Trailing on mainland Europe. - Page 2

Brian · 30 November 2001, 10:22

Trooper
No you dont Graeme.
I have a LWB Citation (Manual).
And whether you have manual or auto you can change into 4WD at up to 53mph driving along. You dont have to turn the wheel either. Believe me, where I live (tiny Devon country lanes) you have to go in and out of 4WD every time you meet Farmer Giles coming the other way towing his haywain (or whatever it is).
You just stab the 4WD button, get yourself off the tarmac, let FG pass, flick back out onto the tarmac and stab 4WD again. Small portion of urine!

Alan · 30 November 2001, 10:25

the destruction booklet does say engage 4x4 as soon as you leave tarmac! Agree that the wheels will turn once before the hubs lock. I can recall a time offroading in an old Daihatsu where we left tarmac and got stuck after 2 ft which was a bit of a shock until we remembered that we'd forgot to lock the manual hubs!

I did think very carefully about getting a Td4 Freelander but at the end of the day the lack of low range (for when you get the rib trailer really bogged down on a slipway!) was the thing. However it probably is a damn sight easier to park than the LWB Trooper which is the size of my house! (or feels like it sometimes.)

Anyway we are straying a little off topic but it does seem that a proportion of Ribsters are also offroaders as well. (or have been in their nefarious pasts!). Maybe its the "4x4 of the sea" image that appeals!

Alan

GraemeCooper · 30 November 2001, 10:43

Brian - I was thinking more of whe you are stationary and stuck rather than engaging 4x4 on the fly as it were.

Alan - I agree the lack of low end grunt in the TD4 is an issue - hence the 2.5V6 - which I can assure you has all the power needed at low end for pulling off of any slipway (within reason I guess) - or for cruising along at high speeds on the motorway, (watching the fuel gauge drop). The one advantage is that towing the RIB doesn't seem to affect the economy by any great amount - guess it couldnt get much worse than it already is!

Alan · 30 November 2001, 11:09

You might want to get in touch with Jools who posts here. He has a V6 Freelander with a LPG conversion. (First in the country I think.) Might be worth thinking about?!

Alan