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4wd on dry pavement?

9K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  RedAlert 
#1 ·
Living in the mountains of NJ and having been pounded by snow and ice lately, the roads are getting pretty bad. One stretch of road I'm on daily is 11 miles of rough pavement which is clear in some spots, and others have 3+ inches of frozen slop on them. The dry spots are fine in 2wd but the crappy spots can cause spin outs easily(lots of long curves), and 4wd helps out greatly to maintain control of the truck. Does it hurt the transfer case and front diff that much to drive the whole stretch in 4wd? Obviously not driving fast (25-30 tops). Its a freaking pain to have to stop and flop in in 4wd then stop again to switch it out.
 
#2 · (Edited)
First of all you don't have to stop to put it in or out of 4wd Red.
Second, the only real damage you can do is to run 4wd where there is no slippage and turn.
Meaning in a straight line 4wd can be used on any surface.
However if you will be turning the front and rear diff needs to be able to slip because the inside wheel and the outside wheel will not have to turn the same exact revolutions and this causes binding.

Make sense?

My general rule for 4 wheel drive is I don't use it unless I absolutely have to.
Hell, it's more fun in 2wd slipping and sliding the back end.
Sometimes I engage 4 wheel just to get going and then drop it back into 2wd after I'm rolling.
Stop and go in town is where I use 4wd the most and this of course is only when the roads are covered with the slippery stuff.
 
#8 · (Edited)
This...

I know for a fact that if it's not slippery enough out, backing out of my driveway in 4WD will cause it to bind, to the point where it won't go out of 4WD, and the only option I have is to either go back in the driveway, or gas it a bit and you'll hear it sping itself loose (usually the rear tire jumps)

For obvious reasons, I don't do that (pull in w/ 4WD, turn it off in the driveway, then shut it down) - lol, but I tend to forget every once in a while, and I'm sure it doesn't play nice w/ the components. No worse than someone who off-road crawls though...IMO.

It also seems that if you're in 4WD and going down the road, it does bind a bit to where it won't go out of 4WD...until you turn. Seems that the longer traversal of the front end (compared to the rear) on a turn, is what will allow the front end to disengauge. I try to wait until I'm about to turn to flip it back to 2WD so the servo isn't trying to push it out of 4WD...I imagine that (the servo trying to push it out of 4WD without success) can't be good for it.


Also, I have no qualms about driving at whatever speed the road conditions allow for when in 4HI. THat's what it's there for, else there'd be 2WD and 4Lo only.
 
#3 ·
I just throw it in neutral to switch it back and forth when going at speed. However, if I'm in a parking lot, I make an effort to stop and switch it in and out of 4-high. Only time you should be stopped is when going into low 4-wheel.
 
#4 · (Edited)
If the road is questionable, I leave it in 4HI. I never stop to engage it, nor do I shift into neutral, and I never travel at highway speed with it engaged. I've had the rear slide around on me in 2WD, and it is most certainly dangerous if you're on a road with other traffic or obstructions (such as guard rails).

If the road is mostly dry with some questionable sections, I would just leave it in 2WD and put it in 4HI on the fly as needed.


JKG
 
#5 ·
The only turning I'm doing is to follow the curves in the road and into my driveway. This road is a nightmare to drive with it slick and the truck being in 2wd. I don't mind controlled sliding, but with a 5ft deep trench on oneside and huge lakes on the other, if you off the road, you're screwed.
 
#6 ·
I would probably switch in and out as needed. heck, I take it out of 4wd backing into my garage because I can feel it binding if I dont....and thats in snow.
 
#7 ·
sounds like 515 in vernon
 
#10 · (Edited)
Very close!!! Next one over, Cannistear(also known as Can-not-steer)

We have had a lot of snow in the northeast so 4H is very handy.

Red's fear is losing it to the guard rail on the left or into the lake on the right. So long as the truck is moving in a straight line with minimal acceleration, the truck will not drift to either side. On the other hand, if you want to lay torque to the ground such as accelerating or turning, then there is risk of the rear end coming around in 2H.

So what I do is for a patchy road is to use 4H if I know I want to change directions or make a serious move. I can switch in and out of 4H easily. I will not use 4H for small radius turns if the road does not have enough slip.

However, if you feel the steering wheel twitch in your hand, then you are in a bind situation. This should be avoided.

Some will tell you that 2WD + mass in the bed is the same as 4WD. NFW. I carry 200+ lbs of transfer case and front pumpkin all year long just to save my butt in winter. It makes a difference.
And your assumption of my dilema is correct. I've lost it on that road 2 times already this year, thankfully in spots that I just ended up in some heavy snow with no damage at all. The road crews do a minimal job and the temp not going above 15 for 2 days now doesnt allow the ice to melt at all. I'm not worried so much about getting moving, as losing control around bends. Drifting can be fun in wide open areas, but not doing 360s on roads with traffic.
 
#14 ·
I'm about the only one who does drive slower on that road. The people up here are nuts. I could care less how fast I go, as long as I get there in one piece
 
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