10 miles a month in 4X4

I switch to 4H in wet/raining conditions - just for a bit to get it going.

 

As do I, during Spring thru Fall I wait for a rainy day and drive a few miles on a fairly straight road.

 

thanks for info!

 

There is a 4-5 mile semi-straight stretch on the way to my parents. I'll engage it on that stretch a couple times per month. Although I use 4lo nearly every weekend, I still like to keep the diff and t-case lubed at high speed.

 

LOL is good for the heart but the reason I asked the question is because I'm sure I'm not the only one with this situation and for those few like me with OCD who read their owners manual I just wanted to start this thread to see other's suggestions. I've been wheel'n for 30+ years and always just ran 4WD on occasion and never had any issues. When I read 10 miles I was just wondering why 10 miles. Tks TW

 

A locker sends equal power to both wheels on the axle. When you're unlocked (open diff), the wheel with the least amount of traction is getting the power. For example, if you're off-roading and you end up with one rear wheel on the ground and the other in the air...the one in the air is going to spin while the one on the ground won't do anything or go anywhere. If you're locked or engage your locker, the one on the ground will now get torque and will push you along.

 

The issue with 4Hi on pavement is that you are locking the front and rear ends together. When you turn, the front wheels take a different arc than the rear wheels which causes the system to bind up at the transfer case. You are correct that each axle has a differential that allows the right/left wheels to turn different degrees (if not locked with a locker). The transfer case is not a differential and locks the front/rear axles together. No relative motion is allowed.

 

Make damn sure you jump out and turn our hubs in first.

Fess up: who here doesn't have a clue what I'm talking about?

SB

 

PRO BRO owner here

No clue what you talking about

 

Twenty (or was it thirty?) years ago, in order to put a truck in four-wheel drive, you'd have to get out and twist the hubs to lock the front end.

I don't miss "manual" hubs.

SB

 

I think my dads oriignal Nissan Patrol had that

 

My Dads 89 toyota had manual hubs.

 

I like manual hubs. But its hafd to beat push button.

 

I loved the manual hubs on my 1992 Toyota pickup. If we had those now, we could simply lock the hubs and leave it in 2Hi for 10 miles each month.

Edit: Another parlor trick was 2Lo...low range leaving the hubs unlocked. They just give you simplicity and flexibility.

 

What?!?!!??!

 

My buddy had this stupid joke where he will be driving and then pull over at random, get out and yell ahh $hit.. everyone thinks something is wrong, then get back into the car and say "forgot to unlock the hubs."
You gotta be there for it to be funny, but it works well with a Corolla haha
This reminded me of that haha

 

The trouble isn't left/right track differences, it's front/rear track differences. If the front axle travels a different distance than the rear axle, the front and rear driveshafts spin a different number of rotations.

Switch to 4WD and the front and rear driveshafts are locked together and must spin the same number of rotations. See the trouble now?

Typically not a problem until you start turning more sharply on a surface where wheels can't slip.

 

Ten miles a month is not necessary. Where I live there are a few gravel roads that can always be taken as an alternate route and I use one at least once a month and shift in 4X4 for a mile or two. I probably don't get it in low range that often, but occasionally shift to 4lo for a mile or so a few times a year. During the Fall I hunt a lot and am on such roads several times each week.

I've driven a lot of 4X4's going back to the 1970's and the only issue I had was with a 1991 Jeep Cherokee my wife drove. It didn't get driven in 4X4 often enough and the lack of lubrication prevented the hubs from locking for a while until the hubs were taken apart and cleaned.

I can't repeat this strongly enough; driving in 4X4 on pavement, even wet pavement or in a straight line is not a good idea. For short distances you'll probably be ok. But not for a mile or more to get the 4X4 system lubricated. Find a gravel road, parking lot or even a grassy area where you can drive. Even if you can't get in a miles worth of driving 50-100 yards occasionally on gravel or grass is better than a mile on wet pavement.

 

I've 4x4'd trucks that were never used in 4x4 for years at a time. Never had an issue. Some of this stuff they put in the manual just to CYA.

 

This raises a question for me. I live in SoCal and drive up to Mammoth and Big Bear a few times a year (mountain ski/board spots). Many times the roads require chains and signs are posted as such, with an exception. 4 wheel drive vehicles and/or cars with snow tires. Sooooo, if I'm driving in the mountains and the paved roads are covered in snow requiring chains, I still shouldn't use 4x4?