10 miles a month in 4X4

I was not really referring to anybody really. I also live in Socal, and I must say we hardly get rain. Yes the mountains get snow, but 4x4 is only needed for the person that likes going off-road. Which I certainly do. I have a 2wd and wish I would have bought a 4x4, but that's another story. My father refuses to buy a 4x4 truck/suv because he will never go off-road and wont go to the mountains either. So he would never engage 4x4, so why buy one.

So back to the topic of needing to engage 4x4 10 miles a month. I still say that for someone that doesn't like the go off-road that would be a hassle to do.

 

It has to do with traction. The outside wheel in a turn, especially a tight turn, covers more ground than the inside wheel. If you lock those two wheels together so they spin at the same rate then you run into problems. IF the outside wheel needs to turn 100 times but the inside only 90 then one will have to be able to slip or lose some traction in order to make up for it and avoid binding. That's where terrain comes in. On dry pavement it is hard for a wheel to slip or give into that force. On gravel it can give way traction more easily. That's why LSDs (Limited Slip Differentials) are preferred in All-Wheel Drive vehicles over open or locking differentials. They allow for a certain amount of slippage which actually gives better traction in varied terrain.

 

Thats not 100% correct. You are referring to lockers more so than 4wd. Most of us have LSD so the wheels will still spin at different speeds even in 4wd. Additionally, that turn speed is really only considered at super tight turning with the wheel completely turned over. The real problem comes with the front axle and turning with the wheel completely turned over, however this is not affected at highways speeds. Additionally, a locker is superior in almost every terrain situation except tight turning on dry pavement and snow.

 

A basic concept for a basic question. I didn't feel the particulars of every vehicle difference mattered so much as just understanding the basic concept. But of course you can go much more in depth with the many differential systems each vehicle uses.

 

We are talking about a Toyota Tacoma on highway in 4H, not lockers. There's no reason to go into detail, you were just incorrect in your response.

To answer who you quoted. 4H is fine in almost all conditions except, super tight turning (like parking) and high speeds on highways. Lockers are bad in snow so don't use it.

 

Except you didn't answer him. He asked why. Why is it harder on 4Hi to turn on pavement rather than gravel? Why is turning on pavement bad but gravel okay?

Your answer is, because it's okay, don't use a locker in snow. Haha

4WD is also fine at highway speeds.

 

Left to right wheels can spin at different speeds in 4WD. It is the front drive shaft and back driveshaft that cannot rotate at different speeds while turning (in 4WD). That is what binds on dry pavement. Off road, wet pavement, or snow allows tires to slip when the front ones rotate more than the back. The max speed is for engaging 4WD not the max. speed for driving in 4WD. AWD sports cars go 100 mph and the only major difference between 4WD and AWD is that AWD has a third differential so you can turn on dry pavement.

 

but I did, you are just arguing to argue.

 

Lulz

 

PS, lockers prevent slip from left to right the same way a transfer case without a third differential prevents slip from front to back in 4WD.

 

Great clarification! Thanks!


I felt the concept of the fact that wheels spinning at different speeds need to be able to slip a little was the main point, but you're absolutely right ha my bad.

 

It's not like it's hard to turn a switch to 4hi while on a generally straight section of road.

 

I usually wait for it to rain then drive a couple miles in 4hi on a fairly straight road, never had any issues.

 

I have found this to work.
I do not engage the systems while moving though, unless in a situation like snow that i would need to.
I do not like the clunk sound that happens while moving. Sometimes the locker is sticky and will not disengage unless moving, but that is on the retracting cycle.

 

Im in So-Cal/Orange County and there are a few trails within 30-60 mins from my house. If anyone wants to know where just let me know and its not hard trails either.

 

This four-wheel-drive-on-pavement issue used to be a much bigger deal when front-ends had U-joints instead CV joints. The old U-Joints really jerked when on a firm surface after the (4x4) hubs* were locked. CV joints became standard about 1990 or so. It's a major improvement in 4-wheel drive vehicles.

SB

*anyone here remember hubs?

 

This is my problem about 4x4 on the highway at 120 kph

Me and the wife traveling I'm driving in 2wd and the truck ass end starts to slide abit nothing that would rattle me but enough for the wife to start to panic and yell at me to put it in 4wd I always thought 4wd you would have to drive slower

And I'm also one of them guys that like to come to a full stop before engaging 4hi or lo like mentioned aboved don't like the sound it makes well on the move
I'll engage it on either full stop or a slow crawl

When I use my 4wd I typically am driving max 50-60 kph

 

I would be down but I am in Santa Clarita area. It's a drive to Orange County.