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Performance Upgrades - Maintenance - Modifications - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street Trucks. Covering the Explorer, ST, Sport, Lincoln Aviator, Sport Trac, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Aerostar. Featuring H.I. - Human Intelligence.
I have heard that using 4x4 in the cities is bad for your suv. Is this true? I usually put it into 4x4 if there is snow on the road. Should I only use it if the snow is extremely bad? What about on the highway? Any help would be great. What do you guys do during the winter regarding 4x4?
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If there's enough snow on the road that you start slipping and sliding around in 2WD, then you can use 4WD. We only average 4 inches or less of snow from November - February down here, so I don't get to drive around in the snow too often, but as a general rule if you can't get around in 2WD, flip it over to 4WD..otherwise just stay in 2WD.
Running your car in full 4x4 on regular roads is bad for your car. But in the winter its what the 4x4 is made for situations that normal cars would have a problem driveing, on winter surfaces. Its bad in a way because when you turn too sharp with 4x4 on you have a chance of feeling the car, shudder because the frount wheels are trying to pull the way your steering and the back wheels are going forward. But absolutly not its not bad to go 4x4 in winter on roads that have snow on them. In Auto which moast explorers have you should be fine because once the car feels the back wheels slipping, it will send torque to the frount to even it out and keep the car under controll. If your dealing with 3 or more in. of snow. I use just 4x4 high. That way the car doesnt have as much strain on it haveing to keep sending torque to the front. And all wheels are allways working to keep you on the road.
Best Regards,
Landon
Don't forget- no matter what mode you have selected, you always have 4 wheel brakes. The ability to stop, or lack thereof, is what gets most people into trouble in the winter.
I ask mainly because I am going on a trip over a summit pass in a couple weeks and parts are usually really bad and others are not to bad. So would it be okay to leave it in 4hi for the entire 3 hour drive or should I keep getting in and out to flip it around when I hit dry parts. Should I even use it on the highway?
You can use it on the highway, but try to keep it under 55 MPH (88 KPH) and only when you really need it. It's not a good idea to use 4WD on dry pavement.
I ask mainly because I am going on a trip over a summit pass in a couple weeks and parts are usually really bad and others are not to bad. So would it be okay to leave it in 4hi for the entire 3 hour drive or should I keep getting in and out to flip it around when I hit dry parts. Should I even use it on the highway?
its kind of what you feel comfortable with IMO. obviously dont go through dry pavement switchbacks locked in 4wd. if you get to an area where its dry for a lil while you can always just unlock to drivers side hub so the tires can differentiate in turns and its quicker than unlocking both. BUT only works if you have manual hubs, also remember if you leave one locked that parts will still turn once moving so mpg will drop some.
Running your car in full 4x4 on regular roads is bad for your car. But in the winter its what the 4x4 is made for situations that normal cars would have a problem driveing, on winter surfaces. Its bad in a way because when you turn too sharp with 4x4 on you have a chance of feeling the car, shudder because the frount wheels are trying to pull the way your steering and the back wheels are going forward. But absolutly not its not bad to go 4x4 in winter on roads that have snow on them. In Auto which moast explorers have you should be fine because once the car feels the back wheels slipping, it will send torque to the frount to even it out and keep the car under controll. If your dealing with 3 or more in. of snow. I use just 4x4 high. That way the car doesnt have as much strain on it haveing to keep sending torque to the front. And all wheels are allways working to keep you on the road.
Best Regards,
Landon
I have lived in snow country and I mean big snow country both Idaho and here in Calif were we talk feet of snow not inches!. here is what I do Now I have a manual transfer case and manual hubs but I leave it all unlocked tell I am on a slippery road then I pick my spot to stop lock it up drive and when its dry again for a distance of miles not feet I stop and unlock every thing.
Now here in Calif if they have chain control up then I lock in for it and run it that way tell there is no more chain control and some times that will mean running on dry roads but it is also less than 40 MPH also. Both of the two listed ways are the only time I wish I had auto hubs some times as then you can just put it into 4 H with out getting out but the problem comes in when unlocking as just putting it back into 2H dose not do it you have to stop and back up so the only thing deferent then manuals then is you do not have to go out side but going out side I never worry are they going to lock or not as I have seen Auto hubs not lock from getting wet and then freezing up or there lube getting to thick from the cold .
By the way when I first got my Ex I was living in Idaho and that is were it was for its first 7 years the rest of the time its been down here in Calif going over the Donner pass (give or take 8,000 feet) and other passes plus taking grandkids to the snow to play so the 4x4 gets a lot of use in the winter and before it I had a ranger 4x4 and also a Chevy suburban 4x4 and a Dodge PU 4x4 and only the Dodge PU had auto hubs and it was a love hate deal with them .
just remember 4x4 helps you go forward but dose nothing really to help you turn or stop better nor dose it make it safer to drive faster and on ice at slow speeds chains are still better but just a hassle and studded tiers are the next best .
just remember 4x4 helps you go forward but dose nothing really to help you turn or stop better nor dose it make it safer to drive faster and on ice at slow speeds chains are still better but just a hassle and studded tiers are the next best .
Bingo!! I'm glad to see someone out there that understands this too. I love watching the news during the snows. Every vehicle in the ditch usually is four wheel drive. Been there myself - ice sucks even when doing everything right.
4x4 helps you start moving, thats about it.
Normaly you should have no trouble running in Four hi or lo. Its when you turn while on dry pavement that things get interesting! Thats actually how I test to see if 4x4 locks in while test driving. At a stop, lock her in. drive forward slowly and turn the steering wheel slightly. You can feel the drivetrain bind up and if you push it, you can start hopping the tires. This shock loading is what destroys the t-case, u-joints, driveshafts etc.
I would agree with mostly what everyone has said. NEVER Drive on dry pavement locked in 4x4. At least get out and unlock the drivers side hub (if manual hubs) and turn off the 4x4. The best idea anyone could have is to only use the 4x4 when the roads are snow packed.
When in 4x4 the front wheels turn at the same rotation, so there is no slip. If you turn left the left wheel should only turn 2 times but during the same time the right side will try to turn 3 times (rough estimate). Now think of this when the front axle is locked and the tires try to go against the lock where is the extra slip going to go? Into the front drivetrain. Causing lots of stress on all the parts. The tires will try to both spin 3 times during the turn but if there is traction (dry pavement) then either the tires will jump or the extra strain will go into the front drivetrain. Causing stress and premature wear to the u-joints, front axle, and the steering components.
Whenever I have ridden with anyone in a 4x4 they only used it when the veheicle wouldn't move anymore.
I would use it full time off road in the dirt or on a unpaved trail. I would use it full time on a snow packed road.
I ask mainly because I am going on a trip over a summit pass in a couple weeks and parts are usually really bad and others are not to bad. So would it be okay to leave it in 4hi for the entire 3 hour drive or should I keep getting in and out to flip it around when I hit dry parts. Should I even use it on the highway?
It sounds like you have manual hubs.. Keep the hubs locked in the whole time, just shift in and out of 4WD as needed.
You will sacrifice gas mileage by having the axles and Driveshaft turning with the hubs locked in but hopping in and out of the car doesn't make sense.
In teh old days, no vehicle had unlocking hubs. It was designed as a Gas saver and a way to keep all those parts from wearing for no reason. Your 3 hour trip is different then a 100K miles of everything turning.
In fact many new 4WD trucks are going back to not unlocking Hubs. Dodge Dakota for one. Everything up front spins all teh time. It only sepatare at teh Transfer Case.
When in 4x4 the front wheels turn at the same rotation, so there is no slip. If you turn left the left wheel should only turn 2 times but during the same time the right side will try to turn 3 times (rough estimate). Now think of this when the front axle is locked and the tires try to go against the lock where is the extra slip going to go? Into the front drivetrain. Causing lots of stress on all the parts. The tires will try to both spin 3 times during the turn but if there is traction (dry pavement) then either the tires will jump or the extra strain will go into the front drivetrain..
Sorry but this is wrong. On an Explorer, even if the transfer case is in 4wd, the two front wheels can and do still spin at different rates because of the open differential. This goes for all Explorers. The only way the front two wheels can be forced to spin at the same rate is if an aftermarket "locker" or other traction device was installed. Except for the rare 1995-1996 Explorers with the vacuum-actuated central axle disconnect (CAD) system on the front axle, the Explorer's 4wd has nothing to do with the axles/differentials, only the transfer case. In other words, the "lock" isnt at the axles, its at the transfer case.
The binding experienced when the 4wd system is used on dry traction is not between the two front wheels, but rather between the front wheels and the rear wheels since both differentials (driveshaft) are forced to spin at the same rate (i.e - the transfer case is "locked" or in 4wd) - regardless of whether one or both axles have a locker.
I agree with IZwack, my Dodge is like that as they do not have locking hubs and spin the whole drive train all the time. The big bad is if your tires are different front to rear even though they may be the same size like LT 235 75 15, if they are not the exact same brand and type they may be slightly different in outer circumference and if you engage 4x4 on dry pavement you risk either destroying the transfer case or front diff because of the different rotating speeds. Not rotating your tires can give you the same thing if one set wears faster. That being said lock the hubs and go just hit the 4x4 button as driving conditions dictate and take it off as soon as the pavement appears ice free.
