Manual Wheeling

Ok I know this question has all sorts of ways to be misinterpreted so I am going to try and fully explain.

I normally wheel in 4wL because I have a manual. Even going "fast" (relative to the terrain I am on), dogs first gear in 4wH. Now here is my question. Now picture this: I am coming up on a gentle, easy terrain down hill slope and I want to drift in neutral. As in same quality as a maintained dirt road==no rocks or anything of danger.

My question is this:

Should I shift out of 4wL before I coast in neutral, or is neutral the same in 4wL as it is in 4wH/2W?

 

ok just wondering because I would stop, shift out of 4wL then coast in high, then if I approached an obstacle, i would stop and shift back into the proper gears

 

Ask people who wheel with me, constantly in 4LO. You can coast as much as you want, or just throw it in 5th.

 

alright thanks for the response!!

 

X2

4lo isn't any different than 4hi or 2wd in terms of drivability/changing gears.
Use the gears as necessary to produce the speeds you want whether you're on the gas or coasting (engine braking).

 

There is a max speed in 4L. Somewhere around 45 MPH. Probably worth checking your manual.

 

That's gear limited though. Physically impossible to go faster.

 

The discussion was about coasting in neutral, and you could easily exceed the rated limit on a long downhill. The speed is probably printed for that exact reason. The output shaft on the transmission, and the internal chain on the T-case were only designed to spin so quickly. At the max rated speed the output to the T-case is spinning over 6000 RPMS.....in gear or out, clutch in or out....(think output shaft bearing wear / heat.)

 

i read on ttora that its better to coast in gear and not with the clutch in or neutral to help take some load off of the clutch....not sure that i buy that, but the guy who posted it was a pretty hardcore wheeler so maybe he knows his stuff. i always coast in N and havent had any problems but i dont ever go over 10mph (if that) in 4lo....i wheel in 2wd and dont put it in 4wd unless im stuck and want to get out

 

isthatahemi sounds like he knows his stuff. I was told the same thing by a master mechanic. My question to him was "do I go 10mph in 1st gear high range, or 3rd gear Lo range"? his response....."Where do you want the heat" ? big tranny, or lill t-case.

 

ehh, i dont buyt that at all... transfer cases are generally very strong. Honestly, i wouldnt worry too much about it man, just do whatever feels right for you and have fun.

 

Why put it in neutral at all?

When I'm wheeling, I never put it in neutral ever. Regardless if I'm in hi or lo range. It's always in gear. I always let the engine keep my speed where I want/need it to be whether I'm on the gas or allowing the engine to slow me down.

 

yeah, the kind of trails I run, I'm usually in 4lo, and keep bout 5-15mph. If i'm going over 15 or so, I might as well be in 2wd. I can also say the same thing; uh...what situation calls for "Georgia Overdrive" downhill anyway???

 

So are diesel engines, but not if spin them fast....