turning around in 4hi on dirt trail

so i have a spot i go on weekends to that requires awd/4x4 hi to get to. At the site, you have to turn around before backing in and there isn't much space and you are basically going to be backing up into the site. in my awd/4x4 patriot it doesn't matter how hard you turn, it can deal with it in 4x4 locked so i just do the hug the cliff to the right then swing left as tight as i can go, back up turning wheels to the right, go forward turning wheels to the left, backup turning wheels to the right and up i go into the spot. the road there is mainly mountain hard packed dirt with some rocks here and there. if it's wet, it can be slick but not terrible. It would be slick enough for my xterra at times to spin the rears a little before straightening out- i was in 2wd with the xterra. i did not want to stress the xterra's 4x4 stuff by doing multiple turns even on "dirt".

i know you are not supposed to turn hard with 4x4 engaged but can these tacos handle that on dirt/small rocks/lsometimes a little mud? i should i just put back into 2wd at the dn before my turning and if she spins, stop, put in neutral, then 4hi, to back up?

 

As long as the wheels can spin somewhat freely in 4x4, you'll be fine. Anything but hard pavement will allow slippage to keep things from binding during hard turns.

 

I wouldn’t do it if loaded down with gear, I often just go to 2h to turn unless its spinning or slipping too much.

 

Yeah it's fine.

 

You'll be fine. I make sharp turns all day long in 4wd (hi and lo) on trails. As long as the wheels can slip if they need to you're good, on dirt they can do that just fine.

 

I agree with both above....it’s a knob turn to minimize un-necessary wear and tear.
It’s not like you have to get out to lock your hubs or even shift a lever.

 

right but say i go up in 2wd and backing up she is spinning? you can't engage 4x4 with wheels turned- as far as i have heard- so you have to, straighten wheels, put in neutral, put in 4x4 hi, put back in reverse then free yourself and you still have to turn.

with that said, do our trucks has some sort of limited slip in the back? my xterra does via the brakes and that helps. something that works in 2wd to prevent the wheels from spinning i am talking about. Maybe the traction control would kick in then?

 

You don’t need to be in neutral or park to put it into 4hi, that procedure is for 4lo.
I’ve never heard anything about only engaging 4x4 with the wheels straight....Sounds like bullshit to me.


I’ve been in the scenario you outlined camping and also backing into my buddy’s driveway. I turn the knob to 4hi and keep going.
You can shift into 4hi while moving ideally not under heavy stress.

The oem wranglers are a pure highway tire and have no grip off road unless you air them down to get a larger contact patch. But still suck compared to a real AT tire like bfg ko.

 

well i thought you should not shift into 4hi unless going straight and not hitting the gas. in my scenario, i would be backing up a steep hill with wheels turned hard. although, the taco has decent approach angle so i may be able to climb up the embankment in the front more than i do in my patriot to get more space to turn around...

 

Dude don't pay any attention to the guys above who want you to shift. Put the thing in 4HI when you get to the dirt and don't worry until you get back. Sharp turns are fine on dirt.

Geez guys, unless you KNOW what you are talking about then don't opine.
It takes a lot more force to break your transfer case than it does to slip a tire on pavement. Seriously there is like ONE picture of a busted case on the internet (from a Jeep that drive 800 miles on dry pavement 30 years ago) and that one damn picture has got you gun shy. Cmon man.

 

As long as your tire can slip, turning in 4hi is fine. It's the sharp turns on dry pavement that can cause problems. Gravel roads, dirt, any kind of loose pavement is absolutely fine to be in 4 hi. Ignore the other comments.

 

I've been doing this longer than most of the guys here have been alive. Paid for the repairs too. I suggest you get an education on how 4X4 works.

It only takes a second to move the little switch on the dash between 4X4 and 4X2. If you don't require 4X4 to get into a spot then go to 4X2. 4X4 was never intended to be used constantly. Anytime you can easily get through something without it, don't use it. Even off road.

And just because the transfer case doesn't break doesn't mean you aren't damaging it. The inside of the transfer case uses a chain to transfer the power from the transmission to turn the front driveshaft. When stressed the chain will stretch. It won't necessarily break, but one day you'll step on the gas and hear a chattering sound because the chain is now slipping on the gears inside the transfer case. The less stress you place on the chain the longer it lasts.

Getting it repaired ain't cheap. Ask me how I know.

 

How much does a chain cost? Buy chain. Fix stretched chain.

 

Yeah you should not shift into 4hi when spinning the tires.
Why can’t you stop and turn the knob?

And as the other know it all’s stated, you can put it in 4hi when you start off road.

 

Same here pops.

I’ve actually had a chain fray from wear from the previous owner and it blew open the case when I pulled off the road and put it in reverse.
Then I had to look for a case at junkyards and bought the $400 chain from Jeep.


And we agree about turning the knob....I said that earlier. Maybe this is a troll post.

 

Easy on the gas when going in and out of 4Hi. You can definitely have your steering wheel clocked. The risk there is if you spin and the grip hard, you could frag your CV.

 

Some differing opinions here, but that's how I do it and have done it for many years. When the tires hit the dirt, the truck is in 4-hi. Does not come out of 4-hi unless it is going into 4-lo, or I'm getting ready to get the tires back on pavement.

Have been out for weeks and hundreds upon hundreds of miles at a time, many years doing so, the truck remains in 4-hi, and have never had anything approaching a hiccup of a problem. Has always been that way on my 4x4's, and the of the 242k miles on my Gen1 (my longest owned vehicle...still have it), I'd say a minimum of 20k miles of that is off road, and in 4-hi. Straight driving, turns, hard turns, rocks, good roads, rough roads, dry roads, muddy roads, etc., etc. Drivetrain as solid as the day I bought it.

If my tires are in the dirt, it's in 4-hi. I like the control all 4 corners under power gives, and it has surely saved me from a lot more breaks than the zero I've had doing such for so long has.

 

Personally, I would err on the side of safety. If having 4hi enabled is giving you traction/control that you otherwise wouldn't have, then leave it on. You mention a cliff and potentially slick ground. In my mind, that's exactly what 4wd is for.

 

^^^ yup. Just put it in 4wd on the trail (low or high, whatever tickles your fancy) don't take it out until you hit pavement. Silly to put it in 2wd for turns, people that do that must not be doing trails where the turns are also obstacles that require 4wd. Just don't do it on pavement and you're good.

The words 'turn' and '4wd' in the same sentence are big time triggers on this forum

 

How do you know?

but seriously man, that sucks