4WD Binding - Switchbacks

I'm new to part-time 4WD vehicles. I've driven some full-time 4WD vehicles in the past and I'm just now learning about some of the limitations of the part-time system (primarily using on dry pavement).

So, I understand turning on drive pavement is an issue. And it seems sharp turns in general are tough for part-time 4WD vehicles. I understand sharp turns on pavement are a no-no, but I'm concerned with sharp turns while off-roading.

I live in Colorado and I plan to drive a lot of tight forest service roads and mountain roads. These roads are typically steep dirt/rock roads, and often have larger "fixed" rocks or boulders. In addition, many of them have tight switchbacks, which are typically 180-degree turns where you have to crank your wheel all the way.

How do you guys handle switchbacks while off-roading? Is it OK to slowly make this tight of a turn in 4LO since the wheels are likely able to slip on a dirt/rock path? If not, how do you get through the turn? Fwd/Reverse and do a 10-point turn? Shift to 2WD for the turn and back into 4WD once you've straightened out? I could see that not working in some areas where the switchback is pretty gnarly...

Any advice you can give me would be much appreciated!

 

In my limited opinion, there aren't many off-road places that would induce the kind of binding that would damage anything. If there is grit/dirt/rocks, you should be fine. It might jump and slip a bit though. Maybe someone with a lot of rock crawl exp can chime in.

 

It's fine.

 

Also, I appreciate your choice of avatar.

 

Thanks homies... DCSBFTMFW I like your avatar better! I think once I get out there and start messing with it I'll get the feel for it. Picking truck up over Memorial Day just in time for some camping trips in the mountains!

 

You think you'll need to be in 4WD to drive the roads? I like to put mine in 2WD when turing around, if I can.

 

you will be fine turning wheel to the post as long as there's gravel there. Your truck inside tire will bounce around some in a tight turn but as long as you're on gravel you'll be ok. I drive a fair amount on fire roads and do 3pt turns which is a tight as it gets and the truck is fine. Just take it slow and easy with a tight turn like that. You can always drop it back to 4wd-hi but getting it back to 4wd-lo you sometimes need a little space to "wiggle" the truck back into LO. I.E. sometimes its a pain in the ass.

What I do on fire roads here and they are about 20-25% grade pretty steep, is go up in 4wd-lo and go down in 4wd-hi, on level blacktop get out of 4wd.

Just be sure when you are switching into or out of 4WD-LO your truck is STOPPED completely.

 

if there is binding, you don't need to be in 4wd anyway.