Disco 2 TD5 to Matroosberg - First impressions

**biltong** · 2007/05/03, 05:22 PM

My brother in law bought a Disco 2 TD5 last week and we were in CT this weekend for a wedding.

Of course I insisted on a proper test drive and we took the Disco to Matroosberg Sunday Morning.

There was not snow on the track, but it was quite misty and the track was fairly wet.

While I cannot criticise the on-road handling, power and comfort, I was a bit disappointed with the off road performance.

His model is still one of the earlier Desco 2's and do not have the centre diff lock. We also did the track with Michelin Synchrone tyres and IMO. that was most definitely an important part of the disappointing experience.

He did the entire climb to the top and me and another experienced off-road buddy of him, could watch from the side.

My impressions are that the traction control on this vehicle is not a great success. First of all, there must be quite some wheel spin before the TC starts working and in one case it was clearly spinning cross-axle with little correction from the TC. The Hill Descent Control is also a gimmick I do not care for. Braking against the motor in a lower gear works great.

I took the Disco some way down and the engine braking is very good. It is a very nice vehicle to place on the track, but the throttle is way too light for my taste.

All in all, I would still need some time with it for final verdict.

**Craigb** · 2007/05/04, 07:09 AM

See my comments here on my Td5 this past weekend in the sand.

http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...4545#post84545

Similar experience with traction control.

**Dirk** · 2007/05/04, 08:05 AM

They should have removed the Disco2 badge from all models with CDL! It does the vehicle absolutely no justice!

**Christob** · 2007/05/04, 08:05 AM

A comment from the sideline is that I went driving with amadisco quite alot when he first got his D2 TD5 and you have to get used to a different driving technique than other vehicles.

Hang in there and try different drive styles and techniques, I dont believe that the vehicle is that bad, he kept up on all of the trails with his vehicle...

Cheers

**Dirk** · 2007/05/04, 08:08 AM

True words, go and play with it, you need to understand the traction control, and how to effectively use it. Also with the TD5 when doing a steep uphill, most vehicles might do it in 2nd low, with the TD5 I found slowly in 1st low is the best option, it keeps the revs high enough, and then the TC also seems to work at it's best. You cannot drive the TD5 like you would another vehicle and expect the same result.

**hugowessels** · 2007/05/04, 08:28 AM

We went to Moz in April and my experience was that TC is not for sand. I also found that third and fourth gear in low range is the best gears for thick sand. I have a 99 Disco Td5 with centre diff lock fitted later. When I engaged the CDL with traction control enabled it still felt as if the vehichle is braking itself when the traction control was disabled it performed much beter and that is why I prefer to drive in sand with CDL engaged and TC disabled

**Craigb** · 2007/05/04, 08:32 AM

If you do a retro fit of the CDL, do you automatically have the abilitly to disengage traction control, or do you have to ask them to do that when installing the CDL?

**hugowessels** · 2007/05/04, 08:39 AM

If I want do disable the TC, I engage CDL while the motor is running, switch the motor of for about 20 seconds and restart. All the downhill decent, ABS and TC lights will then be illuminated and TC is disabled. To enable it again I disengage the CDL with the motor running, switch motor off, wait 20 seconds and start again, everything is then back to normal and TC enabled, you can also use TC with CDL by just engaging CDL with motor running.

**Dirk** · 2007/05/04, 09:18 AM

This is not true for the post 2003 models, TC is always enabled, I still need to fit the switch to disable TC for sand.

Disabling TC
http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...ead.php?t=5164

**maverick** · 2007/05/04, 10:47 AM

My TD5 with upgraded ECU cannot handle sand in low range. Just too much power.

I do sand in high, with only centre diff lock on.

TC works well on rocks ................

**Dirk** · 2007/05/04, 11:32 AM

Did you also fit a larger intercooler?

Originally Posted by maverick64

My TD5 with upgraded ECU cannot handle sand in low range. Just too much power.

I do sand in high, with only centre diff lock on.

TC works well on rocks ................

**maverick** · 2007/05/04, 11:42 AM

No.
I am still using standard intercooler, but i fitted a EGT gauge that shows you when to back off, on long hills especially. She normally runs at about 450 - 600 C,and when pushed can go to 800, my limit is set to 740, the display starts to flash, and then you back off on the throttle.
You learn quickly to keep your eyes on the gauge all the time.

**Christob** · 2007/05/04, 11:46 AM

This might sound like a stupid comment but alot of guys increase or decrease revs while doing the incline and the car starts spinning, with the TC you keep on the revs and keep it stable, if you vary the revs the car then gets confused and disengages the TC and you loose the advantage.

**Craigb** · 2007/05/04, 01:28 PM

What pressures do you guys run your tyres at in thick sand? I dropped mine to 0.9 - could I have gone any lower?

**Dirk** · 2007/05/04, 03:38 PM

If you are running the standard tyres, 235/70/R16 no then even 0.9 is getting a bit low, I've driven it off the rim couple of times with lower pressures.

**biltong** · 2007/05/06, 06:56 PM

Aha, the switch to disengage he TC sound like a good idea. Should be very easy to install too!

**Jeepster** · 2007/05/06, 07:00 PM

It is interesting to read the comments regarding the performance of the Disco on Matroosberg as I did Matroosberg as my second off-road excursion in my XJ Cherokee. I did it with a stock standard vehicle and Firestone Wilderness tyres, and had no serious problems with traction in the wet and snow up Matroosberg. Maybe I was just too inexperienced to notice.

**Dirk** · 2007/05/07, 07:35 AM

Read here.
http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...ead.php?t=5164

Originally Posted by biltong

Aha, the switch to disengage he TC sound like a good idea. Should be very easy to install too!

**maverick** · 2007/05/07, 09:29 AM

I run my 245 Coopers at 0,8 bar in the sand, and have yet to loose a tyre off the rim.

**George** · 2007/05/07, 11:13 AM

In loose sand you can go down to 0.6 bar in those size tires, but then remember - the lower the pressure the easier it will climb off the rim so avoid sharp cornering. With BFGs I wouldn't go that low on alloy rims and you will get them climbing off, because of that lovely thing called rim protectors.