4wd Newbie Question #2

Question #2: When should I engage 4wd?

1. Anytime I turn off the pavement...even though I can probably make it through with 2wd?
2. When I fill uncertain about what I'm going to drive through?
3. When I'm stuck and the wheels are spinning?

As I mentioned in the last thread..."I've always had 2wd trucks in the past, but I decided to go with 4wd this time to access places to fish and kayak when we are traveling." The places I plan to access are in Florida so far,...no ice, snow or mountains here. These areas usually consist of:

1. Loose rock with extremely mild incline / decline if any. These are usually packed and are use by different agencies like Fish & Wildlife Officers, public works, etc.
2. Very thick mud hole usually filled with water during the rainy months.
3. Very soft ground covered with wet grass. Soft enough that you feel the ground being compressed and maybe sinking in it ankle deep or more just walking through it.

Would I use 4hi or 4lo in these situations?

 

1.1. No.
1.2. Yes.
1.3. Never. Stop the spinning before you engage 4wd. Also, no heavy throttle wheel spinning in 4wd and no big steering angle while spinning. Your CVs can frag. Search some of the failure threads from this and previous winters for easy examples.

2.1. No worries here at all. Get your feet wet there and enjoy it.
2.2. Go in with 4wd and be careful. Maybe scout it first?
2.3. Probably avoid this unless you have recovery gear, esp traction boards, winch and ground anchor, etc.


Given the questions in your threads so far, I would recommend:

-- Find some chill locals to go out with.
-- Read more threads here.
-- Watch more intro vids on YouTube.



Edit: Also, you have the ear of interested folks in your other thread. You might consider just keeping that conversation going? You can edit thread titles, if needed.