Low range reversing down steep declines

[Mark from Brisbane Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark from Brisbane]

Def agree with AJ, the best investment I ever made when I first picked up the 150 was to book into an RACQ 4WD course.

I in fact did two full days, cost about $500 (so not cheap) but by golly for a novice worth every cent.

I am FAR far from being any sort of expert at this caper but the lessons learned over those two days I have used time and time again.

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

IF ITS REALLY SLIPPERY, leave it in drive, reduce speed till you start sliding backwards, (theres no stopping & no time to think about what to do if its truly slippery)? keep wheel spinning (forwards) because if you try & stop your gone sound like fun? no keep powering up
id suggest if its really slippery, that you start on 15psi or less.
define very or really slippery? I agree hard to give advise on how to drive on a forum. but d4d did a good job for some conditions.
if its really slippery unless you have ruts & feel confident winch up.
Manual: stall stops & starts I have used in the past, but when its really slippery that doesn't work either.
Luckily these scenarios don't come up too often & are wisely avoidable.

[8608 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close 8608]

Didn't see it mentioned anywhere but reverse gear is normally a higher ratio than first gear. So even in low range rev could be close to second low when going forward. Rev low and brake checking is sometimes the only way to keep speeds down.

[Mark from Brisbane Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark from Brisbane]

.
Luckily these scenarios don't come up too often & are wisely avoidable.

That's the number 1 tip, if in any doubt that your vehicle or you can't handle it DON"T DO IT!!

I have a particular aversion to shows like 4WD Action who on purpose get themselves into the crapper, and often severely damage vehicles....but easy for them, just return the vehicles to their sponsors shops to get fixed on a contra deal and away they go again.

Pat Callinan has a much better show (IMO), more "real life".

If you are really into that stuff buy an old fourby, do it up just for doing crazy stuff and leave the shiny Prado for long haul remote touring and beach work.

As I have said elsewhere, I have been to some amazing places these last three years with my vehicle and through making the correct choices on tracks / hills / dunes / water crossings have never had a real major issue.

BUT it depends on what "rocks your boat" I suppose

[ursos Member Find all posts View Profile Close ursos]

FIRST, I agree with all those who have suggested a training course - no better way to learn IMHO than having a professional show you how and talk you though it while you're doing it.

Now, D4D has it pretty much as I was taught but here's where the practice comes in. If you learn to drive with 2 feet, you can drive or reverse down a slippery hill by balancing braking pressure and acceleration. D4D's explanation is a good start but after point 3, it can be done the other way by establishing a holding pressure on the brake and accelerating to move the car. To slow down, don't increase brake pressure, decrease accelerator pressure. If you feel like it's sliding, a touch more on the accelerator and you should be able to maintain steering. Requires practice to get the feel of it but eventually you start to do it naturally.

Completely different, the mechanic isn't sitting in the seat next to you talking you through the obstacles.

I'll try and describe what I do, probably different to others but it is how I was taught.
1. auto in P, hand brake and foot brake on
3. put auto into reverse
2. don't lift foot off brake, build revs 1500-1800 or until you can feel the vehicle wanting to move
3. release handbrake leaving brake and accelerator in same position
4. gently lift brake foot until vehicle starts to just move, do not use any more accelerator
5. keep both feet in same position and navigate down hill
6. if it's running away apply a little more brake but don't dump your foot

Easy as

[vk2ss55 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vk2ss55]

this might sound stupid.............does the torque converter lock in reverse ?
Cheers Ross

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Never a stupid question, I was wondering the same thing.... Cheers Steve

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

As far as I know it doesn't lock up in the bottom 3 gears and reverse. The lock up kits may let you lock up in reverse. Not sure.

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Hi MJ, do you know if you have to change the valve body over of the tranni to fit the lock up switch ?? I heard it's not as simple as just having an off/on switch.... Cheers Steve

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

On a Prado yes you need to change the valve body and fit the switch on some others just the switch. I will troll for some links that I was sent a little while ago, there are threads on here too some where.


http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...c-Transmission

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...-lockup-switch

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...-lockup-switch

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...for-auto-trans

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...rque-Converter

And it was these guys I was looking into...

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

EDIT part II

So I rang these guys up. Switch only allows for lock up in 2, 3, 4 and 5 so I was wrong there. The switch overrides the computer commands to the box. To lock up in 1st you need the valve body as well as the switch because hydraulically the standard arrangment doesn't allow the box to lock in first gear. Switch alone is $445 plus fitting and the valve body is near enough $1,000 exchange. Fitted for both would come in around $2,350 but includes a service and full fluid exchange. I asked the question about lock up in reverse and they weren't sure, no one else has asked but after some deliberation they don't think it would.

I am sure there are other places that do this but my memory is that the valve body was about $1,000 last time I looked a year or thereabouts ago so that is probably the price. Switch sounds easy enough to DIY, not so sure about the valve body though.

[vk2ss55 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vk2ss55]

sorry guys I disagree on the lockup . My 120 and later my 150 locked up in LR 1st gear .
Cheers Ross

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Thanks MJ for the links. Don't think Ill be worrying about it now any time soon. Maybe if my transmission was RS I would think about it but while its crusing along nicely Ill leave it alone. I was thinking maybe for a few hundred it may have been worth it (for the switch) but that's a rear locker for me. Thanks anyway for going to the effort of finding the links. Was a good read anyway....Cheers Steve

[barajak Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close barajak]

sorry guys I disagree on the lockup . My 120 and later my 150 locked up in LR 1st gear .
Cheers Ross

VK2, you must know more about these boxes than Toyota workshop boys because they say it only locks up in 4th & 5th.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Nah, me neither. Rear locker first to take some stress off the brakes and TC.