ10]

Slippery down hill track make my arse grab the seat. I'm not a fan of them.

haha....If I'm a pasenger, my left foot seems to push down on the floor. I actually put a hole in my old mates Sierra....It was pretty rusted out from 4 million beer spills though...haha

[White_GU]

Haven't quite done anything that hairy myself lol.. I just like flat tracks for now.

I've always wondered about auto's. Logic tells me that they would be smoother and easier to manage, allowing more concentration on driving but I always thought going down hill would be harder than going up. Didn't know you could get a torque converter locker... jeez things they do these days.

[Pitbull]

Having been a manual 4wd owner for many years i could not imagine myself ever having an auto 4wd , however as a member of 4wd S.A's DTU i began driving auto's at the Adelaide 4wd show and other members auto's at our skill updates and thought they were'nt too bad .
Having been patient and looking around for a while for a GQ i came across the one owner 97 TI TB42E with auto trans and too good a condition not to buy it even though i wanted a manual .

Up to date its done everything offroad effortlessly and the auto is much better in the sand than a manual , engine braking on steep down hill decents is the only time the brakes are used more as engine braking especially with the petrol is not as good although good enough , and this improved when i fitted the 4.375 ratio over the 3.9 .
Some petrol autos have excellent engine braking like the V6 Hilux so it comes down to ratios



With the auto its important to use a full synthetic ATF and fit the largest trans cooler you can find .

In general it does all offroad obstacles easier than a manual

cheers

[the evil twin]

.... Up to date its done everything offroad effortlessly and the auto is much better in the sand than a manual , engine braking on steep down hill decents is the only time the brakes are used more as engine braking especially with the petrol is not as good although good enough , and this improved when i fitted the 4.375 ratio over the 3.9 .


.... In general it does all offroad obstacles easier than a manual

Put a Torque Converter Lock up switch in it (costs about $30 to buy the bits or you can buy Kits for a bit more) so you can select the switch and energise the TC Lock up solenoid when you need it and that will give you a significant amount of extra engine braking as well... my TB42 had 4.1 diffs and 33's and was pretty good down hill with the TC locked

...and, you are correct, the Auto's kill the Manuals in 95% of 4WD situations esp if they are tricked up a bit in the Valve Bodies (but you'll never get the Manual Diehards to admit it)... Wholesale Automatics have a fantastic Valve Body Upgrade for the GQ's and one was going in mine but I ended up buying Diesel

For you Auto fiends... these guys are fantastic IMHO

http://www.automatictransmission.com.au/

[patch697]

Got a mate with a 80 series tojo with an auto as well with nothing more than 2" lift & 33s & he go's everywhere I go wet or dry. We have some hard going 4WDriving out my way & I have to say its ether mine or his that do most all the recovery work in the group.

He even had to tow me one day after I did a slave cylinder & the CB was a wash with s**t slinging that day. But the following week he did a timing gear & it was my turn to do the towing.

I told him on the day that even God loves Patrol's & this was he's pennants for the sins he committed over the CD last week end. Needless he told me I could go get....

[Simmo]

Great replies everyone, thanks.

I feel a bit more confident taking this guy away now. lol

Might just take it easy for a while and not attempt anything crazy until he is a bit more confident too.

Cheers.