Auto vs manual off road
Poll: Auto vs manual off road
Total Members Polled: 69
Discussion
I have a manual Defender, which I use for off road and green lanes etc, It's a great tool, but recently I've hade problems with my left knee, and the clutch on the defender will put me out of action if I drive it, so I've bought an auto 300TDi Disco, with all the toys on for off roading.
Whilst on downhill slopes, you have more control in the defender, due to first/low in the defender is a much lower speed than first/low with the auto, but for everything else, the auto is great, you're never in the wrong gear, and it pulls up the slopes just as good as the manual. It's so much easier to drive, that my daughter will drive it on the bumpy muddy bits, were she won't drive the Defender.
Whilst on downhill slopes, you have more control in the defender, due to first/low in the defender is a much lower speed than first/low with the auto, but for everything else, the auto is great, you're never in the wrong gear, and it pulls up the slopes just as good as the manual. It's so much easier to drive, that my daughter will drive it on the bumpy muddy bits, were she won't drive the Defender.
I have a 5.9 CJ7 with a TH400 box.
I personally love it.If I want to arse about with gears,I'll get my fix with the Unimog,which has 16 forward and 16 back.
Only downside with an auto IMHO is their dislike of water, but when plumbed properly and vaccum tested,they are good to go.Autos tend to be less brutal on drivetrain components too(useful for any vehicle with plasticene driveshafts......)
I personally love it.If I want to arse about with gears,I'll get my fix with the Unimog,which has 16 forward and 16 back.
Only downside with an auto IMHO is their dislike of water, but when plumbed properly and vaccum tested,they are good to go.Autos tend to be less brutal on drivetrain components too(useful for any vehicle with plasticene driveshafts......)
More and more people seem to be using autos for RTV's presumably to utilise the benfits of the torque convertor.
I always prefered manuals but I suppose if the auto box can be locked into specific gears then it's a good idea.
Normalbloke, my mog only had 8 gears (6 forward, 2 reverse)
What do you use yours for?
I always prefered manuals but I suppose if the auto box can be locked into specific gears then it's a good idea.
Normalbloke, my mog only had 8 gears (6 forward, 2 reverse)
What do you use yours for?
Bill said:
I've only ever used manuals off road but now I'm considering a Disco3 an auto is tempting. Anyone got any views either way?
Once you have used an autobox for offroading it is unlikely you would want to go back to a manual. The auto makes for smoother progress and eliminates stalling the engine at a particularly inconvenient moment(like at the top of a steep ascent).There is more skill involved when using a manual and if you only off road occasionaly then perhaps the manual is more fun. However if you are offroad regularly an auto takes a lot of the hassle out of the rough stuff and I also prefer them for a big 4x4 on the road.
Automatic for me - the transmission knows what is best under most circumstances with the benefit of reduced driver workload and stress on the drivetrain. There is always drive to the wheels whether in gear or shifting between them which is excellent should you find yourself in the wrong gear in water, soft sand or hill climbing. If petrol were cheaper I would put a ZF 4-speed in my Bowler but I'll stick with the LT77 as it works.
Lefty Guns said:
More and more people seem to be using autos for RTV's presumably to utilise the benfits of the torque convertor.
I always prefered manuals but I suppose if the auto box can be locked into specific gears then it's a good idea.
Normalbloke, my mog only had 8 gears (6 forward, 2 reverse)
What do you use yours for?
It's a toy!I always prefered manuals but I suppose if the auto box can be locked into specific gears then it's a good idea.
Normalbloke, my mog only had 8 gears (6 forward, 2 reverse)
What do you use yours for?
Cheer for the input guys. I'm still tempted by a manual as they're cheaper and I enjoy changing gear (odd I know) although the auto suits the D3 luxobarge feel
Bother. A bad bit of clicking meant I voted manual instead of auto. Auto for me. I've seen it suggested that auto's are better at extreme uphilling (something I've not done) and they are definitely better for low speed manoeuvring, esp with trailers (something I have). I recently saw some official Landcruiser figures that claimed the auto had better MPG than the manual - which was more than a little unexpected.
Bill said:
I've only ever used manuals off road but now I'm considering a Disco3 an auto is tempting. Anyone got any views either way?
This depends on some other factors. Partof it is preference and I often wonder if the haters of autos have ever actually used one.
In short both are capable and both have pros and cons. Most of these pros and cons are very related to the terrain and type of off roading you are doing.
Rock crawling is huge in the US because of much of the terrain allows for little else. Autos are pretty much required for this as manuals make it very difficult and are far more likely to result in a worn clutch and broken diffs/axles.
In general autos are more sympathetic to the mechanicals than a manual.
Sand and slippery mud are also good places for an auto as they can do something no manual can. Change gear
with power on. No matter how good you changing gear in manual will lose momentum, which is often critical.
Downsides of autos are they are arguably less fun. Give slightly less low
speed control, although unless you are competing in trial events this is not really all that important.
Downhill control, this is partly due to most autos having taller gearing, but most of it is due to the torque converter. This means going down a steep slippery hill in an auto can be a lot more scary than in a manual due to the comparitive lack of engine braking. That said Hill Descent Controls make this less of an issue these days and you can always drive the vehicle different, a common technique is to use reverse when going down a steep hill as it will increase "engine braking" using the torque cnverter. It sounds backards but is a proven method.
On really rough, rutted hard ground autos can be a pain. With a manual you can leave them at tickover or light throtle. An auto will often semi stall (come to a halt) on tickover in such cases (again due to how a torque converter works). This
means you often have to go over this rough ground faster in order to not keep stopping.
Other things to consider are on the road. Auto more relaxed and easier. But slower, worse fuel economy and again arguably less fun.
If you only plan on light off roading the either will be fine. If it's more serious then a little more research on whether an auto will be pro or a con at it. Apart frorm that it just has to be personal preference IMO.
Had a manual 4.2TD 80 series Landcruiser, great vehicle and with the right tyres on fantastic off road, that was 12 years ago, now I have a Range Rover Sport TDV8 and it is an auto with terrain response. It makes offroading so much easier and it can go lots of places which the LC couldn't go.
Up until I drove the RRS I would have said manual and solid axels every time, but, technology moves on now the newer vehicles are just as or more than competent as the old er ones.
Get youself a Landrover Experience free halfday trial and take out a D3 or RRS and find out how good an autobox 4x4 can be.
Up until I drove the RRS I would have said manual and solid axels every time, but, technology moves on now the newer vehicles are just as or more than competent as the old er ones.
Get youself a Landrover Experience free halfday trial and take out a D3 or RRS and find out how good an autobox 4x4 can be.
Alicatt1 said:
Up until I drove the RRS I would have said manual and solid axels every time, but, technology moves on now the newer vehicles are just as or more than competent as the old er ones.
But also heavier and more complicated, which is an issue if you're planning to take your family to Morocco. I'm pretty confident I can bodge a manual or solid axles if needs be, but I wouldn't know where to start with a D3.Alicatt1 said:
Had a manual 4.2TD 80 series Landcruiser, great vehicle and with the right tyres on fantastic off road, that was 12 years ago, now I have a Range Rover Sport TDV8 and it is an auto with terrain response. It makes offroading so much easier and it can go lots of places which the LC couldn't go.
.
I have no experience of the new RR but I'm frankly astonished at this statement!.
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