Here in the mountains of Colorado, it is a necessity to have low range to not only go UP the obstacles, but more importantly, to go DOWN the obstacles safely without having to use your brakes excessively. Personally, I would not off-road with a vehicle with no low range. Low range gives you more control and the torque to be able to go slowly over an obstacle. This keeps you safer and helps prevent breaking things.

 

I havent used my t3 offroad much but the first gear in the 8speed appears lower in ratio than the 6speed in the t1/t2
So it should do well, but nothing like low range and centre/rear diff locked as in t1 i assume.
Technology is improving though, in future i suspect there wont be a low range as such but more gears available coupled with rear diff lock

 

1st gear is very low, lower than the 6speed. Nice off road or when your towing a heavy load, but otherwise really annoying because in typical day to day traffic, you really only need to use 2nd.

Not only does the T3 lose the low-range, but also the T3 lost the locking center diff making it very easy to high center it.

I think the front and rear diffs are torsen so, with a wheel off the ground, the diff behaves like an open diff.

 

Thanks chrisw, that's very helpful. What is 'very easy to high centre it' ?
Does anyone know if the newer Cayenne has the same downgrade in off road capability as the T3 or does it still have low range and lockable diffs?

 

What is 'very easy to high centre it' ?

I think he is referring to the problem of having 2 wheels off the ground and possibly getting stuck. With an open center differential, in theory, it IS possible to get stuck in such a situation. I personally have never seen it happen with an open differential vehicle. (I've wheeled with several of them)

In the Touareg, as mentioned, there is an "electronic" version of a locking differential where the ABS system engages the brake(s) of the spinning wheel(s) and thus sends the torque to the wheel(s) with traction. Does it work? Absolutely. Is it as good as a locking diff?Close, but not as good as a mechanically locking diff. Will it do the job in most situations? Probably.

Actual "high centering" refers to getting a vehicle stuck on an obstacle and enough wheels are off the ground without traction so that you're not going forward or backwards and have to get yanked off the obstacle with a tow strap.

 

Qualification - I do not offload. Snow driving is about as rough as I get

On the other hand, the 4Motion T3 has fancy brakes - brakes that provide hill descent control and a free wheeling wheel is locked - poor mans diff lock. Plenty of movies about showing a 4Motion T3 cocking a wheel due to low wheel travel of the Tregs and driving out on 3 wheels. Probably will even survive a diagonal hangup but have not tried that one. (got stuck with that one in an early model Subaru outback with no such brake intervention)

Yes Torsen centre diff (not sure about other diffs but I think not torsen) so pretty dang rugged and no stepper motor controlled clutch packs to burn out. If you want to bend your mind research and try to understand how the Torsen diff works lol.

Both 1st and second gears are lower than normal - not just first. When driving you will notice the change difference in the 2nd to 3rd change up - more gear box slurring under gentle throttle - stamp on it and you will not notice it - I really really like the 8 speed in the Treg.

But in the end, low range is better for the rough stuff - the ability to crawl super slow I do appreciate. Just look at the climbing angles the 4xMotion is rated for compared to 4Motion.

 

Thanks all. Very helpful.

So the locking diff isn't so much of a problem with all the electronics, but the low range would still be better to get. The cayenne still seems to have low range (and locking diffs), with it having the 3litre diesel it seems to be a better off-road spec car than the t3 without low range?

 

It's disappointing that the low range is slowly being removed, or "de-contented" as some people call it. But lets face it, most people buying these vehicles new are not going to be 4 wheeling with them.... They want a modern SUV that rides nicely, can haul a trailer/caravan and is fun to drive.

Me, I love the fact that my T2 has low range, adjustable suspension, adjustable shocks and a factory rear locking diff. Everything else is icing on the cake.

 

I have a 2016 TDI. Off-road I've done beach driving and rocky tracks. No problems with either. Tyre pressure at 20psi on the sand and 25 on rocks works well. Hill descent control is excellent. Have never felt like I was going to get stuck .... so far.
This impressive clip I found on Youtube is of a 2016 Touareg in various off-road circumstances. It might help answer some of your questions.

 

I have a 2016 TDI. Off-road I've done beach driving and rocky tracks. No problems with either. Tyre pressure at 20psi on the sand and 25 on rocks works well. Hill descent control is excellent. Have never felt like I was going to get stuck .... so far.
This impressive clip I found on Youtube is of a 2016 Touareg in various off-road circumstances. It might help answer some of your questions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcIg4yUWrn0

Imagine if it had more aggressive tires on, it would probably do even better. I still prefer my 10 TDI

 

The diff on the newer (2011+) 4motion is better on snow and slick surfaces than previous because of how quickly it reacts to changing conditions.

This model is 200+ kg lighter than 2010 too.

I have been 4wd with my 2011 and it disturbed me how much it could do as it makes me curious what would stop it.

The newer engines are better too. 3.5 tonnes towing as well. The 8 speed auto is a gem.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

The newer engines are better too. 3.5 tonnes towing as well.

Both have same towing capacity of 3.5t but not tow ball weight capacity.
Tow ball weight has been reduced from 350kg in my model to only 280kg in the new model, that's a 20% reduction.
Not sure why?

 

is worth having a read of this article, may or may not be the future of 4wd


The death of low range - Unsealed 4X4

 

I had a 2007 T2 with 4xMotion & steel springs and now have a 2016 T4 with 4Motion and air suspension. I've also had an 80 Series 4.5L Landcruiser Full Time 4WD manual and a couple of 3.0L TDI manual Nissan Patrols with part time 4WD. It was extremely rare to need low range in the manual live axle Japanese trucks when going up a hill, even when very rough and steep, and even then it was Low 2nd. Low 1st was only ever used for descents. None of them had electronic traction aids.

The T2 did some rough tracks but never saw the rough stuff of the others (mainly because I'm going soft in my old age). It's limits came from it's ground clearance. The T4 hasn't been off the bitumen yet. I don't think I'll miss Low 1st in the T4 when climbing as the auto/torque converter should ease me up and over. I figure that the lowish first gear of the T4's 8 speed box wont be too different to the Low-2nd of the other vehicles. The electronic hill descent should cope with the task of going down and in some ways might be better (engine braking works on all four wheels together whereas the hill descent works on each wheel individually).

So IMHO you don't need Low-1st for going up a hill and the computer will get you down again.

If it's a choice between the low range of 4xMotion and the extra ground clearance of air suspension I know which one will get me further off road.

 

Touareg can 4WD with winch and new windscreen

An excellent video has just surfaced of the limits a Touareg can take - a Pre-2011 4XMotion at least with Air Suspension. Russian Mud...

Also, an excellent video on how dangerous poorly handled snatch straps/tow lines - near the end.

 

An excellent video has just surfaced of the limits a Touareg can take - a Pre-2011 4XMotion at least with Air Suspension. Russian Mud...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK5ExB-9XUA

Continuation. No limits this time.

 

and that, boys and girls, is why you don't connect two snatch straps with a shackle.

 

What video . . . ?

 

Yeah....... I wouldn't take my rig on a trip like that. I know it's pretty capable, but it's also worth WAY more than some of those rigs those guys have in the video that are clearly dedicated to 4x4ing. It's also my daily, so I wouldn't want to ruin it

 

Nice mud action!!

They certainly weren't treading lightly. Let's hope it was private property!

:- )

 

As far as my knowledge goes there is the touareg 4Motion which has a torsen Centre Diff and on the knob it just says on-road and off-road. Then there is the 4XMotion/TerrainTech package (in newer models) that have low range and centre and rear diff locks. On the Knob it says on-road, off-road, low, low+centre, low+centre+rear
If you look out for those when buying and you will get all the hardcore options that most touaregs havent got these days

 

Nicely done! Looks like fun.

Has anyone sorted out the specs on the Russian Touareg? I saw another video with a bunch of lift parts, but google translate did not lead me to a shop of any kind.

 

There is the Air Suspension package which costs $7000 NZD i think but don't know if that's what you are talking about

 

This is the most epic vid I have ever seen of Touareg doing water crossing.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

This is the most epic vid I have ever seen of Touareg doing water crossing.

https://youtu.be/EjQI6rqwg9s


Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Another owner who has put his roof rails on the wrong way round.

 

Good day Everyone.

I am new to the Touareg topic and I please need some advice. I am looking at buying a 2012 Touareg T2 with 155 000 km and the VR6 engine. The car has no low range nor air suspension.

Question being, How capable is the vehicle only having the "offroad " setting and what are the things I should be cautious about particularly with regards to the engine?

I am really hoping on some advice.

Thanks in advance

Cheers,

Markus