Does it need to turn on the diff lock on beach?

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

Not sure why your having issues with locking centre diff lock and digging down ?? but all my 4wd's (6 in total) I lock the centre diff lock as soon as I hit the sand and dont turn it off/or shift lever till Im off the sand, this is with vehicles having traction control stabilty control etc and ones with out as well. Low range /high range to me depends on the conditions, probably spend 90% of the time in high locked 4 and very rare I go low range especially in the diesels I have had (referring to sand driving). I found the gearing just not right for the steep dunes where it peaked out to quick before getting enough speed up (just what I have experianced) Will be interesting to see what other people mainly use in sand and there opinions (thats what PP is all about)....Cheers Steve

[Guest Close Guest]

I'm with you Steve. Diff lock engaged and rarely use low range.

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

Definitely centre diff locked. I only use low range if I've started to dig in and want to reverse out usually.

I also put it in sports mode and keep revs up to help out the gearbox if it's super soft.

[ursos Member Find all posts View Profile Close ursos]

Agree with AMTS and Wooley re Centre Diff Lock and High Range. Also can be useful to use 2nd Start to avoid torque of 1st gear.

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

When driving in soft dry sand I go straight for Lo range to avoid problems with the electronic transfer if I get stuck. Lo also gives much faster gear changes, but you loose 5th gear. Always use the centre lock.

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

When driving in soft dry sand I go straight for Lo range to avoid problems with the electronic transfer if I get stuck. Lo also gives much faster gear changes, but you loose 5th gear. Always use the centre lock.

Is there really no 5th in low?

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

even in the 4 speeds if your'e in low there is no 4th gear so you dont need to put it in d3 unless you want to change up or down manually. here's something about vx and grande 's , my car is a grande with all the gadgets and gizmo's , but when you go to the www.toyodiy.com site its called a vx , so what is the difference ?

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

Is there really no 5th in low?

I am pretty sure (I tested using sport shift) and it makes sense because 5th gear is an overdrive.

Also using the sport shift makes no difference in Lo range.

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

I'm with Sydneysider. On Stockton open centre diff works best. Try it for yourselves.

My son was doing donuts in his Patrol. I couldn't make the back hang out in my Prado till I locked the transfer case. In my experience an open tc allows a little give so the tyres don't break through the sand. Try it and see for yourself

[glen_ep Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close glen_ep]

Definitely centre lock on sand, but I've only been on soft sands, not Stockon.

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

Corigator you must remember your prado is AWD to start with so if your son was doing donuts in his patrol obviously he didnt have the patrol locked into either H4 or L4 and hubs werent locked so all the power was going to the rear diff which would allow it to go sideways and also dont forget the patrols have one of the best limo's in the business. In the prado its going to send the power all over the place depending on traction (not refering to traction control) eg if your trying to hang the rear out lets say to the rear left obviously your hooking the steering wheel to the right, but you must remember by doing this now all the power is going to go to the the wheel with lest resistance which is going to be the drivers side front wheel, if the centre diff lock is locked it will send 50% front and back equally so is giving power to the rear as well so allows you to throw the rear end out...Hope this makes sense. Either way Ive been going to stockton for years (been driving roughly 27/28 years 3/4's of that time owning 4wd's) probably like yourself and I have been on there when my suzuki vitara wouldnt lock into 4wd one day (stuck solonoid)and it struggled big time compared to when I had been there and had been able to lock it and I'm talking a very light vehicle, again depends on the sand. I have been there in all 4wd's Ive had (except current one) and even with the old 2.8D lux (slugbox) some times I could cruise along in 3rd high range, other times it was struggling big time due to the sand been ultra soft and fluffy type. Anyway at the end of the day Ill stick to high range lock and low if I need to get out of a situation where Im about to bury myself, has always worked for me (and yes Ive been bogged as well lol). Cheers Steve

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

Hi Glen, Stockton beach is super soft most of the time, alot softer then say Fraser so you really work your vehicle harder on stockton. It can change so much up there, one day it can be reasonably easy the next your really giving it to your vehicle.....Cheers Steve

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

I'm with Sydneysider. On Stockton open centre diff works best. Try it for yourselves.

My son was doing donuts in his Patrol. I couldn't make the back hang out in my Prado till I locked the transfer case. In my experience an open tc allows a little give so the tyres don't break through the sand. Try it and see for yourself

That is very irresponsible and environmentally damaging, not to mention very illegal, as a 4wder, we like to lead by example, if the police catch you doing that, it could mean that you may have the vehicle impounded.

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

That is very irresponsible and environmentally damaging, not to mention very illegal, as a 4wder, we like to lead by example, if the police catch you doing that, it could mean that you may have the vehicle impounded.

I know. I apologise to all I may have corrupted. Don't do it! Its fun and that's no longer legal in Aus. I think I did leave some tracks in the sand that weren't parallel, so someone might have tried to copy me. I will have to leave the Prado in AWD, then I won't be able to do it again. - Sorry

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

That is very irresponsible and environmentally damaging, not to mention very illegal, as a 4wder, we like to lead by example, if the police catch you doing that, it could mean that you may have the vehicle impounded.

you've never smashed out a few rings in the sand? or got a little tail happy on purpose?