Using the 4WD feature on dry pavement...

[jetdave56]

what kind of damage to differentials or transmisson if driven for periods of time, 1k-2k miles?

 

[IZwack]

Using 4wd on pavement is fine as long as the vehicle drives on a perfectly straight line and your tires are exactly the same diameter. If you make any turns, binding in the drivetrain will result. The damage can vary from nothing or a skip/chirp of a tire on a turn, to worn tires, a stretched or broken transfer case chain, undue stress on the pinion gear (which will shorten its service life) and so on. The list of where damage could occur is pretty long and includes the entire drivetrain "downstream" of the transmission's output shaft - which includes the transfer case, the driveshaft, the differential assembly, the CV axle shafts, and tires.

 

[97xxxploder]

y would u drive in 4wd on dry pavement? sounds like a waste of gas and hard times for ur truck. is it broke or stuck in 4wd? tire size is key. they must be the exact same size on dry pavement to prevent damage

 

[jetdave56]

y would u drive in 4wd on dry pavement? sounds like a waste of gas and hard times for ur truck. is it broke or stuck in 4wd? tire size is key. they must be the exact same size on dry pavement to prevent damage

just got her...first SUV 4WD...

 

[Tn4x4]

Yeah don't use 4wd on pavement.

AT ALL!!!

 

[JohnnyO]

The front diff will blow out but the transfer case will probably explode before then.

 

[jetdave56]

The front diff will blow out but the transfer case will probably explode before then.

Even at that many miles?....don't know about first 91K driven by the 2 previous owners...one was a lease...

 

[JohnnyO]

Does your Ex have a 4-Auto position? It won't hurt anything then. Locked in 4-Hi or 4-Low, you don't want to drive it on dry pavement.

 

[jetdave56]

Does your Ex have a 4-Auto position? It won't hurt anything then. Locked in 4-Hi or 4-Low, you don't want to drive it on dry pavement.

yes...its has the 3 buttons on the right side ...on top 4wd auto below 4wd high below that 4wd low...I took the car and drove in auto..

 

[BigRondo]

yes...its has the 3 buttons on the right side ...on top 4wd auto below 4wd high below that 4wd low...I took the car and drove in auto..

Driving in auto will not harm anything. When in auto, if the rear wheels slip then the front wheels will engage. When on pavement, always have it in auto.

 

[JohnnyO]

Driving in auto will not harm anything. When in auto, if the rear wheels slip then the front wheels will engage. When on pavement, always have it in auto.

Yes, only lock in in 4-Hi if you are off-road in dirt or driving on-road in a whole lot of snow. Frankly I don't care for the way 4-Auto and the Stability Control jerks me around in snow. If there's a lot of white stuff I just lock it in 4-Hi, turn off the Stability Control, and drive it myself unless I'm on a snow-covered highway going 45 or so.

IF this is your first 4x4 and you are not familiar with driving one in snow, keep these things in mind:
1. When you are turning on a snow covered road, it will want to go straighter than what you have the steering wheel turned for. The front tires, because they are turned, will break traction long before the rear tires will. This will cause the vehicle to "push", as the NASCAR drivers say. Go easy on the gas in turns.
2. 4x4's GO better in snow than regular cars but they do not necessarily STOP or TURN any better. It is easy to become overconfident and this is why you will sometimes see more 4x4's in the ditch than regular cars. 4wd works by letting you power your way out of problems, however if you are already going too fast, it won't help and now you've got more problems...like guardrails, utility poles, trees, oncoming traffic, or parked cars.
3. Tires matter. Dedicated snow tires are best, and all-terrains are better than all-seasons or mud-terrains. The all-season tires that came on my Sport Trac new were utterly awful and downright dangerous in snow. After the first winter with the ABS working overtime, I got all-terrains before the second winter. Much better. I run Blizzaks on my wife's Taurus in the winter and it goes as well in snow as my truck and turns and stops better.
4. Ice. Not much you can do except brace yourself for impact. Dedicated snow and ice tires help a little bit.

Feel free to quote or copy and paste my snow driving tips.

 

[IZwack]

..as the NASCAR drivers say.

NAS what? I've never heard of that term :

 

[Allen35540]

Does your Ex have a 4-Auto position? It won't hurt anything then. Locked in 4-Hi or 4-Low, you don't want to drive it on dry pavement.

Let's get all. this straight! STANDARD 4WD can be used only off road, damage to the drivetrain may result if driven extensively on pavement. Control Trac or Sport Trac 4wd can apportion power between the wheels easily and favors running on the rear wheels unless they begin to slip, where it apportions the load to the front wheels as needed. You can use this form of 4WD on dry pavement all the time if you want. I suggest leaving it in two wheel drive on good pavement, 4WD does consume some power on the V6 and reduces the fuel economy.

 

[IZwack]

Let's get all. this straight!

I thought JohnnyO pretty much straightened it out. If this thing gets any straighter, it might become an imaginary vector.

 

[jetdave56]

thanks to everyone for there input....I do have alot exp.in my Suburu Forrester AWD (9yrs)....you cetainly don't fishtail sometimes in ice and snow like my town car...but with the town car's long wheel base and one wheel posi-traction for ice..never had serious spin out...the Awd Forrester definitly hugged the icey snowy pavement much better..