I think some of you are worrying about nothing and reading your owners manuals will show nothing supporting your stance that I have ever seen.
I did it once in our 2001 Ford Expl Sportrac! Won't ever do it again in any modern 4WD truck! Ended up replacing a front hub.
BTW, the owners manual specifically said to avoid using the 4WD on dry pavement/concrete surfaces unless necessary. I thought it had disengaged and was mistaken.
Can't say about Chevy. My 1985 Bronco II manual said NEVER use 4x4 on hard service as it will break something. Your choice to ignore manufacturers warnings, but IMO answer is "it depends".
I do think you should run it sometimes. On my Bronco I unlock front hubs and run in 4x4 high and low for a bit. Then lock hubs but use 2 wheel drive. That way everything gets lubed.
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Lovely German Shepherd.
1999 Mercedes ML320 TV
2003 Wanderer 187TB Toybox (3620# UVW, 4800# loaded) Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories. I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
page 2-33 (in bold print!) "Notice: Driving in the 4-wheel HIGH or 4-wheel LOW positions for a long time on dry or wet pavement could shorten the life of your vehicle's drivetrain."
page 2-41 "This setting engages your front axle to help drive your vehicle. Use 4HI when you need extra traction, such as on snowy or icy roads, or in most off-road situations".
Now....Chevy had 3 different transfer cases in 2003 - Manual, Automatic and Electronic. The only one that says it's OK to use 4wd for an extended time is the Automatic when road conditions are "variable".
I find nothing in the manual recommending that 4wd be used on occasion to keep things lubricated. I would think that would be in the manual if recommended for longer life.
I have 115,000 on my 2003, including pulling a 14,000 5W. I have reason to use 4HI about once a month on gravel roads, so it does get exercised.
BiGG wrote: All modern 4WD systems are made too be used both on and off road and are used on improved roads daily all over the planet without any problems. Worrying about wearing something out or breaking something because I use my system on improved roadways rates right up there ….. oh, never mind, it’s not a worry at all!
I think some of you are worrying about nothing and reading your owners manuals will show nothing supporting your stance that I have ever seen.
Absolutely completely and totally wrong from beginning to end. The vast majority of pickups (and many SUV's) do NOT have 4WD that is useable on dry pavement.
John
1984 Ford B-700 school bus conversion, Thomas body
A bunch of other vehicles
3 nutty cats (Maya, Vierna, Briza)
One lazy dog (Marmaduke)
One wife (Liz)
"A wasted youth is better by far than a wise and productive old age"
-Jim Steinman
BiGG wrote: All modern 4WD systems are made too be used both on and off road and are used on improved roads daily all over the planet without any problems. Worrying about wearing something out or breaking something because I use my system on improved roadways rates right up there ….. oh, never mind, it’s not a worry at all!
I think some of you are worrying about nothing and reading your owners manuals will show nothing supporting your stance that I have ever seen.
Absolutely completely and totally wrong from beginning to end. The vast majority of pickups (and many SUV's) do NOT have 4WD that is useable on dry pavement.
Name one
Looking for any information available on Del Rey "Sky Lounge" and Kamp King slide-ins for preservation/restoration projects.
BiGG wrote: Don’t know of too many that are worried about running “tight circles” on improved roadways but I do know that most people owning a 4WD vehicle use their system on improved roadways for typical driving scenarios and *never* have a problem.
Typical day-to-day driving in 4WD both on and off-road will result in zero damage to a vehicle. Law enforcement, utilities, military etc. use these systems on-road daily just like I do because they were designed too be used both on and off road.
Before anybody claims otherwise again I invite them to cite any manufacturer claiming they should not be used on-road.
2006 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited Owner's Manual, page 233, FOUR WHEEL DRIVE OPERATION, Command-trac operating information/instructions.
"Driving in the 4H and 4L positions on dry hard surfaced roads may cause increased tire wear and damage to driveline components."
Page 235, Shift Positions
4H "for loose, slippery road conditions only"
4L "Additional traction and maximum pulling power for loose slippery road surfaces only"
Page 239 Shift Positions
4 Part time "Additional traction for loose, slippery road surfaces only."
4LO "Additional traction and maximum pulling power for loose, slippery road surfaces only."
Page 246, OFF-ROAD DRIVING TIPS, When to use 4L or 4LO (low) range
"This range should be limited to extreme situations such as deep snow, mud, or sand where additional low speed pulling power is needed."
From the 1994 Dodge Ram Cummins Turbo Diesel Owner's Manual, Page 64: "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."
Page 65: 4H is to be used for traction when driving in rain, snow, mud or sand, or when driving off-road. Never drive in 4H on dry, paved roads."
From the 1977 Jeep CJ5/CJ7/Wagoneer/Cherokee/Truck Owner's manual, page 17, "Model 20 Transfer Case" "2-wheel drive High Range (2H) position"... "This position should be used for driving on hard surfaced roads"
"4-wheel Drive High Range (4H) Position"... "for better traction on slippery pavement or for off-road use"
"4-Wheel Drive Low Range (4L) Position"..."for tough going on slippery or off-road surfaces."
I am retired military. ALL Army -10 (operators) manuals specifically forbid using four wheel drive on hard surfaced roads when driving Jeeps (M38A1 and M151 series), 3/4 tons (M37 series), and the newer 5/4 ton trucks. The military did NOT use these trucks in four wheel drive on hard surface roads. Doing so could result in non-judicial punishment and a statement of charges (the driver would get to pay for the repairs). Most 6X6s had full time transfer cases, they were in 6 wheel drive all the time. The manuals also forbid operation in 2L (two wheel drive, low range).
I respectfully suggest you read your Owner's Manuals more closely.
* This post was
edited 08/11/07 09:18pm by mowermech *
As mentioned earlier … 99% of our driving in winter and/or wet conditions sees no more wheel slippage than driving on dry pavement. Most of us drive in snow and/or wet roads all the time year after year and we rarely experience actual wheel slippage so it’s no different than driving on dry roads. Driving off-road sees little wheel slippage under most conditions as well and this is no different than driving on dry pavement!
BiGG wrote: Driving off-road sees little wheel slippage under most conditions as well and this is no different than driving on dry pavement!
This issue is not worth worrying about!
OK, then don't worry about it. In the meantime, be a BiGG man enough to admit that you were wrong, in view of all the Owner's Manual references that have been posted.
If you think that off-road driving results in little wheel slippage, I invite you to come to Moab, Utah and take a tour of the "slick-rock" trails in a Jeep. See how much wheel slippage there is out there on the sandstone. Or visit Pismo Beach, California, and see how much slippage there is on the sand dunes. Or visit Northwestern Montana in January, see how much wheel slippage there is in 2 feet of snow in the mountains.
I have been in all three places, and I know how much slippage there is.
you are wrong, again.
BiGG wrote: As mentioned earlier … 99% of our driving in winter and/or wet conditions sees no more wheel slippage than driving on dry pavement. Most of us drive in snow and/or wet roads all the time year after year and we rarely experience actual wheel slippage so it’s no different than driving on dry roads. Driving off-road sees little wheel slippage under most conditions as well and this is no different than driving on dry pavement!
This issue is not worth worrying about!
BiGG - Read your owners manual. You are way off base here. Mowermech is spot on. If it has a transfer case, do not run it on dry pavement. Period. I think you are confusing vehicles with transfer cases with those that have a viscous center diff or full time AWD. HUGE difference. FWIW if I have my truck in 4wd in the winter, you can be damn sure it is because there is an issue with traction. Only time I have used it in wet was a nasty situation where I had to pull out fast towing the TT and could not afford to be spinning my tires.
For the record, Nissan also states not to use 4wd on dry pavement. I also do not have hubs.
BIGG, While you don't slip on "slippery" roads in the winter, your tires can, and do, ever so slightly to relieve binding. My 4runner has two 4hi settings - 4hi unlocked center differential and 4hi locked center. My manual states that 4hi unlocked can be used on dry roads. 4hi locked center can't be used on dry pavement due to driveline binding and potential damage. MOST modern 4x4 cannot be used on dry road **unless they have a center diff** Please don't dispense mistruths that could cause expensive damage to somebody's vehicle. What kind of truck/TV do you have? You might want to check your manual just to be safe
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