Low range driving

[Elsie250]

In a desert environment, it is common to have steep or difficult driving mixed with smooth, straight sand. Since the smooth never lasted very long, best to just stay in low range and run up to 4th or 5th.

The LC 250 doesn’t seem to want to go past 3rd

Can’t for the life of me figure out this limitation.

Any insight?

 

[mmmhhhmmmmmm]

I think that's all we get, though I don't know where to technically find that. This was bothering me too, though L3 mostly worked for the trail I was on.

 

[boisematt]

I noticed this yesterday going up a fairly steep grade that seemed on the border between H4 and L4., especially since the car had four humans, a dog, and was pulling a small trailer. Thankfully, it's super easy to switch between H4 and L4 and so I did it, but I felt I could have used one or two more gears in L4. No big deal but I'm following this thread to see what others are experiencing. BTW, I was super impressed with the truck's (all stock LC LC) ability to handle this section of Idaho backcountry "road".

 

[SteveH85355]

Any time I need to stay under say 20-25 mph I prefer to use low range. The transmission will run cooler and you have much improved engine braking.
I got caught behind 3 Jeeps in Colorado 2 weeks ago on an old mining road. Going downhill they were all using their brakes and I wasn't.

 

[D-mac]

Center diff can still be locked up to about 60mph. This seems to work (with MTS AUTO) well for me on somewhat sandy desert roads

 

[Elsie250]

I noticed this yesterday going up a fairly steep grade that seemed on the border between H4 and L4., especially since the car had four humans, a dog, and was pulling a small trailer. Thankfully, it's super easy to switch between H4 and L4 and so I did it, but I felt I could have used one or two more gears in L4. No big deal but I'm following this thread to see what others are experiencing. BTW, I was super impressed with the truck's (all stock LC LC) ability to handle this section of Idaho backcountry "road".

Very sure footed, I agree. (Coming from an FJ Cruiser)

 

[Elsie250]

Center diff can still be locked up to about 60mph. This seems to work (with MTS AUTO) well for me on somewhat sandy desert roads

Ya, maybe my issue is by habit I stop, shift to neutral, then low range. Maybe I don’t have to…. I will check manual when I get back.

 

[Elsie250]

Interesting aside: I posted this question on Reddit three days ago. Yesterday google AI assistant said “one user reported….” Then AI used the exact quote from Reddit.

 

[boisematt]

Any time I need to stay under say 20-25 mph I prefer to use low range. The transmission will run cooler and you have much improved engine braking.
I got caught behind 3 Jeeps in Colorado 2 weeks ago on an old mining road. Going downhill they were all using their brakes and I wasn't.

Interesting, I'm finding that I can't get above about 12ish mph in L4 without getting RPMs above 3000. Is this normal?

 

[RideWithYanu]

Interesting, I'm finding that I can't get above about 12ish mph in L4 without getting RPMs above 3000. Is this normal?

It should definitely up shift and let you go faster than 12mph in 4L, but it does rev quite high before doing so (which is a good thing).

 

[boisematt]

It should definitely up shift and let you go faster than 12mph in 4L, but it does rev quite high before doing so (which is a good thing).

I need to take it out into the hills without a full load of people and pay more attention to the L4 gear switching. It seems really smooth so was hard to notice on our adventure last weekend.

 

[NoMe cruiser]

Ya, maybe my issue is by habit I stop, shift to neutral, then low range. Maybe I don’t have to…. I will check manual when I get back.

You definitely want to stop, shift into neutral, then put it in lo range. I don’t think there is any other way to get into low range without being in Neutral.

 

[Elsie250]

It should definitely up shift and let you go faster than 12mph in 4L, but it does rev quite high before doing so (which is a good thing).

In my testing, if it shifts to 4th lo ,it must shift above 3k.

 

[Elsie250]

Interesting, I'm finding that I can't get above about 12ish mph in L4 without getting RPMs above 3000. Is this normal?

My exact question. Not normal historically. But maybe a LC250 limitation??

 

[RideWithYanu]

My exact question. Not normal historically. But maybe a LC250 limitation??

Definitely not.

 

[Elsie250]

Ok. I will rev past 3k in lo and see what happens

 

[lcq]

Ok. I will rev past 3k in lo and see what happens

It will let you get to 4th. IIRC it's about 3200-3500 rpm in 3rd gear (low range) before it will let you upshift to 4th. Haven't pushed it in 4th to see if you can reach 5th.

 

[Elsie250]

It will let you get to 4th. IIRC it's about 3200-3500 rpm in 3rd gear (low range) before it will let you upshift to 4th. Haven't pushed it in 4th to see if you can reach 5th.

Yup. Just tried it with same results. Evidently you just need to ask more assertively