What speed is too fast for 4hi?

3351 Views 23 Replies 14 Participants Last post by dzinice, Feb 11, 2022

Frontiermedic248

Discussion Starter · Feb 4, 2022

I know you should probably be below 50mph to engage 4 wheel drive but is there a speed that would hurt the truck if I’m in 4hi? There were some dry runs and some pretty deep snow covered spots in the highway coming home today and instead of switching back and forth between 2 wheel drive and 4hi I just kept it in 4hi. It got me to wondering if I shouldn’t be doing 65mph+ while in 4hi even though it’s in cleared off spots on the highway. Thoughts?
Thanks in advanced.

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Clint

· #2 · Feb 5, 2022

Let
Me

Frontiermedic248 said:
I know you should probably be below 50mph to engage 4 wheel drive but is there a speed that would hurt the truck if I’m in 4hi? There were some dry runs and some pretty deep snow covered spots in the highway coming home today and instead of switching back and forth between 2 wheel drive and 4hi I just kept it in 4hi. It got me to wondering if I shouldn’t be doing 65mph+ while in 4hi even though it’s in cleared off spots on the highway. Thoughts?
Thanks in advanced.

Let us know where you’re driving like that so we can steer clear. If you need 4WD for the road conditions, why would you dare drive that fast? It’s bad for the system to drive on dry roads and then you suddenly hit deep snow. Unless there’s ice, snow or mud you shouldn’t be in 4X4 mode as you’ll bind up the drivetrain.

Clint

Reactions: 2

Nissan4Life

· #3 · Feb 5, 2022

Wife has driven my truck 75 mph in 4hi. Not for that long 10-15 miles. I wouldn't take it over 55. When traveling highway speeds you really don't need 4wd. 45 is about as fast as I usually take it.

Manual says no faster than 62 mph in 4hi. Also says don't shift from 2 to 4hi at speeds over 62 mph. page 5-112/113
OWNER'S MANUAL (nissanusa.com)

Reactions: 3

Frontiermedic248

Discussion Starter · #4 · Feb 5, 2022

Clint said:
Let
Me

Let us know where you’re driving like that so we can steer clear. If you need 4WD for the road conditions, why would you dare drive that fast? It’s bad for the system to drive on dry roads and then you suddenly hit deep snow. Unless there’s ice, snow or mud you shouldn’t be in 4X4 mode as you’ll bind up the drivetrain.

Clint

Well as I said previously^^^^…. there were spots where the highway had been cleared off and everyone was doing 65mph. I have several turns onto side roads that were not cleared and needed 4x4. I’m not driving in an unsafe manner. I work wrecks every day where people get hurt from stupid drivers. I’m simply asking if there is or isn’t a speed in which the 4hi would become damaged…

Reactions: 1

Avalon

· #5 · Feb 5, 2022

62 mph is the suggested limit.

I keep it 55 and under as a good buffer zone.

Reactions: 1

Frontiermedic248

Discussion Starter · #6 · Feb 5, 2022

Nissan4Life said:
Wife has driven my truck 75 mph in 4hi. Not for that long 10-15 miles. I wouldn't take it over 55. When traveling highway speeds you really don't need 4wd. 45 is about as fast as I usually take it.

Manual says no faster than 62 mph in 4hi. Also says don't shift from 2 to 4hi at speeds over 62 mph. page 5-112/113
OWNER'S MANUAL (nissanusa.com)

Thank you sir. That was helpful. I have about an hour and a half drive to work and I would need to engage the 4x4 about every 10 minutes to go on a side road and then back to 2 wheel drive each time I turned back on the highway so that was why I was asking. Thank you for the info. I didn’t realize the manual had that information. I appreciate it!

Frontiermedic248

Discussion Starter · #7 · Feb 5, 2022

Avalon said:
62 mph is the suggested limit.

I keep it 55 and under as a good buffer zone.

Thank you sir. I was keeping it around 40mph or less while in the snow and ice but then occasionally would be in spots where it had been cleared and would have to do highway speeds. I didn’t know if it would be worse on the truck to switch back and forth a lot between 4x4 and 4x2 or just stay in 4x4 and drive highway speeds. It’s really back and forth a lot during my commute. Thanks for the advice!

Nissan4Life

· #8 · Feb 5, 2022

I switch back and forth alot. Never been a problem.

Reactions: 5

Krons

· #9 · Feb 5, 2022

In your situation I'd change the ATF in the transfer case every 20k or so. I did mine at 30k and it was filthy, shifted in and out of 4WD much better after the change.

Reactions: 1

IAm_Not_Lost

· #10 · Feb 5, 2022

If you’re not passing people on the highway in 4HI then you aren’t doing it right.

Reactions: 3

old greybeard

· #11 · Feb 5, 2022

I’ve done a 160 mile trip, 64-70 mph in 4 hi. By mistake. No issues. Don’t recommend it.

MiniDuti

· #12 · Feb 5, 2022

old greybeard said:
I’ve done a 160 mile trip, 64-70 mph in 4 hi. By mistake. No issues. Don’t recommend it.

Must have not of had too many turns to go that far without noticing.😬
Hate when chit like that happens! 😁

old greybeard

· #13 · Feb 5, 2022 (Edited)

MiniDuti said:
Must have not of had too many turns to go that far without noticing.😬
Hate when chit like that happens! 😁

Didn’t even act up on the highway or multiple 90 degree regular turns. Bound up backing up in my driveway. Changed the transfer case and differentials fluids soon after, ran 40k more miles no issues.

Reactions: 1

V8 man

· #14 · Feb 6, 2022

112 MPH. That is where you will hit the top speed limiter. 4HI will work that fast without issues.

Now why would you be going that fast and needing 4WD? I have no idea. But it can be done.

Reactions: 1

ssundet

· #15 · Feb 6, 2022

old greybeard said:
I’ve done a 160 mile trip, 64-70 mph in 4 hi. By mistake. No issues. Don’t recommend it.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

but the little 4wd icon is right in front of you lol

makes me feel less bad about my 1/4 mile "oh ****, 4HI is still on" moments, which happen seldomly

ssundet

· #16 · Feb 6, 2022 (Edited)

How fast can you go in 4HI? There's no limiter, that I know, but you should have a working knowledge of how your 4wd system works, its limitations, and how it can fail. There may be no limiter, but it's not recommended over 62mph according to your manual, and if you bind your driveline up from 63-112 mph, God save you.

4wd is designed for low traction environments; you can engage it up to about 62mph and it works great, but if you are using it like an AWD vehicle, I suggest you get an AWD. AWD will also work on the highway way better than 4wd lol.

If you use 4HI on the highway you are quite possibly using 4HI as a crutch, or because you are a hilarious ice road trucker speed wagon, and in that case, drive your heart out, just be careful of other people. Pass on the left.

Regardless, you should learn to navigate every environment in 2wd comfortably before using 4wd

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Reactions: 1

ssundet

· #17 · Feb 6, 2022

Frontiermedic248 said:
Thank you sir. I was keeping it around 40mph or less while in the snow and ice but then occasionally would be in spots where it had been cleared and would have to do highway speeds. I didn’t know if it would be worse on the truck to switch back and forth a lot between 4x4 and 4x2 or just stay in 4x4 and drive highway speeds. It’s really back and forth a lot during my commute. Thanks for the advice!

You can go back and forth as needed without issue, as many times as you want as long as it's under 62mph and as long as you don't bind the driveline in a high traction environment, it'll switch easy

Reactions: 2

Avalon

· #18 · Feb 7, 2022

I've noticed the two extreme attitudes here.

It's either "It's not a big deal, just don't drive on dry pavement"

Or

"4wd is only when the aliens invade and using it for anything else means you don't know how to drive."

Like most things, it's someplace in the middle.

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ddc411

· #19 · Feb 7, 2022

I run 65 in 4hi in my 2014. Switch in and out of 2wd & 4hi at any speed. Having the live front axel makes it smooth!
My 2000 had the manual t-case, with auto locking hubs. If in a panic, you needed 4hi, better slow down fast, grab the lever, and hope the gears match up before your sol! So we've progressed!

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

Reactions: 1

Frontiermedic248

Discussion Starter · #20 · Feb 7, 2022

Avalon said:
I've noticed the two extreme attitudes here.

It's either "It's not a big deal, just don't drive on dry pavement"

Or

"4wd is only when the aliens invade and using it for anything else means you don't know how to drive."

Like most things, it's someplace in the middle.

Haha only if running from aliens involves going less than 62mph though right?

Reactions: 1

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