Braking on steep hills

[Mick themungrel]

Sorry maybe my comment on stabbing brakes wasn't clear . I didnt mean to stand on them then release but apply them firmly then release dont ride them

[debandnoel]

thanks guys.....the information on this thread was great.....I will have more confidence next time.
Thanks, Noel

[Rupert]

And how is the tug affected if it is a permanent 4wd with no locking hubs!

Low arange should be ok with that setup????

[Groovy]

And how is the tug affected if it is a permanent 4wd with no locking hubs!

Low arange should be ok with that setup????

Rupert
Permanent 4WD will not have free wheeling hubs, they have a locking centre differential which, if it isn't locked means you can use low range wherever and whenever you want to.

[Peter_n_Margaret]

And how is the tug affected if it is a permanent 4wd with no locking hubs!

Low arange should be ok with that setup????

I do know of people who have fitted free wheeling hubs to full time 4WDs "to save fuel", but they had totally lost the plot, IMHO.

Just for the record, part time 4WD in low range with hubs unlocked puts all of that extra torque produced via the low gearing via just the rear axles (instead of sharing it between the rear and the front). There is a risk of snapping axles if great care is not exercised, ESPECIALLY if the rear has a LSD and you go around any moderately sharp corner.

Part time 4WD in low range with hubs locked will cause transmission wind-up due to slightly different tyre diameters front and rear or any cornering (the rear takes a shorter route around the corner). This places enormous strain on the whole drive train which increases progressively until either a tyre spins (on the bitumen) or something breaks. This choice is then repeated on a regular basis.
The same risks would apply in the part time 4WD if the centre diff was locked.

Cheers,
Peter

[bobrovin]

And how is the tug affected if it is a permanent 4wd with no locking hubs!

Low arange should be ok with that setup????

No Rupert, It would not be alright unless you have made a modification to stop the centre diff from locking when in low range.
Permanent 4x4's have an open centre diff when in high range to stop the windup on hard services plus a switch to lock the centre diff if required.
When you select low range the centre diff will automatically lock.

You can make an easy mod to make it so that you have to use the switch in both high and low range

[Bernie]

Rupert
Welcome to the forum.
You got three replies to your first post. Nice work.
Stick around & enjoy the ride.

[discodriva]

I use low range pulling a 2.7 tonne van down both Clyde Mountain and Brown Mountain with my Disco. It is by far the safest way of doing it, since it rarely requires use of the brakes, but it may not be possible in non-Land Rover vehicles, since low range unfortunately also automatically locks the centre diff on most other makes. Another reason why the Disco is such a good tug.

[stephenf10]

And how is the tug affected if it is a permanent 4wd with no locking hubs!

Low arange should be ok with that setup????

No Rupert, It would not be alright unless you have made a modification to stop the centre diff from locking when in low range.
Permanent 4x4's have an open centre diff when in high range to stop the windup on hard services plus a switch to lock the centre diff if required.
When you select low range the centre diff will automatically lock.

You can make an easy mod to make it so that you have to use the switch in both high and low range

That only applies to Toyotas (afaik). On my LR Discovery the low range and center diff lock controls are completely separate and I can use none, one or both as I like. Why Toyota crippled their system like that is a mystery to me.

Stephen.

[Aussie4x4]

The front hubs on that particular Patrol are not freewheeling. They engage automatically when four wheel drive is selected or can be manually engaged leaving the hubs engaged weather 4wd is selected or not. If it was my vehicle and I was having trouble with run-on from the auto I would be putting it in 4wd and coasting down at a safe and steady speed. But only for the duration of the downhill. Prolonged use of 4wd on hard surfaces can be damaging, but then so can a brake failure. I would only ever do it in extreme circumstances where the run-on caused by the auto is making the decent dangerous.
It all comes down to the circumstances at the time.

[Dunco]

Start at the top of the hill at an appropriate speed, not half way down !!!
Never had a problem doing it this way. That is why trucks do it like this as well