Thank you for the comprehensive video. The technical and visual explanation was done very well. This channel is producing high quality educational content. 🙂 Great
Thanks Tjalke. Appreciate your kind words. We are doing are best and thanks to comments like yours it motivates us to keep doing more. Cheers. Alex and Olga.
Good video, But would have been nice to see the difference with the rear difflock engaged and not engaged, just so we could visually see the the massive difference the rear difflock really makes, But great video and thanks for taking the time to demonstrate, I looking at buying a new T6.1 4 motion and for sure the rear difflock is a must have optional extra for me
Thanks Bandit 911. You are spot on. I thought about that after the event. I have done this obstacle without the rear diff lock engaged an there is Definitely a big difference. Less control and you need a lot of skill and care to reduce the risk of damage to the drive train. Anyways. Appreciate the feedback. Have fun with your t6.1. I have driven one and they are awesome. Cheers. Alex.
Thanks for mentioning that sometimes you need to drive forwards a little for the diff lock to engage. When I first tried ours I waited forever for the diff lock light to go steady, got bored waiting and drove forwards then the light went steady! Good video as always 😊
Thanks Nick. Spot on mate. Always good to hear from others on their feedback. One big 4motion family 👌. And thanks for your kind comments. We are trying our best.
Learned a lot there, Alex. I also like the considerable experience you bring to this Channel and the commitment to do things safely (bravo!). I have one question, you do clarify that the 4Motion is AWD and not, essentially a 4X4. In your experience, the VW 4Motion is capable of most things thrown at it?
Thanks Simon. Appreciate your kind words and support. So far the 4motion has proved to be extremely capable for where we have travelled. It has also far exceeded my expectations in off road situations as tested at the great divide tours training facility. But. Having driven 4WDs with a centre diff lock and increased ground clearance there is a difference between the two. Our long wheel base 4motion with its factory rear diff lock is definitely a capable van and to some extent capable of tackling some country that previously was limited to 4WD vehicles only and we will continue our testing around the country to bring to you first hand our experiences. Travel safe. Thanks. Alex.
Thanks for that. I have a 2021 v6 4motion amarok. And apparently they thought kiwis didn't want a diff locker. I've been pretty disappointed with its capabilities compared to my fully locked 80s. I will get a Eaton or arb installed now i think
Ferdinand. I agree. The VW Amarok has nothing over your 80 series and indeed any standard Toyota 4wd like for example a hi Lilux or landcruoser. They do however drive better on the bitumen and gravel roads but lose out on the tough stuff. Our van of course does not have a centre diff lock like your Amarok so it’s even less capable in real off road rough conditions. Our van is a soft off roader AWD but it does take us to places a standard 2wd van would never dream to go. In effect, van life is more about cruising and touring over rock crawling. I hear Vw have not confirmed they will be placing a 4motion in their t7 and possibly migrating their van into the ford transit model. If that happens then it’s the end of an era for Vw enthusiasts who had I guess better get used to driving a Ford with no 4motion. Well perhaps for us down under anyways. 🤪 onwards and upwards in any event 👍😎🇦🇺💪
Hi Alex I’m loving the videos, thank you for making them. I’m thinking about purchasing a 4 motion crafter for touring Australia, I have to be honest and say I have heard a few negative reports on the reliability and back up fro VW here in Australia, would value your opinion, many thanks 🙏🏻. Den
Thanks River Nelon. Really appreciate your comments. We are about to kick off vids again after being in lockdown for 4 months and your comments inspire us to do more. Lots of effort and time but our reward Is people like you who appreciate it. We have owned our T6 since 2017 after purchasing it second hand from Trakka with 50k on the clock. So far no issues. I don’t have enough intel on the reliability of the crafter so we really can’t give you any advice in that regard other than to say VW make an awesome vehicle and the Germans don’t muck around. As a tourer, if you get it modified with a lift kit it and snorkel and diff breather it will be a great general tourer. I would not discount it but your other options are a short wheel base sprinter which is very reliable by all accounts. Tough decision but life’s short so pick one and have a crack. 👍🇦🇺😎.
Hi Alex, I have this setup on order here in Switzerland and what I can't figure out is this: once the read diff lock is on, does that also at the same time lock the central diff basically forcing it into all wheel drive? Or do I roll in front wheel drive even with the read diff locked and only once we measures slip at the front wheels then get power sent to the back wheels which at this point turn together since the read diff lock is on? Cheers Alex
Hey mate. Congrats on the new van. I am sure you will love exploring Switzerland as much as we do Australia. Righto. Here is the go. Our vans are basically a front wheel drive until such time as the 4motion system detects wheel spin in any of the wheels including the two on the rear axle. When slippage is detected at the rear wheels, in the first instance drive is immediately thrown to the rear axle through the Hamden clutch system and at the same time the abs also acts to apply Brake to the wheels spinning front or rear. There is no centre diff as such like in a traditional 4wd. The rear axle when activated will simple ensure drive is maintained to both wheels irrespective of whether a wheel looses traction. The benefit is that you can drive over obstacles slower and more controlled as I have demonstrated. So in effect there is no activation of any centre diff and the Haldex clutch system acts As a centre diff of sorts if that makes sense. Let me know if you need more info. Thanks for watching and thanks for the question. Cheers. Alex from downtown 🇦🇺👍
@@4motionadventures934 Thank you for the quick reply. I somehow had the idea that if the rear diff is activated, that power must be sent there somehow, so the haldex would be engaged no matter if slip is detected or not. cheers!
@@xelawy thanks mate. I am confident that the rear diff lock does not automatically trigger the haldex clutch to distribute power to the rear axle. I could be wrong. From what I understand the rear diff lock simply locks the axle so that box rear wheels turn at the same time irrespective of whether a wheel lifts of the ground. If you find out info to the contrary please share as I am always open to learning. Cheers.
@@4motionadventures934 roger that. kind of makes sense it's just a lock and has nothing to do with power. thanks for taking the time to write. cheers alex
Noce video. Interesting that the vans got a pop top fitted. Does that impact the vehicle stiffness/ did you have to add any steel framing on top of what is normally fitted for a pop top? Cheers
Thanks Sam. The van was modified by Trakka Australia who would have to meet strict engineering standards. I am not too sure of those standards but can say the van had a handled everything we have thrown at it so far. Apart from some creaks and moans travelling over uneven terrain it appears to be able to handle it all with ease. Have a good one. Cheers. Alex.
This is great, I have been thinking of a Delica D5 but these look bigger, and not insane big like the 4wd sprinter. Do all four motion VW have diff lock? what's the stock ride height like? are they all the same wheel base? do they have back seats? Petrol or diesel? Also, would this be the sort of thing you could take on gibb river rd, or fraser island, i just want to get around Oz, and not do competition style 4wd'ing. Just get to those great camp spots off the beaten, the tracks usually say "4wd only" . I need to have a van (not a car or ute) cheers! PS where are you/your course based?
Thanks Carl. Not all 4motions come with a rear diff lock. This is a factory only extra along with hill decent both of which we highly recommend. I believe stock height is approx 2m but we are 2.2 with the lift kit. Yes the van can handle the gibb river road and Fraser Island with after market tyres and suspension along with bash plates to protect vital parts. It only comes in diesel. Defiantly worth checking out as a general tourer. Hope this helps. Cheers. Alex.
Thanks for the comment. The rock slider are made by Seikel. We sourced them from Kombi Life Australia. Link below. Cheers. Alex. kombilife.com.au/products/seikel-vw-t5-t6-rockslider-side-sill-protection-swb
Hi Alex, I am purchasing the VW California Beach, waiting for delivery and I am wondering where I can purchase a sliding screen door like yours and perhaps a pull down screen for the rear door opening. Great Videos by the way. Cheers Deno
Hey Dennis. Thanks for reaching out. Start with trakka Australia for the sliding screen door. Contact David Wallace. +61 422 210 568. He might also advise on the rear screen door. If he can’t help check out kombi life Australia. Not sure if they have the screen door but they do have the rear screen mesh. Hope this helps. Cheers. Alex.
Hi, great clip. Just to clarify, the Factory Rear Difflock you’re demonstrating here is the mechanical difflock, right? I thought T6/6.1 4Motion usually had a default Electronic Difflock with Mechanical being a specific factory addition you must request. Great channel! 👍🏼
Thanks Saxon. Appreciate the kind words. Yes. The rear Diff lock is the factory one that that you must order as an extra. I believe the t6.1 also has the hill descent option which in our experience has proven to be the best hill decent in any 4wd we have tested at the driver training facility. Big call but it’s true. !! Safe travels mate. Cheers. Alex.
Hi, not sure if anyone has asked this but I have a Hiace Awd and we added a rear electronic diff lock too, just wandering for driving on the beach would I need the diff lock on all the time or just sometimes in tricky situations? Thanks 😅
Thanks for your question mshaooyeman. As far as I know the only way to turn off the esp is to turn off the traction control which by the way also disables the abs system. When tackling tricky terrain like shown in this vid where you need all the traction aids you have on board I would leave the traction control on when using the diff lock. Hope this makes sense. In terms of jacking up your vehicle, the only recommended jacking points are the one the manufacturer shows in the manual. I personally would not recommend jacking off the rock sliders. As it turn out I am Doing a clip on how to safely jack up and change a tyre weekend and will release it next week so keep a look out for it. Have a great weekend. Cheers. Alex.
@@4motionadventures934 Hi, the ESP Button on the T5 upwards (2010+) only disables the ASR (Anti Schlupf Regelung (AntiSlipControl)) which limits the output power of the engine so no tire is slipping while accelerating. Common practice is to deactivate ASR (by pressing the ESP labeled button) while driving offroad because it limits the engine power while needing it in most offroad scenarios. It ONLY turns off the ASR and nothing else. So really you can drive in every situation without ASR (TractionControl) without sacrificing safetyfeatures like the abs. maybe it helps! Cheers from Germany !
I would leave the ESP on when tackling difficult terrain as well as the diff lock. The diff lock serves to allow the rear axle to turn at the same time irrespective of what wheel is off the ground and with the traction control on it takes care of the front wheels in terms of limiting power to those wheels that do not have traction. I would not recommend using the rock sliders to jack your van. The only place I would jack a van in is the designated jacking points. Hope this helps. Cheers. Alex.
Gday Atprod. The answer is yes you can tackle this type of terrain without a rear diff lock however you won’t have as much control over the vehicle which is where issues can arise. I say this because even with traditional 4WD’s we always recommend going easy on the drive train. The 4motion system is very good in that it does stop driving going to the wheels without traction but it’s not as responsive as we would like like as you have to power up before the system engages proper. The more power the more chance of thjngs breaking when you for example drop a wheel that’s spinning and it suddenly gets contact with the ground. The truth of the matter is that these vans as good as they are, are not built to go proper 4wding in terrain like that I have demonstrated on. They are more suited to general touring and sand driving. I just wanted to show the limits and that in the right hands they can certainly do more than what the showroom brochure shows you. Happy travels. Cheers. Alex.
@@4motionadventures934 hello thank you, I had no intention of going so far in difficulty. I bought a T6 4Motion (mid-height 2.10m and long 5.30m reinforced frame 3.2T) last year that I have fitted out and I am starting my first weekends and soon my holidays in a Van. What worries me the most is the ground clearance which is very low. What is the solution to combine the fact of raising the shock absorbers that it remains comfortable and without going into crazy expenses. 😁. apart from a miracle... thank you
@@atprodT700 hey mate. I hear yia. Ground clearance is the biggest issue for our vans. We have a 2inch lift by Seikel which helps or there is another product called projekt lift kit imported by skyline campers that is a cracker. Gives up to 4 inch lift. Give them a call. They are in Gosford nsw. Otherwise if you don’t go for a lift you really just have to drive picking the highest points and picking the best line. Even with a two inch lift we are still treading very carefully. Of course it just means we go slower and enjoy the scenery better. 🤓🤓. Safe travels. Cheers. Alex.
Thank you for the comprehensive video. The technical and visual explanation was done very well. This channel is producing high quality educational content. 🙂 Great
Thanks Tjalke. Appreciate your kind words. We are doing are best and thanks to comments like yours it motivates us to keep doing more. Cheers. Alex and Olga.
Good video, But would have been nice to see the difference with the rear difflock engaged and not engaged, just so we could visually see the the massive difference the rear difflock really makes, But great video and thanks for taking the time to demonstrate, I looking at buying a new T6.1 4 motion and for sure the rear difflock is a must have optional extra for me
Thanks Bandit 911. You are spot on. I thought about that after the event. I have done this obstacle without the rear diff lock engaged an there is Definitely a big difference. Less control and you need a lot of skill and care to reduce the risk of damage to the drive train. Anyways. Appreciate the feedback. Have fun with your t6.1. I have driven one and they are awesome. Cheers. Alex.
Thanks for mentioning that sometimes you need to drive forwards a little for the diff lock to engage. When I first tried ours I waited forever for the diff lock light to go steady, got bored waiting and drove forwards then the light went steady! Good video as always 😊
Thanks Nick. Spot on mate. Always good to hear from others on their feedback. One big 4motion family 👌. And thanks for your kind comments. We are trying our best.
Thanx so much! Very interesting because I have the same machine and I want to make a trip off-road soon.
Learned a lot there, Alex. I also like the considerable experience you bring to this Channel and the commitment to do things safely (bravo!). I have one question, you do clarify that the 4Motion is AWD and not, essentially a 4X4. In your experience, the VW 4Motion is capable of most things thrown at it?
Thanks Simon. Appreciate your kind words and support. So far the 4motion has proved to be extremely capable for where we have travelled. It has also far exceeded my expectations in off road situations as tested at the great divide tours training facility. But. Having driven 4WDs with a centre diff lock and increased ground clearance there is a difference between the two. Our long wheel base 4motion with its factory rear diff lock is definitely a capable van and to some extent capable of tackling some country that previously was limited to 4WD vehicles only and we will continue our testing around the country to bring to you first hand our experiences. Travel safe. Thanks. Alex.
Thanks for that.
I have a 2021 v6 4motion amarok. And apparently they thought kiwis didn't want a diff locker. I've been pretty disappointed with its capabilities compared to my fully locked 80s.
I will get a Eaton or arb installed now i think
Ferdinand. I agree. The VW Amarok has nothing over your 80 series and indeed any standard Toyota 4wd like for example a hi Lilux or landcruoser. They do however drive better on the bitumen and gravel roads but lose out on the tough stuff. Our van of course does not have a centre diff lock like your Amarok so it’s even less capable in real off road rough conditions. Our van is a soft off roader AWD but it does take us to places a standard 2wd van would never dream to go. In effect, van life is more about cruising and touring over rock crawling. I hear Vw have not confirmed they will be placing a 4motion in their t7 and possibly migrating their van into the ford transit model. If that happens then it’s the end of an era for Vw enthusiasts who had I guess better get used to driving a Ford with no 4motion. Well perhaps for us down under anyways. 🤪 onwards and upwards in any event 👍😎🇦🇺💪
Thank you.
The best!👍
Thanks Richard. Appreciate your kind comment. Cheers. Alex and Olga.
Great vid, well explained!!!!!!! Lovely van. Thanks🙂
thanks for the upload it was very helpful top man 👍
Hi Alex
I’m loving the videos, thank you for making them.
I’m thinking about purchasing a 4 motion crafter for touring Australia, I have to be honest and say I have heard a few negative reports on the reliability and back up fro VW here in Australia, would value your opinion, many thanks 🙏🏻. Den
Thanks River Nelon. Really appreciate your comments. We are about to kick off vids again after being in lockdown for 4 months and your comments inspire us to do more. Lots of effort and time but our reward
Is people like you who appreciate it.
We have owned our T6 since 2017 after purchasing it second hand from Trakka with 50k on the clock. So far no issues.
I don’t have enough intel on the reliability of the crafter so we really can’t give you any advice in that regard other than to say VW make an awesome vehicle and the Germans don’t muck around.
As a tourer, if you get it modified with a lift kit it and snorkel and diff breather it will be a great general tourer.
I would not discount it but your other options are a short wheel base sprinter which is very reliable by all accounts.
Tough decision but life’s short so pick one and have a crack. 👍🇦🇺😎.
@@4motionadventures934 thank you very much for your prompt reply, looking forward to more of your vids and adventures
Hi Alex, I have this setup on order here in Switzerland and what I can't figure out is this: once the read diff lock is on, does that also at the same time lock the central diff basically forcing it into all wheel drive? Or do I roll in front wheel drive even with the read diff locked and only once we measures slip at the front wheels then get power sent to the back wheels which at this point turn together since the read diff lock is on? Cheers Alex
Hey mate. Congrats on the new van. I am sure you will love exploring Switzerland as much as we do Australia. Righto. Here is the go. Our vans are basically a front wheel drive until such time as the 4motion system detects wheel spin in any of the wheels including the two on the rear axle. When slippage is detected at the rear wheels, in the first instance drive is immediately thrown to the rear axle through the Hamden clutch system and at the same time the abs also acts to apply
Brake to the wheels spinning front or rear. There is no centre diff as such like in a traditional 4wd. The rear axle when activated will simple ensure drive is maintained to both wheels irrespective of whether a wheel looses traction. The benefit is that you can drive over obstacles slower and more controlled as I have demonstrated. So in effect there is no activation of any centre diff and the Haldex clutch system acts
As a centre diff of sorts if that makes sense. Let me know if you need more info. Thanks for watching and thanks for the question. Cheers. Alex from downtown 🇦🇺👍
@@4motionadventures934 Thank you for the quick reply. I somehow had the idea that if the rear diff is activated, that power must be sent there somehow, so the haldex would be engaged no matter if slip is detected or not. cheers!
@@xelawy thanks mate. I am confident that the rear diff lock does
not automatically trigger the haldex clutch to distribute power to the rear axle. I could be wrong. From what I understand the rear diff lock simply locks the axle so that box rear wheels turn at the same time irrespective of whether a wheel lifts of the ground. If you find out info to the contrary please share as I am always open to learning. Cheers.
@@4motionadventures934 roger that. kind of makes sense it's just a lock and has nothing to do with power. thanks for taking the time to write. cheers alex
Noce video. Interesting that the vans got a pop top fitted. Does that impact the vehicle stiffness/ did you have to add any steel framing on top of what is normally fitted for a pop top? Cheers
Thanks Sam. The van was modified by Trakka Australia who would have to meet strict engineering standards. I am not too sure of those standards but can say the van had a handled everything we have thrown at it so far. Apart from some creaks and moans travelling over uneven terrain it appears to be able to handle it all with ease. Have a good one. Cheers. Alex.
This is great, I have been thinking of a Delica D5 but these look bigger, and not insane big like the 4wd sprinter. Do all four motion VW have diff lock? what's the stock ride height like? are they all the same wheel base? do they have back seats? Petrol or diesel? Also, would this be the sort of thing you could take on gibb river rd, or fraser island, i just want to get around Oz, and not do competition style 4wd'ing. Just get to those great camp spots off the beaten, the tracks usually say "4wd only" . I need to have a van (not a car or ute) cheers! PS where are you/your course based?
Thanks Carl. Not all 4motions come with a rear diff lock. This is a factory only extra along with hill decent both of which we highly recommend. I believe stock height is approx 2m but we are 2.2 with the lift kit. Yes the van can handle the gibb river road and Fraser Island with after market tyres and suspension along with bash plates to protect vital parts. It only comes in diesel. Defiantly worth checking out as a general tourer. Hope this helps. Cheers. Alex.
I always drive my VW T5.1 4motion with ESP of.
Hey man - thanks for the video - who are your rock sliders by? Segal?
Thanks for the comment. The rock slider are made by Seikel. We sourced them from Kombi Life Australia. Link below. Cheers. Alex.
kombilife.com.au/products/seikel-vw-t5-t6-rockslider-side-sill-protection-swb
Hi Alex, I am purchasing the VW California Beach, waiting for delivery and I am wondering where I can purchase a sliding screen door like yours and perhaps a pull down screen for the rear door opening. Great Videos by the way. Cheers Deno
Hey Dennis. Thanks for reaching out. Start with trakka Australia for the sliding screen door. Contact David Wallace. +61 422 210 568. He might also advise on the rear screen door. If he can’t help check out kombi life Australia. Not sure if they have the screen door but they do have the rear screen mesh. Hope this helps. Cheers. Alex.
@@4motionadventures934 thank you Alex, looking forward to your next adventure. Cheers Deno.
Thanks mate. So are we. Currently locked up due to covid as we live in Sydney. It will pass and we will be back into it. Cheers. Alex.
Hi, great clip. Just to clarify, the Factory Rear Difflock you’re demonstrating here is the mechanical difflock, right? I thought T6/6.1 4Motion usually had a default Electronic Difflock with Mechanical being a specific factory addition you must request. Great channel! 👍🏼
Thanks Saxon. Appreciate the kind words. Yes. The rear
Diff lock is the factory one that that you must order as an extra. I believe the t6.1 also has the hill descent option which in our experience has proven to be the best hill decent in any 4wd we have tested at the driver training facility. Big call but it’s true. !! Safe travels mate. Cheers. Alex.
Hi, not sure if anyone has asked this but I have a Hiace Awd and we added a rear electronic diff lock too, just wandering for driving on the beach would I need the diff lock on all the time or just sometimes in tricky situations? Thanks 😅
Where did you get push bar?
What if I dont have differential lock.... is that big bad ?
do you turn off the ESP before using the DIfflock ? Im confused when you need to turn off the ESP. Can you jack off the rockslides ?
Thanks for your question mshaooyeman. As far as I know the only way to turn off the esp is to turn off the traction control which by the way also disables the abs system. When tackling tricky terrain like shown in this vid where you need all the traction aids you have on board I would leave the traction control on when using the diff lock. Hope this makes sense. In terms of jacking up your vehicle, the only recommended jacking points are the one the manufacturer shows in the manual. I personally would not recommend jacking off the rock sliders. As it turn out I am Doing a clip on how to safely jack up and change a tyre weekend and will release it next week so keep a look out for it. Have a great weekend. Cheers. Alex.
@@4motionadventures934 Hi,
the ESP Button on the T5 upwards (2010+) only disables the ASR (Anti Schlupf Regelung (AntiSlipControl)) which limits the output power of the engine so no tire is slipping while accelerating. Common practice is to deactivate ASR (by pressing the ESP labeled button) while driving offroad because it limits the engine power while needing it in most offroad scenarios. It ONLY turns off the ASR and nothing else. So really you can drive in every situation without ASR (TractionControl) without sacrificing safetyfeatures like the abs. maybe it helps!
Cheers from Germany !
@@marcopallaske175 thanks Marco. Appreciate the info. Stay well. Cheers. Alex.
I would leave the ESP on when tackling difficult terrain as well as the diff lock. The diff lock serves to allow the rear axle to turn at the same time irrespective of what wheel is off the ground and with the traction control on it takes care of the front wheels in terms of limiting power to those wheels that do not have traction.
I would not recommend using the rock sliders to jack your van. The only place I would jack a van in is the designated jacking points.
Hope this helps. Cheers. Alex.
Hello, can we go this way with a T 6 4motion without differential lock? Thanks
Gday Atprod. The answer is yes you can tackle this type of terrain without a rear diff lock however you won’t have as much control over the vehicle which is where issues can arise. I say this because even with traditional 4WD’s we always recommend going easy on the drive train. The 4motion system is very good in that it does stop driving going to the wheels without traction but it’s not as responsive as we would like like as you have to power up before the system engages proper. The more power the more chance of thjngs breaking when you for example drop a wheel that’s spinning and it suddenly gets contact with the ground. The truth of the matter is that these vans as good as they are, are not built to go proper 4wding in terrain like that I have demonstrated on. They are more suited to general touring and sand driving. I just wanted to show the limits and that in the right hands they can certainly do more than what the showroom brochure shows you.
Happy travels. Cheers. Alex.
@@4motionadventures934 hello thank you, I had no intention of going so far in difficulty. I bought a T6 4Motion (mid-height 2.10m and long 5.30m reinforced frame 3.2T) last year that I have fitted out and I am starting my first weekends and soon my holidays in a Van. What worries me the most is the ground clearance which is very low.
What is the solution to combine the fact of raising the shock absorbers that it remains comfortable and without going into crazy expenses.
😁. apart from a miracle... thank you
@@atprodT700 hey mate. I hear yia. Ground clearance is the biggest issue for our vans. We have a 2inch lift by Seikel which helps or there is another product called projekt lift kit imported by skyline campers that is a cracker. Gives up to 4 inch lift. Give them a call. They are in Gosford nsw. Otherwise if you don’t go for a lift you really just have to drive picking the highest points and picking the best line. Even with a two inch lift we are still treading very carefully. Of course it just means we go slower and enjoy the scenery better. 🤓🤓. Safe travels. Cheers. Alex.
if your not experienced dont try it good advice mate
but on the other hand if you dont try it how can you get experience lol
Hey Toby. Spot on mate. Tricky one but u make. Good point. Cheers. Alex.
That damm music ruined a good video