A few off road questions

[JohnC80 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JohnC80]

Hi all I'm interested in getting a bit of chat going on the Prado off road, especially the new 2.8. I recently sold a GU 4.2 Patrol which would go anywhere very easily. After a recent beach trip with the Prado I was happy with it but still with a bit to sort out.

Can anyone give feedback on the diff lock? I tried this in low range and it was useless on the sand. The Patrol in low range would just crawl through the sand. High range I never locked the diff. I drive the car as a manual (normally an auto) and keep the revs up. I had traction control off etc.

Anyone got any insight into driving a Prado off road? Not just beach as we are heading off around Aus in June.

Thanks, John

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

I apologise, I'm not sure exactly what your asking & by the look of the views & lack replies, others may be unsure also.

[JohnC80 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JohnC80]

Or maybe it's because Prados really are for soccer mums!!

On a serious note. I'm trying to get a discussion going regarding driving off road. Every 4by is different off road. Who has experience with locking the centre diff? Who has taken on meter deep water? What gears did they use?

Basically I'm keen to learn from guys who have driven prados off road as I'm very new to them.

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

Or maybe it's because Prados really are for soccer mums!!

Careful, that's almost sacreligous talk around here.

I rarely have ever used the centre diff lock, it's primarily designed for slippery roads/tracks where loose mud or icey conditions are found. As with all 4WDs you have to practice and find that sweet spot where the combination of tyre pressure, high or low range and selected gear works best. My experience with the heavier Patrol was that it always needed more air out of the tyres and one or two gears lower than a Prado in similar terrain. For me, water crossings have mostly been done in low range 2nd or 3rd gear (auto or manual). As for a metre deep, well, that depends on how far you have to travel across the creek or pool. Easy crossings usually present no problem but when the bottom is full of rocks, holes and other problems then you need to be very careful going anywhere where the water is up above the bottom of the floor. Unless of course you want to wash your carpets in the process.

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

In all my 4WD experiences and adventures I've always tried to make it the easiest possible on my driveline. This is especially so when you are remote and or alone. Don't want to break something out in the middle of nowhere or get stuck without phone a friend ability. The Prado is a very capable off-roader and has amazed many when they are shown just what it can do and where it can go. As always, too much testosterone, combined with too much right boot, generally will end in an un-happy outcome. When your rig costs over 60 grand, with another 10 or 15 grand of accessories, most of us adopt an attitude to driving that will prolong the life and experiences with the Prado.

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

Bushbasher,, you say " I rarely have ever used the centre diff lock" why, I lock mine every time I go off road. Its only a 0ne wheel drive without it locked, ie if one wheel spins you stop... Also " I've always tried to make it the easiest possible on my driveline. " Leaving it unlocked is not doing this. Its like a patrol driver saying " I can drive down the beach in 2 WD" yes you can but why would you.

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

John which diff lock are you referring to, the rear or centre diff lock. The centre diff should be locked as soon as you go off road, you then have 4WD ( 1 wheel at the front and 1 wheel at the back) . Leaving it unlocked if one wheel spins the car stops.

[spike69 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close spike69]

The centre diff locks as soon as you select either HL or LL. It’s not always necessary off road however, the Prado is good enough in normal drive mode to handle simple dirt/gravel roads without the centre diff locked. I only use HL on slippery, sandy or icy roads. Just my experience.

I haven’t done a hell of a lot of 4WD on sand, but for the little I have done the Prado has been great. It’s as much a matter of tyre pressure though, and Bushy is right, it depends a lot on your driving style and finding the best combination of gear and tyre pressure that works for you. Personally I’ve found around 18-20PSI on very soft sand and easy on the revs gets me through most sand.

River crossings have been fine - I always use LL and 2nd or 3rd gear depending on depth. I try to avoid fast flowing rivers, but if it’s running reasonably quickly I find extra revs are needed to keep the bow wave going. Again I find the diff lock fine. Just my experience though, and there are others here with far more of that than me (e.g. Bushbasher!)

Don’t know if that’s the sort of discussion you mean John, but hope it helps?

Cheers
Spike

[JohnC80 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JohnC80]

Thanks guys some great info.

I've done enough off road work to understand tyres, easiest path etc. It's working out what the prado likes that I'm after. The diff lock thoughts is interesting. I'm referring to centre. I have a GX. I locked this in low range, selected 2nd gear and tried to climb a cutting. Car didn't go close to getting up. Ended up unlocking the diff and going back to high range (what it normally drives in), selected 1st gear and gave it a bit more momentum and up it went. A few other cars had more issues than me. I'm not knocking the prado, I love it but I'm interested to hear from guys who know them. Thanks again.

[spike69 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close spike69]

John, just a thought - I know you like to drive the car as a manual, but on of the great advantages of the Prado auto is it’s ability on hills in auto mode. This is particularly true on dunes, but also for normal hill climbs. With low range engaged, maybe try it in Drive rather than in 2 up hills, and let the auto transmission choose the best gear for the traction required.

Cheers
Spike

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Regards driving an auto like a manual...
Downhill I drive the gears and use engine braking (no down hill assist here) but up hill I select the highest gear I want the car to have available so I don't miss the torque range I want to use.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JohnC80 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JohnC80]

Thanks spike will give it a go.

Just read the manual again. Basically says centre diff lock only if you believe you will get stuck without it. I found the diff lock worse.

Also what is LL etc. my control has H4 which it drives in all the time and L4.

Thanks again.

[stevehastings Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close stevehastings]

Coming from a hilux 5 speed manual to Prado auto, doing some of the same tracks I felt the auto more capable and more fun to drive off road. Were we go its more rock dirt sand, and on the steep stuff I put in Low box lock in the centre diff as it gives 50 50 split of power (that's what Toyota said on a 4x4ing day) . Even have used the DAC button on a few descents into valleys. I tack it most of you would have watched All For Adventure at least once, now they get the job done lol.

I am very surprised at how low geared the new 2.8 Prado is, I took it up this rocky steep track and in low low and first gear it just idled up so slow with no jerking when on and of the power like the lux. I have only owned a Prado for less than a week but took it out in the weekend to see what it can do and experiment with knowing what speeds it does in the ranges blah blah enough from me, cheers Steve.

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Also, are you selecting HL (high range Locked) for the beach? The push button on the dash is for the rear diff lock.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

The Prado is 60% rear/40% front split with the centre diff open and up to 100% power front or rear depending on traction. With the centre diff locked power is 50/50 split.

Front and rear differentials split 0-100% left or right depending on traction.