What is the difference between a standard automatic transmission and DSG? The rumour is that DSG boxes are not suitable for towing purposes and are more expensive to maintain and repair. However, sales people are confident that these transmissions can be used for towing purposes. As a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is basically two variable-width pulleys with a special drive belt between them, surely this will be unsuitable for towing owing to the higher loads that cause more slip to take place and result in additional heat and wear of the belt?
JAN, By email
Answer: We share your concerns regarding towing with CVTs and dual-clutch transmissions because these transmissions are fairly new to passenger vehicles. However, in defence of the carmakers, they subject these transmissions to the same stringent tests during development as normal gearboxes, so theoretically they should be suitable for towing if the manufacturer supplies a tow rating. In simple terms, a torque-converter transmission has a fluid coupling that connects the engine with the gearbox. Therefore, there is no “hard” connection but always an element of slip (although some modern torque converters have a lock-up function). This fluid coupling easily absorbs some of the shunts associated with high loads, including during towing. The dual-clutch transmission is essentially a manual transmission with two output shafts (to enable the pre-selection of gears and make gearshifts faster). Each output shaft has a separate clutch that connects to the final drive. These clutches are smaller than a conventional clutch and may not be as robust in the long run when towing. The fact that Volkswagen has released a conventional (torque- converter) eight-speed automatic transmission for its Amarok bakkie must tell us something.
