Have to agree with Kenneth. Unless there is a differential that will allow tires to turn a different speeds between the front and rear, you should not run 4x4 on dry pavement as binding can and will occur, especially during turns.
To the original poster, find a gravel or dirt road and engage it. Your driveline and tires will thank you.
From page 56 of my 1995 Dodge Ram Owner's Manual......
"Use 4H and 4L driving positions for low traction conditions only (mud,sand, or snow). Do not use four wheel drive on dry, hard surfaced roads. Increased tire wear and damage to driveline components may occur."
BiGG with all due respect you are wrong. The front axle on part time 4 wheel drive vehicles does not act like a differential, allowing for different wheel speeds during any turning event. It functions more like a straight axle. And in regards to your challenge here it is directly from the 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 4X4: Page 237 from the Owner's Manual states "The 4H and 4L positions (referring to the transfer case already previously referenced in the manual)are intended for loose, slippery road surfaces only. Driving in the 4H and the 4L positions on hard surfaced roads may cause increased tire wear and damage to the driveline components."
There is a big difference between AWD and 4WD. 4H and 4L on dry hard surfced roads may cause increased tire wear and damage to the driveline components caused by the driveline binding. The transfer case doesn't have any give. The only give you have is the differentials. The binding will be even more pronounced with a limited slip in the rear axle. If you have a limited slip in the front axle, this binding becomes at least 10 times worse. I have personally felt the binding/bucking in Chevy, Dodge, GMC, and Toyota 4x4 trucks that I have driven.
The Dodge manual specifically says not to run in 4WD on hard dry surfaces. Only on slippery surfaces. I.E. Rain, dirt, snow.
- 2004 2500 QC Short Bed, 4x4, 48re, Brite White, HOG 4" T-304 T-Back, Self made PSMBuick style intake, Isspro Pyro/Boost/Tranny Temp sittin on the dash
- 06 Pilgrim Legends 30RE2SLF-5 12,000lbs loaded
- B&W Hide-A-Ball w/5th wheel Companion
There is no differentiation between using your 4WD on dry pavement or gravel roads. The truck can’t tell the difference so it doesn’t matter.
This would be true on newer vehicles but not older ones. Anything with manual locking hubs on the front likely would suffer damage if you drove it with hubs engaged and transfer case engaged on hard dry pavement.
However, I don't know how many of these are still on the road.
When I had my 1971 Chevy 1/2 ton and my 1981 Datsun trucks, about once a month I would drive it round trip to work with either the hubs locked or the transfer case in 4hi, but not both. This was to move the fluids around.
In the Datsun I also would drain the front differential every two years and replace the fluids. One time the guy that wrote up the order to drain the fluids thought I was nuts, until they did the work and discovered that there was small amount of moisture in the front differential.
I don't think the seals were all that good back in those days.
Today with my 2002 Silverado I don't worry about it because I don't have any hubs to lock.
Wayne in San Jose
TV1:2002 Chevy 1500HD 4wd Crew Cab,Valley Odyssey brake ctlr,McKesh mirrors
TV2:2008 GMC 2500HD long bed 4wd Crew Cab,GMC brake ctlr,GMC mirrors
TT:Trailmanor 2720
Honda 2000
Yamaha WR250R,Polaris Sportsman 700 X2,Polaris Scrambler 500
wayne_tw wrote: BiGG with all due respect you are wrong. The front axle on part time 4 wheel drive vehicles does not act like a differential, allowing for different wheel speeds during any turning event. It functions more like a straight axle. And in regards to your challenge here it is directly from the 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 4X4: Page 237 from the Owner's Manual states "The 4H and 4L positions (referring to the transfer case already previously referenced in the manual)are intended for loose, slippery road surfaces only. Driving in the 4H and the 4L positions on hard surfaced roads may cause increased tire wear and damage to the driveline components."
wayne_tw,
You mention its ok to drive on “slippery road surfaces” yet 99% of your driving on slippery surfaces sees the wheels slipping no more than if they were on dry surfaces. What difference does it make slippery/dry when the tires slip no more or no less 99% of the time? Zero
Regarding tire scrub and wheel hop, yes, these systems will do that and if they do just back off a little on your tight turn and everything will be just fine. I run my 4WD’s hard like everybody else I know does and not one of us has ever had one issue with component failure.
I am not saying component failure is impossible btw, I’m just saying it happens so few times per million miles driven it’s not even worth worrying about.
Looking for any information available on Del Rey "Sky Lounge" and Kamp King slide-ins for preservation/restoration projects.
Before anybody claims otherwise again I invite them to cite any manufacturer claiming they should not be used on-road.
I can't find any manuals online for a 1948 Willys.
I think your comment is correct as long as you restrict it to newer vehicles that do not have manual locking hubs on the front. Most, but not all, vehicles on the road today will meet your criteria. My brothers Jeep CJ3B would not. I don't know what year it is. I would guess 1962.
If you have a vehicle that is not intended for full time 4wd, then it is important to make sure that the circumference of all four tires is the same. When there is no differential built into the transfer case, there is nothing to allow the different sized tires to rotate at the same RPM, so they bind up, putting a lot of strain on the gears, until the tires slip on the road surface, or the gears fail.
I had this problem with my 1971 Chevy truck. I was out of town and had a tire fail. To save some money I only bought 2 tires instead of 4. Big mistake. I had a very difficult time unlocking the front hubs and disengaging the transfer case. Probably would have helped if I just jacked the front end up off the ground to put it into a true neutral and relieve the stress on the gears.
sfprop wrote: New to 4WD.
Do you need to run it in in 4WD once in a while just to keep it lubricated, not let it clog up?
I am not likley to go 4WD unless I put my mind to it.
I have Chev Dura-dually.
Let me know your thoughts, experience, advice.
Thanks.
If you have the electronic shift transfer case run it in auto 4wd mode for a few miles every now and then. All the 4wd parts are turning in the auto seting, but the front and rear drive lines are not locked together unless the rear wheels slip.
I have a 2006,2500hd 4x4.push button 4wd.In the owners manual,it say's run 4wd high at least once a month,on striaght to slightly curved road's.do not attempt to make sharp or sudden turn's or heavy accel!!! while in 4wd.And trust me cop's ,border agents,etc.dont run around in 4wd,unless they need it.to each his own,But I will never put mine in to much of a bind,I dont have that kinda cash.
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