THUB
Member Since: 10 Dec 2005
Location: West Berkshire.
Posts: 717
  
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| Gera Ratios ? Question for caravanners. |
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Just returned home after 2500 miles in France. 1700 kgs caravan on the back. I found that on long Autoroute hauls the Command Shift Mode would "pull" better than the auto box. eg. 2000 rpm in auto bax tended to be 5th gear. By switching to Command shift at the same speed 1500 rpm was availbe in 6th gear. I found this to be so on numerous occasions. Anyone found the same effect?
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 8th Jul 2007 5:40 pm |
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Ocsid
Member Since: 29 Nov 2005
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 255
 
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Also just back from a third long trip to France towing a 1700kg caravan.
Whilst I was able on occassions to "force" the Disco into 6th with Comand shift this was not I felt its preferred ratio. I have found with both my 2005 and 2007 MY D3's that given flat terrain and no head wind that they would select and hold 6th if I kept to 58 or higher mph. However if there is any gradient or head wind then it wants to be in 5th. Almost always when it's in Comand Shift 6th and you reselect "auto" it changes to 5th either immediately or within a minute or two. This I take as a sign that the "brain" feels its labouring either the engine or gearbox just a little too much holding 6th.
So I just use Auto and accept it running in 5th most of the time, taking it into Command shift to hold 5th on undulating roads where otherwise it would shuffle between 5th and 6th. I also use Command shift for engine braking on long decents.
The 2007 MY seems more prone to shuffle than the 2005 MY was, ie more ready to change up to 6th, only to find itself unable to hold it.
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| 8th Jul 2007 6:05 pm |
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