4WD Advice please!

[VAMike]

The "jumpy" is the drive train binding--not healthy at all. Do you already have winter tires?

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[D Fresh]

Im conflicted about this… up here there’s snow 5 months or more, and this winter it’s been so damn cold, lots of ice on neighborhood streets and connecting streets. The main roads and highways are mainly clear, but when it’s sub freezing for months on end it can look dry but all the sudden a back tire hits a ridge on the pavement and out your back tires go!

I’ve driven all-wheel drives my entire 10 years up here and now I have a truck and it’s not great if I’m being honest. The truck is great and I have zero regrets but driving without all-wheel drive this winter (feels like the coldest winter in my ten years, and the roads seem worse than past years as a result) has been a learning curve for me.

My neighbor buddy says he leaves his rig in 4WD most of the winter, and I’ve been doing it as well, and I’ve had no problems…. EXCEPT when I’m turning slow in parking lots. It’s the worst, the truck gets jumpy on me and it feels like it doesn’t like it. So now after reading this thread I’m wondering…

Should I drive in 4WD but turn it off as I slowly enter parking lots for those really slow and tight turns and then just turn it back on when I am leaving?

Does going In and out of 4WD create more stress than keeping it in 4WD permanently (as long as these conditions persist?)

If you're going to do this I would certainly put in 2wd in the tight spots.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

Of course "Generalities are always false" but your example uses two 4WD vehicles.
I was comparing 2WD and 4WD anecdotally in the midwest USA.
AFAIK. the preferred transportation in the arctic is shown below....

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all at Ranger 5G!

That small sample size uses almost an identical 4wd system as the Ranger in as standardized a test that can be completed outside a lab.

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

It's really not accurate to say 4x4 doesn't improve steering or stopping, they are just not as noticeable as the increased acceleration abilities. Steering in particular is greatly improved with 4x4, braking has only slightly better performance.

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

Im conflicted about this… up here there’s snow 5 months or more, and this winter it’s been so damn cold, lots of ice on neighborhood streets and connecting streets. The main roads and highways are mainly clear, but when it’s sub freezing for months on end it can look dry but all the sudden a back tire hits a ridge on the pavement and out your back tires go!

I’ve driven all-wheel drives my entire 10 years up here and now I have a truck and it’s not great if I’m being honest. The truck is great and I have zero regrets but driving without all-wheel drive this winter (feels like the coldest winter in my ten years, and the roads seem worse than past years as a result) has been a learning curve for me.

My neighbor buddy says he leaves his rig in 4WD most of the winter, and I’ve been doing it as well, and I’ve had no problems…. EXCEPT when I’m turning slow in parking lots. It’s the worst, the truck gets jumpy on me and it feels like it doesn’t like it. So now after reading this thread I’m wondering…

Should I drive in 4WD but turn it off as I slowly enter parking lots for those really slow and tight turns and then just turn it back on when I am leaving?

Does going In and out of 4WD create more stress than keeping it in 4WD permanently (as long as these conditions persist?)

This is my 3rd electronic 4x4, and I have never had a problem with any. I travel rural roads where it will be clear dry roads in a forested section, then 100' of 1' deep drift in the 20 open spots between bush. I will flip it on and off, 30-40 times in a 30 minute trip sometimes.

The important thing for the drive-train and your safety is to engage/disengage at low stress. Much like braking, you want to brake before the corner/ramp not while going through it. You also don't want to add or remove drive to a wheel when it's under load which could induce damage, or be the cause of losing traction.

I always turn it off when not needed, rain, wet roads, dry roads, and most gravel. Tight spaces and low speed turns it causes kicks and increases turning radius even on a low traction surface.

I use it without reservation when needed, and always turn it off when not needed.

 

[Floyd]

That small sample size uses almost an identical 4wd system as the Ranger in as standardized a test that can be completed outside a lab.

It is not a question of being shifted into or out of 4WD, a 4Wd vehicle is still a 4WD vehicle even when it is parked, better suited to off-road than the 2WD version.
The 2WD is lighter, and has a different chassis components, street tires etc., better suited for street than 4WD.
Each set-up involves compromises for specialization.
I first drove a SuperCrew 4WD ,
I bought a SuperCab 2WD expecting improvements in handling and performance . I was not disappointed.
Both are fine. but biased for different purposes.

Truth be told, the Ranger was designed as a very competent 4WD.
The 2WD is really a modified 4WD which has most of the compromises.
That's OK though ...after all it is still a Truck from the ground up!

 

[Elgorr4]

I live at the top of an 8 mile, 6-9% canyon road that might just be the snowiest in the US. I use 4H to pull out of my parking spot, then 2H to turn and descend the canyon. Four wheel drive causes your front wheels to lose grip when turning, and I don't want to slide around every corner. Going up the canyon in snow I absolutely use 4H, even with blizzaks the snow gets too deep between plow passes for two wheel drive to work. Just the other night it snowed 20 inches in 14hrs.

 

[dtech]

Moved recently to an area that avg 100" of snow, roads were icy yesterday with 5" of new snow , for going out choose the wife's Hyundai AWD Sante Fe, except for ground clearance the AWD in the Sante Fe is for me a better choice than the 4wd in the Ranger

For decades only drove 2wd vehicles fitted with snows for winters ,they were more economical to procure and operate, however AWD and 4wd technology has improved greatly in terms of capabilities, efficiency and required maintenance, so easy decision to go with AWD/4WD . I can remember friends with pickups some yrs back having to get out and manually engage the front wheel hubs in those older 4wd systems.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

It is not a question of being shifted into or out of 4WD, a 4Wd vehicle is still a 4WD vehicle even when it is parked, better suited to off-road than the 2WD version.
The 2WD is lighter, and has a different chassis components, street tires etc., better suited for street than 4WD.
Each set-up involves compromises for specialization.
I first drove a SuperCrew 4WD ,
I bought a SuperCab 2WD expecting improvements in handling and performance . I was not disappointed.
Both are fine. but biased for different purposes.

Truth be told, the Ranger was designed as a very competent 4WD.
The 2WD is really a modified 4WD which has most of the compromises.
That's OK though ...after all it is still a Truck from the ground up!

Not disagreeing with that...

I just want to shed light on new tests and information that sorta busts the old myth of "4wd doesn't help you stop" because it's not fully true.

But God forbid people can't say "neat, thanks for the info" on the internet

 

[Langwilliams]

Does the front axles/dif/drive shaft turn in 2wd? Not trying to jack the thread but I had a wrangler an my brothers '99 f150 that wouldn't go into 4x4 do to a vacuum leak no engaging the front axle. The xfer case engaged but the slip collar didn't lock the axle engaged.

 

[Dgc333]

Does the front axles/dif/drive shaft turn in 2wd? Not trying to jack the thread but I had a wrangler an my brothers '99 f150 that wouldn't go into 4x4 do to a vacuum leak no engaging the front axle. The xfer case engaged but the slip collar didn't lock the axle engaged.

Yes they do. I haven't seen a 4x4 front axle with the vacuum operated slip collar in a very long time.

 

[VAMike]

Four wheel drive causes your front wheels to lose grip when turning, and I don't want to slide around every corner

This. A lot of people don't realize that a part time 4wd that causes the wheels to slip in turns can start a loss of traction event rather than preventing one--there are definitely down sides to using 4wd all the time rather than as needed in a specific situation. Sure it's great for keeping your speeds up to 80 on the freeway, but OMG will you run into problems if the lane isn't clear ahead. I've long since started to avoid driving in bad weather not primarily because I question my skills, but because I question whether other people will run into me because they're driving stupid. (And yes, I'm fully and unironically aware that most people think their driving skills are above average...)

 

[Langwilliams]

Yes they do. I haven't seen a 4x4 front axle with the vacuum operated slip collar in a very long time.

The early 2000's F150s had a vacuum system on the for axle. I saw it when I looked up the parts for my brothers 99. not rotating the front driveline in 2wd added 1 mpg to the highway mpg. maybe a tad more.

 

[erty176]

This is why 4 auto is being implemented on newer vehicles. You get all the benefits of 4wd when you need it, but it takes the guesswork out for the driver. Personally the thought process for me is "would I feel more confident on this surface if I was in 4wd?" If the answer to that is yes, I engage 4H. If the answer is no, I leave it in 2wd. 4LO IMO shouldn't be used unless A:you can't get going without the lower gearing it uses(stuck in a ditch or snowbank comes to mind) or B: your off-road and want to see what it feels like or C: your worried your vehicle won't make it up/down whatever it is your climbing(rock ledges on steep angles, snow and ice packed driveway)

 

[Floyd]

Most may be aware of this but....
One thing not mentioned so far about low traction surfaces.
The Ranger allows you to skip low gear from a stop which makes it simple to get moving in most low traction situations. This is reminiscent of the early C4 Cruise-o-matic or the FMX select shift.
It works great on 2WD, but it can be used effectively with a 4WD truck as well.

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