Hi Lo Range Change (New owner question)

[Neil M]

I have a 2007 LC4 Auto with 48k on the clock, which I have owned for a couple of months. I know the original owner and I doubt that he ever used low range. I tried it today for the first time, (really just to see if it worked !).

So stop vehicle. Put Auto into Neutral. Move Range selector lever from H through Neutral to L. The question is there is a slight but definite "clunk" as you select Lo, or indeed Hi again. A bit like if you had a dragging clutch on a normal gearbox.

I can imagine this is normal, but would be grateful if someone could confirm this for me.

Also when moving in Lo range there is a noticeable transmission whine. Again, is this to be expected.

Thanks,

Neil

 

[Chris]

Normal. Worry not

Welcome to the club

Chris

 

[Gary Stockton]

Yep normal - especially if you were on a high traction surface with the centre diff locked too.

And welcome along

 

[Neil M]

Thanks for the prompt reply Guys.

Neil

 

[phil the brewer]

Now that we are one the subject,
I know the H is for driving on sand and snow etc and the L is for towing but when would the central diff (the one turny dial thingy left of the steering wheel)

Ignorance not always bliss

Phil

 

[Gary Stockton]

The one to the left of the steering wheel is the rear diff lock.

You should lock the centre diff when driving on snow. The 120 has a 3rd gen torsen LSD as centre diff which on normal day to day driving gives 60:40 split rear:front. Tried to give drive to non-slipping axle but if you have one spinning front and one spinning rear wheel you have a problem - ATRAC helps but is not 100% effective. Locking the centre diff (either via stubby shifter - LC3 - or button on centre console - LC4 and 5 - gives 50:50 drive to front and rear wheels. Locking rear diff ensures both rear wheels get power even if one is spinning.

Low range should not be used on tar road under normal conditions unless you want to kill your transfer box. Only in conditions of really poor traction, usually where high degrees of slip encountered so that any wind-up gets dissipated. Ok to use low range on very snowy sloppy surfaces for a limited time.

Lots of info on the web re this. But I wouldn't use low range for towing unless I was in a muddy field or lane and really needed that crawl power.

Cheers

 

[Graham]

Well Neil, how was that for a response?
Aren't these guys just the best and the fastest?

If your a touch concerned, then perhaps pump or two of grease in the UJ's and the tail shaft splines.
But just don't over do it !

Now, where are them pictures of your LC.

Gra.

 

[Neil M]

Not bad Graham, not bad !

Mine is just a standard LC4. (Silver). Was previously owned by a gentleman who never took it off road, and it didn't even have a towbar fitted. (It does now). We use it for towing a large horse and carriage trailer. This is our first Land Cruiser and follows on from a number of Land Rover disasters, so we are hoping for better things with the LC.

I have been working round the vehicle and generally sorting a few issues, most of which I suspect have been down to not working it hard enough. Some injector noise when cold has virtually disappeared through a combination of a couple of doses of cleaner, and noticeably a change from Supermarket to Shell diesel.

Wrt the low range shift: I have greased the prop, but the noise I was referring to I don't believe is transmission shunt, it is more like gears meshing, say on a straight cut box with a little clutch drag. Which I suppose is what it is in effect. You can feel it through the shift lever as you engage the new ratio. It then whines a bit if moving in low.

I reckon it is probably normal but was just looking for a little reassurance.

Thanks,

Neil

 

[Crispin]

Can't say I have a clunk when going into low. Sometimes not keen to but normally clutch in/out does the trick.
As for the whine, it is noisier, a bit like reverse, but not bad. Could the T-case oil be low?

 

[phil the brewer]

Er em
When is best to use the 3 and L2 on the automatic transmission as I always use the D4 even when I put it into HL to drive on the beach.

Phil

 

[Graham]

Hi Phil,

I don't think I have ever used any thing but "D"

With it being an automatic, the torque converter just takes care of slow speed driving.
When pulling a heavy caravan, for long up hills in Europe, I have some times just knocked it out of drive, and into "4"

Apart from that, it generally lives in "D"

Even on long descents, with the caravan on the back, the auto box, changes down, to offer more engine braking, now how smart is that
If you just dab the throttle a little tiny bit, it will go back into "D" for you.

Gra.

 

[Gary Stockton]

I've only stuck it anything but 'D' on long off-road tricky descents where I want locked in 1st to use engine braking. That's it really. Apparently if towing a heavy caravan / trailer you should leave it in '4' on hills so as not to overheat the gearbox. Some folk always tow in 4th.

 

[Gary Stockton]

But for beach work, high range, 4wd, in 'drive', locked centre diff and tyres down at 1bar, maybe 1.2bar is perfect

 

[Graham]

A little off the original subject about "D" or 4th etc,,,,,

I have read a fair bit about tyre pressures.
If you plan is to just drive strait through some very soft sand, that you can quite clearly see is going to cause issue, at say just 15 mph, with no turning, then drop all 4 tyres down to 10 psi.

If you plan for a mile or two soft sand driving, with some gentle turning, nothing sudden, then 15 psi is for you.

If your planning long term soft sand driving, with a possible sudden turn, then 20 psi is the way to get there.

But saying that, last summer on Southport beach, there is always a few places where the sand is very fine, very soft, and NO cars can get through at all.
All 2 wheel drive cars will stuck, that's for sure.
I could very easily, with still 38 psi in the tyres, stop in the middle of the fine, very soft sand, and just drive away again like it didn't exist.
That fine soft sand offered no challenge at all.
Even when driving at right angles to the flow of the sand, made no difference.

Would have looked a right plonker if I had have got stuck though, but it seemed very predictable.
OK, the BFG AT are just about perfect for the soft sand.
I have heard mentioned that mud terrains are not a good on soft sand as all terrains, but to me, I can't see that to be honest.
I would have thought the mud terrain tyres would have been better than the all terrain tyres, but any way.

Gra.

 

[Gary Stockton]

Muddies tend not to run well very deflated, and the shoulder lugs act like paddles and dig away at the sand instead of helping extend the footprint and floating on the sand.

Cheers

 

[Graham]

Thanks Gary

Gra.

 

[Rob Cowell]

Does anyone else find low ratio first not very low? At least I seem to go a lot faster downhill in my auto 120 first low compared to my manual 90 first low. If I was clever I'd find the gear ratios and see if it's just me imagining it. Lot of steep hills round here and I like not having to touch the brakes coming down them in the snow.

 

[Steve]

Use DAC it comes down very slow then

 

[Crispin]

My manual refuses to speed up on all but the stupid-steep hills. Engine holds it back very nicely.

Slip in TC which is why auto has DAC and manual has no DAC?

 

[Gary Stockton]

I seem to go faster with DAC on than with the gear lever stuck down in first in low range with centre diff locked. Seems to want to use ATRAC a lot as well. If worst comes to worst I give 2 clicks on my (working) handbrake