Brocktoon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmg3A5l9s0M

That should put everyone's questions to rest.

mdadgar

I have a ProPride 3P hitch, which is a newer version of the Hensley Arrow he's using in the video, and it is AMAZING.

I would not tow heavy without it anymore. It's expensive, but WORTH IT.

http://www.propridehitch.com/

- Mark

43221B

Great video.

During the acceleration test in the video, I don't think I ever saw the tach come back down below 3000 RPM. The 320/350 engine has peak torque between 1600-2400 RPM. It is gutless above 3000 RPM. There is a lot more power available that he isn't using. He should be letting it shift earlier. I wish the transmission was programmed to shift earlier itself, but it isn't.

nynd

Can't the guy use the paddle shifters? Or was there none that year?

43221B

Yes, it has paddle shifters but unfortunately it will not shift up under hard acceleration with paddle input. I would pay a lot to have a software update that allowed for this. You just have to let up on the accelerator for a brief moment when you hit around 3000 and it will shift up. Between 1800 and 3000 RPM, it has a ton of power. It is sort of counter intuitive.

Brocktoon

Yeah, but he is accelerating, right? The wheels are mechanically and mathematically attached to the motor via the transmission. The only way to spin them quicker, is to spin the motor faster than where you start in any gear. Hanging around at 1800 rpm gives you lots of power, but no additional motor speed, therefore no addition wheel speed and no acceleration! If you were dragging the airstream at a fixed speed over a fixed grade, then you would want to choose the sweet spot in the power band. Acceleration does not work that way. Torque gets and keeps you moving but only faster motor speeds leading to faster wheel speeds can create acceleration with a standard gearbox.

This is why a CVT is so cool, you never have to "start over" going through each gear. A diesel revs so low and makes power so early, do the math, at 1800 rpm it would take you forever to hit freeway speeds with the ratio range the CVTs run in.

43221B

I agree with your comments. It has been my experience though that my 320 accelerates MUCH quicker with the engine increasing in speed between approximately 2000 and 3200 rpm as it moves through the gears vs 3000 and 4000 rpm. It takes more concentration though than just putting your foot to the floor.

The CVT definitely sounds compelling.

Texas993

Nice job. I believe that this is the same poster who wrote the DIY on how to mount the Prodigy Brake Controller.

Many thanks. My maiden tow will occur next month when I tow my Porsche to CO. 1k mile trip through the mountains.