[LOtouareg]

Snow/ice

Thank you everyone for the help. I've learned alot from this and you've answered many of my questions. I have one more though; If I'm driving on snowy, icy roads, with very little to no pavement showing(on the way to the mountain to snowboard, for example), which setting would be the best choice for me?

These are the three setting I have on my Treg:
1. High - Auto Center Diff, Open Rear Diff
2. Low - Auto Center Diff, Open Rear Diff
3. Low - Locked Center Diff, Open Rear Diff

Also, when just driving on pavement, I have it set to high. Is that okay? Would low be better/worse? Does it matter?

Thank you.

 

[noobytoogy]

Never lock the diff on pavement. You can damage the transmission with wind up as the wheels can't slip/adjust

 

[uglyhousewife]

okay, i am so confused about this differential thing. i drive on paved roads, and i want to prolong the life of my tires and drive in the best differential setting. it is in 'high' on the knob like it was when i bought it. is this the right setting? also, the light is constantly blinking on the differential knob whether it is pushed in or not.

 

[Patr80l]

okay, i am so confused about this differential thing. i drive on paved roads, and i want to prolong the life of my tires and drive in the best differential setting. it is in 'high' on the knob like it was when i bought it. is this the right setting? also, the light is constantly blinking on the differential knob whether it is pushed in or not.

When you drive around corners the wheels on one side of the car go further and therfore spin faster than those on the other side. Therefore you need a gadget to allow this differental turning between each half axle. A similar thing happens between the front and back wheels, so you need a differential between them too (ie the centre diff).
Unfortunately on loose surfaces these gadgets will allow a wheel without traction to spin while the other remains stationary. To prevent this the diffs can be "locked" so both sides spin together. Hopefully one of the wheels has some grip and you move forward.

When both wheels have good grip, ie on bitumen, forcing them both to spin at the same rate (diffs locked) when the curve in the road says otherwise may cause something to break.

I think the blinking means you have selected Low but the computer is waiting for you to slow down or shift into neutral to effect the change. When engaged, the light should stop blinking.

 

[haywood801]

for icey and snowy roads, leave everything in auto / open diffs / high. unless the snow is deeper than a few inches then switch to low / unlocked diffs.

maybe turn off ESP if you have a steep driveway.

locking diffs dont do crap on ice and snow except get you in trouble. know how to balance your right foot with the amount of momentum you have.

one cool thing about lockers in the winter: when you nose dive into the ditch, sometimes you can be lazy and get way with chaining up only the outside unburied tires to recover yourself... thats about the extent of it.

lockers are for people who like to get tires in the air... most wont get their Tregs in a situation like this. too expensive to fix body panels and such.

but then there's sand... I havent dare take mine into sand, but im sure it would be fun to play with the lockers in sand.

 

[Yeti]

lockers are for people who like to get tires in the air... most wont get their Tregs in a situation like this. too expensive to fix body panels and such.

I have had mine in this situation quite a few times and have never needed the lockers. I have used the center diff locked very little on either of my Tregs and have lifted wheels many times in both.

 

[nickm]

I have had mine in this situation quite a few times and have never needed the lockers. I have used the center diff locked very little on either of my Tregs and have lifted wheels many times in both.

This is a good point..I think the lockers confuse people into thinking the Treg has simple open diffs everywhere. The reality is you could be balanced on two wheels (ie: think of a culvert, get your front wheel on the ground and the other front in the air, oppose rear wheel on the other side of the culvert with the other rear teetering) and you can get out of this situation in a Treg WITHOUT the use of diff locks.

Most 4WD yes you'd have to use the locks otherwise you'll just get the free wheels spinning, this is not what happens with the Treg.

 

[noobytoogy]

There are times, such as descending hills, when holding the car in the correct gear using Tiptronic is better than leaving it in D and also using Tiptronic down changes to provide engine braking rather than the brakes themselves.

 

[nickm]

There are times, such as descending hills, when holding the car in the correct gear using Tiptronic is better than leaving it in D and also using Tiptronic down changes to provide engine braking rather than the brakes themselves.

yes, or on a low speed hill offroad you could just slip it into tip at the top of the hill, put both feet on the floor and let hill descent do all the work!

 

[haywood801]

"Most 4WD yes you'd have to use the locks otherwise you'll just get the free wheels spinning, this is not what happens with the Treg"

admittedly, I havent hung tires with my Treg but I have had in very loose big rocks on very steep hills. it performs great. So what makes it different than any other differential?

when I have it on a lift i walkaround and spin the tires by hand and sure enough the opposite tire spins opposite direction on the same axle.

so other than having the computer apply brakes to the spinning wheel, there is nothing special about the differentials is there?

the biggest reason im asking is because Id like to add a special friction modifier lubricant Ive been using for years... but im just not sure whats in there and I dont want to ruin any fancy clutches of slip surfaces.

anyone open one up yet?

 

[Tellravi]

Guys
Thanks for this. Can you tell me the setting to use

light snow - I leave it on AUTO
Sleet and Ice (yesterday) - I set it to LOW (2 oclock position
Never tried anything else - can you validate....

Thanks

 

[rogko2015]

diff change automatically

Hi,

I have a 2004 Touareg v8. It seems that my diff setting automatically changes after I have been crusing, from High to Low. I have to reset it back to High. Does anyone know what unit controlls the diff settens?

thanks
John

 

[4ePikanini]

must be a faulty dial switch.

 

[RickC1970]

Haven't done it yet. But why not on a hard surface? I gather it should only be done on dirt.

While I was on a dirt surface when I took mine off road i initially started out in auto low and reverted back to normal auto high and the Touareg did great. mine only comes with a center diff lock and I have yet to try it or even have the need to try it. Keep in mind that I traversed pretty rutted and rocky terrain. Honestly I am very happy with the capabilities with my Touqareg.

 

[lachoradkov]

Touareg - Four wheel drive concept