What`s the DIFFS

[Sharkie]

Just as an FYI .... tuned TSI and off-road tires will not result in any enjoyment (and be outright dangerous) .... Given there are only 2 driven wheels, only road sport tires will cut it.

I tried all terrains (AT) with terrible results and normal road (HT) tyres with better but still pretty bad results ...

[EZZA]

Just as an FYI .... tuned TSI and off-road tires will not result in any enjoyment (and be outright dangerous) .... Given there are only 2 driven wheels, only road sport tires will cut it.

I tried all terrains (AT) with terrible results and normal road (HT) tyres with better but still pretty bad results ...

Thanks for the heads up mate. I had very similar weights and power in the Navara (1850kg, 198kw, 385nm) with the same wheel and tire setup (32" AT with steel wheels) and although average in the wet all round it wasn't too bad. This was with no traction control and no ESC so really needed the right foot to modulate power haha

I'm thinking the 95 tune will do for me, bit cheaper to run, bit less power and I also think the big heavy wheel+tire combo kind of acts like a flywheel weight slowing things down a bit.

[Sharkie]

Thanks for the heads up mate. I had very similar weights and power in the Navara (1850kg, 198kw, 385nm) with the same wheel and tire setup (32" AT with steel wheels) and although average in the wet all round it wasn't too bad. This was with no traction control and no ESC so really needed the right foot to modulate power haha

I'm thinking the 95 tune will do for me, bit cheaper to run, bit less power and I also think the big heavy wheel+tire combo kind of acts like a flywheel weight slowing things down a bit.

Its the turbo torque that makes the difference. The Navara would have made max torque at 4000 odd r/min, the TSI will give you 420+ at 2000r/min and keep it up till well after 4000r/min.

Incidentally this is 1 of the reasons why the TSI is so much better to drive than the TDIs. TDIs have a 500r/min wide peak at 1750r/min whereas the TSI have a 2500r/min wide peak from 2000 to 4500r/min.

[EZZA]

Its the turbo torque that makes the difference. The Navara would have made max torque at 4000 odd r/min, the TSI will give you 420+ at 2000r/min and keep it up till well after 4000r/min.

Incidentally this is 1 of the reasons why the TSI is so much better to drive than the TDIs. TDIs have a 500r/min wide peak at 1750r/min whereas the TSI have a 2500r/min wide peak from 2000 to 4500r/min.

Yeah you're not wrong there, the V6 made peak kw at 5600rpm and peak torque didn't come in until 4000rpm.

When I get the tune I'll look at switching tyre+wheel setup if it's just stupidly tail happy all the time.

Do you usually run yours on the 95 or 98 tune? Is there a significant difference between the two that you can feel while driving? I understand you can switch between tunes but I think you pay extra for that option(APR EMCS Program Switching)??

[EZZA]

Just as an FYI .... tuned TSI and off-road tires will not result in any enjoyment (and be outright dangerous) .... Given there are only 2 driven wheels, only road sport tires will cut it.

I tried all terrains (AT) with terrible results and normal road (HT) tyres with better but still pretty bad results ...

Took your advice mate and sold off the 4x4 wheelset and replaced them with some 19ich Ultimate alloy wheels wrapped in 255/55 Pirelli Scorpian ATR tyres. Ute is so much nicer to drive on the stock tune, I'm sure they'll match the tuned engine a whole lot better too!

[EZZA]

Dragging up an old thread but have been thinking a bit more about this. Still love the tuned TSI, gone a bit more offroad style with some Walkinshaw 580X suspension (35mm front lift) and some Pirelli AT plus 265/60 R18 tyres.
I love how it handles and drives both on and offroad but the limiting factor is still the open rear diff. Nearly got stuck yesterday in a small patch of sand on a gravel road by the beach and a diff lock would had made a huge difference.
Options so far are limited to:
- ARB air locker (which requires a compressor on board to actuate)
- Fit a secondhand factory TDI 340 diff and hope the factory locker works
- Upgrade to a disk V6 diff but final ratios are unclear. Ideally I'd like a higher final drive as the standard 4.3 renders 6th gear fairly useless here in Victoria (AUS) at 100kmph with the tyres i have fitted