Have just purchased a Nissan Navara D40 Auto. I am towing a Viscount Newport 17'6" caravan. Request advice as to what is the recommended gear for towing of the van. i.e., leave the auto in drive with overdrive on/off?? Owners manual is very sketchy with regards to info when towing caravans. I have had advice from other blogs...all differ in opinions...Another question on this topic is it ok to use cruise control whilst towing?
......gotta get this right
-- Edited by micols51 on Friday 13th of February 2015 08:03:02 PM
I have D40 auto and tow my jayco freedom at 90kph with cruise control and have not had any problems yet touch wood just finished going from the northwest of WA down and across the nullabor and up through the centre and down through the Kimberleys with No problems
Cheers Les
First off I put my D40 into drive and proceed to where I am going, the only time I touch the auto gear selector is when I wish to hold it back going down hills.
Like you I have ask this question many times mixing with friends that own or are service people in the car industry, the auto guy that did my transmissions up in my previous car. The service manager from where I got this one, our ute is a 7 speed.
Simple answer is just drive it and don't abuse it they like to work.
I am not a big user of the cruise control but when I was driving transports I would regularly use it to keep my speed in check. So now I switch it on when on 4 lane highways in good weather and light traffic.
I enjoy driving and like to have control at all times. Ralph.
-- Edited by Radar on Friday 13th of February 2015 09:11:08 PM
Depending on the type of gearbox, manual 4th or 5th would be the order of the day. As per manual gearboxes, 4th gear in most autos in 1:1 and therefore the strongest gear. Without a means of measuring the auto temperature, it is hard to see what the gearbox is doing under heavy load.
Larry
We have a 2010 200 series towing 3500 kgs van.when we first got the van I asked what gear (6 speed auto ) people said just drive in auto which I did but I was getting terrible fuel economy .Somebody told me only 4 th gear should be used and to buy a scan gauge and watch the auto trans temp in 6 th compared to 4 th .In 6 th the temp would be up around the 100 in 4 th it stays around 68 -80 depending on road conditions .My fuel on a good day17-5 a bad day 25 per 100ks .the engine runs a lot smoother less heat both water tmp and auto temp better fuel economy. I think the scangauge is best thing I have put on the tug ,I have no affiliation with scan gauge just think it possibly has saved an expensive transmission rebuild
