When on-road AUTO is my default.

When off-road I use AUTO ONLY if terrain conditions change rapidly -- which seems to happen in a southern forest quite a lot -- Mud to rocks to grass to leaves / sticks, to sand, to a creek of varying bottom density, etc. etc.

When I get into the question of "do I want to apply the torque of MUD, SAND, DEEP SNOW", I have been following the 4 inch rule for quite a while and it is working -- anything greater in depth than 4 inches I switch to SAND or MUD ruts mode and normally turn off DSC (unless going steeply up or down hill). I can't leave it in AUTO because DSC cannot be turned off in AUTO.

I only go to ROCKs if I clearly see large, biggish, rocks -- sometimes in a creek or at the top of ridge.

I like grass/gravel/snow mode because it is the easiest way to get a very slow revving response from the engine, thereby giving me the most likelihood of not damaging the wet field I am driving in. So, its a good place to start. And I can Lo traction launch from that mode, too.

As for the custom TR2 modes, I STILL have not found a setup created by me which can handle the terrain better than what the JLR guys have already programmed into the standard modes.

I NOW SUSPECT WHAT COMFORT MODE DOES is soften the suspension - bag and shock. A New suspected learning ......

Enjoy !

 

HA ok, fair enough then on turning the dials to 11!

A bit more insight. This is a bit pedantic "beating the dead horse" but I'm quite curious/ fascinated about how this beast works off road. Went out on another ride yesterday, in search of mud to test this more.

Found great mud by a river -- in Auto Terrain Response, 4 Low, ATPC/HDC on -- all works as posted above. But - It seems that Auto TR keeps me in mud mode a bit too long after I've emerged from the mud.

So the scenario is:
- Auto TR/4Lo/ATPC/HDC on but I'm using gas and brakes
- Good muddy / very rutted area up to the top of wheels, as soon as I enter, I feel and notice the Defender in Mud Ruts( probably - is there a way to tell when in auto?), lots of revving, slowly takes me thru the mud without issue and with grace. Exactly as described above! Yahoo.
- However, I emerge from mud, back on normal dirt/gravel road with good traction, and it seems to be "thinking/staying" in Mud Ruts mode for a while. In fact for a hundred yards or so. The only way to get my "normal drive" back is to switch to grass/gravel/snow or some other TR setting, leave it, or then right back in auto.

It's somewhat odd ... I was able to repeat this every time in the same spot. So the braintrust seems to be "getting stuck" in mud ruts mode for a bit too long after I'm out of the mud, when in Auto TR, is that it? (Yes, I know I can switch it manually but -- all seem to like "set it and forget it" auto TR)

UNRELATED: Also had some fun on loose shale/rock which is an utterly precarious surface to climb/descend.



More sliding than descending/climbing

Not bad for a novice

 

NashVegas:

Yes, I have found the same.

The high-torque modes - Mud ruts and Sand, particularly, assume you will carry more momentum throughout the task of driving through the obstacle than in the low-momentum modes of Auto, grass, gravel, snow -- and that you will want to build up a bit of speed and maintain it in preparation for the next Mud hole or softening in the sand at the beach (or whatever). So, the vehicle holds up revs -- until the software says .."ok we've been waiting for the next mud hole long enough and it is not coming -- so the driver must be finished with the track of deep squishy stuff and I can back off the revs."

This is a reason to make a conscious decision up front when to use those modes -- and when to exit them. Thus, I made up the 4 inch rule and follow it to prompt me to do those two things. Seems to work aok.

 

Love the pics.

I'm a novice too. My 2c

Yes the Auto mode is by its nature adaptive so takes a little while to recognize the terrain you're in on entry and exit. I find it really useful on the fire roads as you'll have long stretches of good surface where grsss/gravel/snow is overkill and then a stretch where it's useful.

The high revs of Sand are really only needed by me in deep snow. Trio's 4" rule seems about right there. Not much sand to play about in here.

What I like about the mud-ruts setting is that it locks up the diffs. I made setting in the configurable TR similar but without the high revs and DSC off. Another for deep snow with lockers on too. Quite a bit of trial and error and it's still a work in progress. More for fun really. The JLR folks have been doing this a fair bit longer than I. Their settings are right on I guess.

Idiot Mode in TR2 is best avoided. It's still in the R&D phase. Link

 

I've posted this in one of Trio's threads on the subject, but now's a good time to recall it. This is a chart of what "settings" each of the modes gives, relative to normal. It's interesting and also a bit useful if you, say, like Mud/Ruts but wish the steering was a little tighter. You can go into configurable mode and set a custom with the same numbers as Mud Ruts but dial a little of the softness out of the steering, or whatever.

My LR Experience instructor found this for me when I was asking what the mode settings were.

 

That chart is GOLD !!

I have it in the vehicle and it is the best thing I have yet seen towards a driver's manual for off-roading with the new technology.

Personally, I would like to see from JLR a more revealing and helpful booklet explaining from their expertise "how to convert from 'old-school' off-road driving to the new approach". I think maybe they are a bit too close to the topic, and have become immune to how revolutionary is what they have delivered to us off-road drivers. Just a thought !

 

Man, you are SOOO right! It's like they didn't think any former Defender off-roaders would buy the new one, or any Wrangler drivers would make the switch, so they didn't realize they need to spend a lot of time re-educating us old dogs on how the new tricks are performed. I've been slow coming around but I'm trying to get there.

 

DEFINITELY they need to put more out there. It is very hard to find anything pretty helpful. And usually I can find stuff pretty readily.

 

Agree 110% that a really technical explanation from LR would be awesome, I'd eat it up. The chart is gold. Side note: I'd love to arrange a back to back drive in my current Rover fleet, take all 3 out, drive same varied terrain and video it to see. Perhaps that would be a good idea for LR to do.

88 RRC (no ABS, no traction control) - basically like an older D90/D110
to a
2000 D2 (ABS, Traction control, ACE that detaches bars for articulation, functional rear SLS, and earliest HDC tech)
to the
2020 Defender (fully modern tech)

+ also add in an Lr3 (which I currently don't own) to bridge the gap

Each slightly lifted, each with AT tires (Defender's being the worst of the AT tires... until I change them).

I've gotten quite used to the D2's approach, this Defender is altogether different offroad but I'm pleasantly surprised at what it tackles without drama. I don't lose sleep when I rip the rear bumper off the D2 for the 4th time... or lose mudflaps on the RRC, I notice myself being more cautious with the Defender (new front bumper, that'll be mid 2023 parts delivery, hahaha)