4 wheel drive and diffs on Isuzu Dmax

[gensetsteve]

The reason LR are good off road is the long suspension travel allows the wheel to drop down and gain traction from the ground. The other good thing about them is the wide range of cheap tyres available for a £100 a corner. Buy an X5 and u get 8mm of tread for £400 a corner and they last a year if lucky.

 

Whereas my Landcruiser cross axles easily and fails to put enough pressure down. Although I know which I prefer using to tow big generators up the country. Horses for courses

[JimE]

The defender is permanent 4 wheel drive with low box and diff lock. With diff lock in you have equal traction front and back but you could still spin 2 wheels as you dont have diff locks.

 

But surely with an open diff in the transfer box if you lose traction on the front axle it will just spin the wheels and the rear wheels will do nothing?

 

Having had both the LR is clearly was better offroad, but I would say the Isuzu is much better on the road.

[Johny Walker]

But surely with an open diff in the transfer box if you lose traction on the front axle it will just spin the wheels and the rear wheels will do nothing?

 

Having had both the LR is clearly was better offroad, but I would say the Isuzu is much better on the road.

 

any thing is better than a l/r on the road even a cv2

[gensetsteve]

But surely with an open diff in the transfer box if you lose traction on the front axle it will just spin the wheels and the rear wheels will do nothing?

 

Having had both the LR is clearly was better offroad, but I would say the Isuzu is much better on the road.

 

Yes but if you engage the diff lock I think you will still have drive to the back even with the front wheels slipping. My land cruiser has a centre diff lock and axle locks but the discovery will still leave it in the mud. Land rovers are good at mud but not much else.

[Jonny69]

Yes but if you engage the diff lock I think you will still have drive to the back even with the front wheels slipping. My land cruiser has a centre diff lock and axle locks but the discovery will still leave it in the mud. Land rovers are good at mud but not much else.

 

 

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Your Landcruiser should be at least as good as the as the discovery when fully locked out.

[JimE]

Yes but if you engage the diff lock I think you will still have drive to the back even with the front wheels slipping. My land cruiser has a centre diff lock and axle locks but the discovery will still leave it in the mud. Land rovers are good at mud but not much else.

 

Thats what I'm saying, with the diff unlocked (ie normal road driving) its no better than a pickup. And with the center diff engaged its the same as a pickup in 4WD.

The guys earlier in the thread saying that the pickups were a death trap because they were only 2 wheel drive, a LR is no better in terms of the drive system! And the stability control and traction control on the pickups make them a better choice on road than the defenders IMO.

The only advantage of the LR is that you can use low box without in being in 4WD for manouvering.

 

Of course we know LRs are better offroad for other reasons (suspension, weight distrubution) but I dont think the drive system makes a whole load of difference.

Edited January 7, 2015 by JimE

[gensetsteve]

Thats what I'm saying, with the diff unlocked (ie normal road driving) its no better than a pickup. And with the center diff engaged its the same as a pickup in 4WD.

The guys earlier in the thread saying that the pickups were a death trap because they were only 2 wheel drive, a LR is no better in terms of the drive system! And the stability control and traction control on the pickups make them a better choice on road than the defenders IMO.

The only advantage of the LR is that you can use low box without in being in 4WD for manouvering.

 

Of course we know LRs are better offroad for other reasons (suspension, weight distrubution) but I dont think the drive system makes a whole load of difference.

 

The advantage to permanent 4 wheel drive when towing is that when decending steep hills you use the engine braking to slow the out fit. Unless the wheels are sliding this braking will be distributed to all four wheels. Whereas on a pick up this will only be on the rear two wheels. I would be happy to tow 2.5 tonne behind a pickup but 3.5 tonnes with nothing in the tub would not be for me. Permanent 4 wheel drive and an unladen vehicle weight of around 2500kg makes for a nice secure stable tow tug.

[JimE]

Fair point about engine braking. I try to let my trailer brakes do the work to keep it straight going down steep hills.

Put my Dmax on a weighbridge the other week actually and it comes up at 2400kg with the toolbox in the bed.

 

We are looking at 5th wheel possibilities at the moment, as I think that is the only real solution!

[Johny Walker]

or you could just read the owners manual & see what it recommeneds.

[gensetsteve]

 

Your Landcruiser should be at least as good as the as the discovery when fully locked out.

 

I have a video some where of our land cruiser on wet grass in gear ticking over with all four wheels turning and not moving I just got out and left it to get on with it. The reason was road based tyres rather than a set of big at which transformed it. But saying that our disco got out of some really sticky stuff with road tyres. I am not brand loyal and tend to pick the vehicle to suit the job.