The Diesel Boys Maintenance Thread *4x4/4x2*

wagon r · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 12:50 pm Post subject:

i only use 4h or 4l off road...never on road....but i have heard the towing in 4h is better...but it depends on what yuh towing..i.e weight...a boat vs a march.

i remember talkin to banzai once about driving with 4h in the rain and after his a/c....i vowed never to do it.

one other point worth lookin at...modern 4wd vehicles have sensors for front and back axles...most 4x4s we drive don't. so once 1 pairs of wheels have power, it pullin....no kinda traction control to cut in.....so if the front trackin one way and the back going the opposite.....what then....worse yet at speed in the rain...

..but i could be wrong....i just lookin for the correct info. i will consult my manaul later and see what it says.

....also, now i'm interested in securing both shafts with catch braces to prevent either from killin me or someone else....

....and yuh realise we on 96... Razz

sweeks · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:03 pm Post subject:

Wagon_R.... based on your logic, I believe you.

I also use 4h when it's raining but I'm still a bit cautious about the slippery conditions. Another reason I engage it is that I get to work in the 4wd because I'm not off road often.

And I agree...pulling something out while in reverse is a lot more effective (with the 4wd engaged). I guess that's why the SR5 has the hook at the front and not the back.

Where's Freak? I want to know how he towed the cars that was stuck.

323_wagon_dude · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:14 pm Post subject:

Wagon, why did you vow not to use the 4H in rain?

I personally find the hilux feels better on the road in heavy rain with 4H than 2H.

Just found this:

http://jeep.us41.org/4WD/index.html

So, when can I use my 4WD? One Jeep enthusiast who is fairly expert on most things Jeeps, Jerry Bransford, says, "... a part-time 4wd should never be used on a paved street unless it is covered in snow or ice. Not even when it's raining." That's pretty standard as far as the advice off-road enthusiasts give.

Under what conditions can I pull up the lever?

A dirt or gravel road - You are probably safe to engage 4H on a dirt road. Just remember to turn it off before you hit the pavement. A lot of people forget to disengage 4WD when they reach pavement.

A beach - You are probably safe to engage 4H on a beach, because sand is slippery. Just remember to disengage it when you hit pavement. There is no warning light or buzzer that sounds when you hit pavement.

Snow - If it snows, and there is snow standing on the street, and you cannot see the asphalt underneath it, and if you rev up the engine and the back wheels slip, then you are probably safe to engage 4WD even on a paved street. Be careful, because if you driving through snowy patches and then hit dry pavement, you need to remember to turn off 4WD.

Ice - 4WD is great for ice, except that ice tends to come and go on streets, and you will hit dry pavement, and your 4WD will be engaged. I guess it depends on how much dry pavement you might go over. Occasional dry pavement patches will probably not hurt anything, but if you leave the ice, and you forget your 4WD is engaged, then you are in trouble.

Mud - Deep mud might be best handled in 4L, going really slow, with appropriate mud terrain tires, since all terrain tires don't grip in mud very well. You are definitely safe using 4WD in mud.

Dry, Paved Streets - NEVER USE 4WD ON DRY ASPHALT.

Wet streets - the owner's manual says "yes", but the off-road enthusiasts say "no." The jury is still out on that one, however.

Can you use 4WD in the rain?

What about rainy streets? If it is raining heavily and water is standing on the streets such that you are afraid to go faster than 40 mph, then you might be able to get away with engaging 4H without breaking something, but Jeep experts don't think so, as one wrote me,

Being in 4wd does NOT have the slightest effect on hydroplaning. If you are hydroplaning in 2wd, you will STILL be hydroplaning once you shift into 4wd if you do not also slow down.

But the owner's manual seems pretty clear in that it specifically recommends that you engage 4WD on slippery streets. I guess the question is how hard does it have to be raining before a street is slippery, and does 4WD actually help? I wasn't too sure, not being an off-roading expert nor a mechanical engineer, so I experimented to figure it out for myself. I drove home from work during a horrible rain storm, and I threw caution and my drive train components to the wind.

I engaged 4WD to see what would happen.

A small *clunk* and suddenly the Jeep felt like it was glued to the road. I see why the owner's manual warns against over-confidence on corners under bad conditions. I mean it stuck and didn't move when going through huge puddles and conditions where normally it has given me some trouble with sliding, slipping, or starting to fishtail, etc.

When the rain died down to a drizzle and the streets were no longer filled with standing water, I disengaged it, and there I was back in the dangerous-to-drive Jeep that I am familiar with. So I put it back on. Again, total control and very tightly gripping the road.

When I got home, I disengaged 4WD, drove in reverse for about 50 feet, and then pulled it into the garage.

All in all, I did 20 miles in 4wd at 35-45 mph on pavement in the rain.

No negative effects at all. Everything's fine. No increase in engine temp, no weird bumping, grinding, or vibrations. No more (or less darn it) noisy than before. Everything looks good, and I was a lot safer on all that water through Georgia's back roads.

I wish I had read the owner's manual more carefully when I bought my Jeep, and that I had been doing this all along. I let people scare me away from every touching the transfer case shifter and so never used 4WD unless off road. And all this time I have been missing out on what a fantastic vehicle this is to drive in the rain. Holy cow!

Dumb Uses of 4WD

Some people are determined to be in 4WD because they think it is manly to use it, and it makes them feel special to be driving a vehicle that can do things other vehicles cannot. Sometimes, these people engage 4WD in conditions where it is obviously not appropriate. I think some of these fall under the heading "Hey y'all! Watch this!"

Not Much Snow - A few flurries with no accumulation on the streets still counts as dry pavement. Do not engage 4WD.

Wet Streets - Streets wet from a previous rain are nowhere near as wet as the streets I performed my experiment on. I drove through 1 inch deep water all the way home. Streets wet from a light misting are probably still not slippery enough to engage 4WD.

Your Yard - Don't off-road in your yard, especially if you have a little yard 50 feet wide and about 20 feet deep. Your neighbors will think you are an idiot, and your wife will kill you when she gets home. Don't off-road in your neighbor's yard either, for that matter, nor on any private property that is posted No Trespassing. Buckshot in you spare tire does not make off-roading more adventurous.

Dry Asphalt - NEVER USE 4WD ON DRY PAVEMENT! I can't say this enough. Just don't do it. There are no benefits, and you might damage your vehicle.

sweeks · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 1:25 pm Post subject:

Good info here...thanks.

bleedingfreak · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:01 pm Post subject:

bleedingfreak · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:10 pm Post subject:

323_wagon_dude · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:10 pm Post subject:

I met a chick in TTTL last friday with a prado... She said she goes offroading on a trail just after the Salybia bridge... Same spot?

Hmmm... This could be a cool run for us. Not too dirty... then head toco after.

The second day I got the hilux I was on the beach there in Salybia driving on the sand... Very Happy

bleedingfreak · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:21 pm Post subject:

I use my 4WD to drive through floods (and yeah the river) like when it floods behind Tantrill Rd in St. Augustine - by the rice fields nah. I use 4WD there cause the water there pushes you. Once I drove thru there and had to flick to 4L cause the water was pushing, laterally, and was just under the door.

Four wheel driving is something that has to come with experience...
Sand driving is pretty dangerous cause unlike mud, you can't see soft sand... I'll advise you guys NOT to play in the sand unless you first come out and inspect the terrain in front of you.

You don't respect sand until you drive thru it and suddenly realise that you're flooring it and it's only going 10kmph... Knowing how to gear down quickly without affecting the vehicle's motion is also VERY important... Remember: Don't stop Exclamation

bleedingfreak · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:30 pm Post subject:

wagon r · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:43 pm Post subject:

good info.....but one thing freak....my manual says to use the leaf spring shackles...

..i urge everyone to consult theirs and see what they say, that way we could pool the knowledge and everyone benefits...

i read what the guy said but i will stick to my rule of thumb....also, if it's raining, you should be slowing down to a safe speed to prevent hydroplanning.....2wd/4wd shouldn't matter.

he purposely stuck in 4wd and went to see if he could lose it....i not risky my life, vehicle nor anyone else's.

one more thing.....anyone has shackles for their shafts...if not, i think we could arrange with team loco to make some for us. better to safe and sorry... Idea

323_wagon_dude · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:53 pm Post subject:

bleedingfreak · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:55 pm Post subject:

bleedingfreak · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:57 pm Post subject:

Saied boy... rain this week. The girl still going to paint? Just make sure it out by the 1st of July to get durty eh Exclamation

bleedingfreak · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:59 pm Post subject:

Greypatch · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:06 pm Post subject:

hmm good info on the use of the 4 wheel drive..will make a not of it...

rite now i is only 2wd

wagon r · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:09 pm Post subject:

....i use my 4h on the cane road i take to go home but only when it's wet and kinda flooded......like today... Razz

...but i feel comfortable handling the L2 in 2wd in the rain....i actually used o take her around wallers in the rain to drift her and learn how she responds and feedback she gives depending on what happens....

....miss those days on mossy concrete.... Sad

323_wagon_dude · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:09 pm Post subject:

sweeks · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:19 pm Post subject:

wagon r · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:26 pm Post subject:

touchy touchy....... Laughing

..ah feel 97 going and buss today...