Member Since: 18 Mar 2007
Location: Dorset
Posts: 5011
+1
I also like to test the conditions regularly - helps get the brain in gear with how slippery it is.
It can be quite a shock to feel how long it takes to stop 2.7 tons on snow!
20th Jan 2013 8:43 pm
blue200tdi
Member Since: 23 Sep 2012
Location: Lincoln
Posts: 1094
I'm lucky in that where I live the lane is not used in snowy weather except by a few locals so I can gain experience of the vehicles handling long before I get somewhere I'll really need it! Most of this weekend I've not needed any terrain response, just left it in normal settings and it's coped with no dramas whatsoever.
I am used to a 200 TDI Disco 1 with just mechanical levers and diff locks so the Disco 3 did take some getting used to. As for a Disco towing an artic, that's what they use at the blackwall tunnel and I've seen them tow out a fully laden tipper lorry, all 34 tons of it and not at a slow speed either.
Everyone was a learner at one time or another. You guys are gonna be busier than a test bench in a plunger factory!
Java black 2006 2.7 TDV6 HSE AUTO.
2014 Kawasaki ZZR1400 Performance sport.
I am used to a 200 TDI Disco 1 with just mechanical levers and diff locks....
Go back well over ten years ago I had to tow a car (with my D1 300Tdi) that had been abandoned in our car park (in Northern Ireland)..had some high profile visitors coming to site so it had to be moved.
It was locked up with handbrake on car in "P" & steering lock on
I pulled this car about 3/4 of a mile out of our site down a road into another car park we had....no bother saying towed isnt quite right It was dragged.
Bulled up with the success of this we tried the D1 300 Tdi on a large waste skip......again no problem low ratio 1st made it move & I got to about 5mph...
The traction & pulling power in low ratio is exceptional.
This was the 1st 4WD I had ever had so did what was suggested found a quiet step road with snow & experimented...done this with all the Disco's I have had since.
LR Experience make the point that the D3 vehicle is very capable in standard drive without using any of the terrain response settings..the only thing I use regularly is HDC if I dont feel confident to descend somewhere steep in bad conditions....normally use command shift to 2nd....foor off accelerator pedal...let tickover speed move the car.BREXIT - done properly.
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D3 HSE-perfectly formed, passenger friendly...has real DIPSTICK
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21st Jan 2013 9:37 am
BarryT
Member Since: 09 Jan 2013
Location: North Wales
Posts: 295
Drove the D3 on snow for the first time last Friday, what a fantastic bit of kit, it was really bad and cars sliding all over the place, used the snow setting to negotiate the narrow lanes and steep inclines really impressive.
BarryT
21st Jan 2013 11:48 am
rykard
Member Since: 29 Apr 2012
Location: Leicester
Posts: 310
well almost binned it yesterday, 8:30 in the morning, +2 degrees , into a roundabout and there was black ice all over the road, understeered like a boat abs kicked in and I steered and looked where I wanted to go and it eventually found some grip. This all happened at 15-20 mph? All I could think of was I can't believe I'm going to trash the wheels & suspension and I've only had it a month....cheers
Rich
55 D3 V8 HSE auto
68 Stelvio 2.2 Speciale
27th Jan 2013 10:51 am
Land Rover Paul
Member Since: 02 Jul 2012
Location: St Neots
Posts: 135
Re: First experiences in snow with disco3
[
Just a little aside, last night at 1.40 am, came across a jackknifed arctic virtually blocking the Banbury Road near Stratford upon Avon. So picture this, trailer with no lights on its side, so invisible to traffic whilst the tractor unit was at 90 degrees over the kerb and stuck in the grass. I stopped and the driver was panicking and lost !! I suggested a tractor recovery as the vehicle was loaded, however the situation was very dangerous for oncoming traffic so I phoned the police. Whllst waiting the driver asked me to try pulling the lorry with our Disco. I said it wouldn't do it, but decided to try. His tow rope looked a bit suspect but I hooked up anyway. Wish I had had a camera, 48 tonnes being pulled by a Discovery. Now I love our car so wasn't going to thrash it !! So nice and gently I took the strain and the lorry driver engaged drive. We rocked a little and even started to move but I knew that my 2.6 tonnes wasn't man enough to drag the lorry over the kerb. So a valient effort but just too big and heavy !! Still I tried !! Police arrived and I headed for home.[/quote]
What you needed was a Kinetic rope doubled up for extra strength. You can drive off with the rope slack. (snatch recovery) The Kinetic rope stretches so does away with any violent snatch on the car or load but a 2.4 tonne disco with a Kinetic rope can generate 10 or more tonnes of pull fairly easy.
I used this method this week to pull a fully loaded artic weighing about 30 tonnes.
27th Jan 2013 1:31 pm
CMG
Member Since: 12 Jul 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 956
I use GGS mode whenever there is fresh snow on the ground. It does fine in normal, but it every bit helps. Main thing is stopping...this thing needs a lot of space.17 Discovery 5 HSE Si6, Fuji White on brown | 07 LR3 SE 4.4 Java Black on Alpaca
Club V8/Club OCD
27th Jan 2013 3:21 pm
gazjacko
Member Since: 14 Jan 2012
Location: Portsmouth-ish
Posts: 233
Well done Rykard for opening the debate.
a couple of observations from me
1- the D3 is way different from the D2 (does yours have a diff lock or use the TC for extra grip?)
2 - yours D3 is a V8! (very light touch of the go pedal advised)
I still think the best answer is that 'experience' is having done it and credit to you for asking for advice.
surely this is what Forums (Fora?) are for? and as such it is disappointing that some members seem to want driving tips to remain secret and not share advice with a 'newbie'.
I have a fair bit of experience in driving all types of vehicles (HGV, Fire Appliance, Blue Light fast incident response car) and, yes there's an argument for tuition to help but if you find a safe place (empty car park) have a go with the various settings and get a feel for the Terrain response and all its 'cleverness' because you will learn a lot
Oh and by the way ... a2.7 tonne toboggan is no fun so always take it slow 'drive to arrive' is a good ethos.
27th Jan 2013 7:40 pm
rykard
Member Since: 29 Apr 2012
Location: Leicester
Posts: 310
light foot is my middle name now lol - when we collected it I was catching cars up on the way out of roundabouts at an alarming pace it seems so much quicker than my old 2.5 v6 x-type...
it was even worse on xmas day when I jumped from my D2 TD5 in to the D3 V8 then got followed by a BIB X5 fro about 3 miles until they had to fill up with gas... lol
My D2 currently only has TC, looking into possibly sticking a CDL in it, but the D3 is so much more capable that I might not waste my money..
I only asked on here as I am nw to it and want to know as much as I can.... I agree there is no substitute for having done it, but we only normally get snow for a couple of days a year ...cheers
Rich
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