How often do you use 4L?

[reidmefirst]

Your boat ramp climbs 150 vertical feet? Holy crap. Where are you boating, in a quarry?

it's a flood control reservoir. the level of the reservoir goes up and down 70 feet depending on how much rain there is. the ramp goes all the way to an upper lot with a few buildings on it, built quite a bit above the max level of the lake for 'just in case' I guess.

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[gtyates]

I end up using mine maybe 2-3 times every winter. My driveway is very steep, so 4L and crawl down works well. Also, we like to travel to the East TN mountains in winter and have used it there for very steep cabin driveways. Even around our family farm 4H is about all I ever need.

 

[Andrew27]

Also like Andrew27 says: best to give a whirl every now and then. So you long as you go straight, I see no problem engaging it on pavement for a few feet. If you're paranoid, find a dirt lot to do it.

I like to switch my transfer case into 4hi and 4lo every once in a while, not because I think they need to be worked out or anything, but rather so that I know the electric shifter is still working and that nothing has gone wrong with the transfer case. I'd rather find out something is wrong when I don't actually need 4wd, than find out something is wrong when I DO need it.

Yep, I keep it in a straight line, accelerate to about 30 or so, then stop and switch it back to 2wd. I may turn around and do it over again, usually on a dead end street with no traffic.

 

[OGMix376]

Roughly 2–4 time a month…
Speaking about 4L I get a bit of a whine it doesn’t sound super crazy, but you can hear it…anyone else have a bit of a whine in 4L or should I go complain to a dealer ?(still under warranty ?.).. it’s actually had a little whine sound since I bought the truck and used 4L…but anyway it seems to work just fine and pulls up on the steep hills on the property.

 

[Frenchy]

When I had my Ranger, I didn't use 4LO often. When I had my 93 Pathfinder, 4LO was used often. With my 2012 Frontier I don't use 4LO often, but there are times where it will be necessary

 

[OrangeStreak]

I take the truck to the entrance of the bike trails and run it in 4L & 4H on the dirt every few months or so. I also use 4H in snow (usually not sufficient enough for 4L) if we ever get enough which doesn't happen too often in our high desert climate. Dave, a Ford certified mechanic recommended that I do this...the link below confirms this is a good practice.
I usually used 4H in a previous truck when I was launching and retrieving the boat on a ramp.

https://www.cartalk.com/content/it-wise-occasionally-activate-four-wheel-drive-system

This is all the snow that we have gotten here so far this winter...

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

 

[Friday yet?]

I use 4lo when I'm hauling my boat out.

Our ramp is STEEP, the boat+trailer is ~6300 pounds. I just keep the wheels straight and use crawl control to go up the ramp at a leisurely 2ish mph. Once I'm over the top I shift into 2wd.

I tried to haul out at my ramp with a 2wd truck once, it did not go well. Rear tires are on slime at the bottom of the ramp, and like I said it is steep. I think 15% grade (9 degrees according to the off-road-ometer), and climbs ~150 vertical feet at that grade.

Boat ramps can be a whole lot tougher than many people think. You have to respect them to keep your ass, and truck, out of trouble.

 

[OrangeStreak]

Boat ramps can be a whole lot tougher than many people think. You have to respect them to keep your ass, and truck, out of trouble.

I was launching my boat one morning and got in the line between some bass tournament entrants. These contests are timed and the guys won't put up with any delays...fortunately was able to get mine launched quickly without any issues and was spared from having to tangle with them...

 

[pickettf3nce]

4L, Twice - Once climbing a rocky section of a mountain pass in the night and another climbing up an embankment from a lake shore.

4H seems more than capable in just about every scenario, especially when you have the rear locker at your disposal.

 

[IdahoRanger]

Used it once

 

[subquark]

Never since I have a 2WD.

But someone mentioned what a pain some cars/trucks are to get out of 4L.

On my '72 FJ, I used 4L quite a bit because I was off-road all the time. BUT ... you had to get out and lock each front hub! Sometimes you'd have to get back in a roll a few inches in order for the spline to manually engage.

It's sure worked well and has gearing like a goat - at 10 mph it sounds like a rod will come through the hood any second!

 

[got3fords]

But someone mentioned what a pain some cars/trucks are to get out of 4L.

On my '72 FJ, I used 4L quite a bit because I was off-road all the time. BUT ... you had to get out and lock each front hub! Sometimes you'd have to get back in a roll a few inches in order for the spline to manually engage.

A coworker of mine and I were talking about using 4WD. He has a full-size Nissan and said his always clunks going in to 4WD and he has to stop and put it in Neutral to do it. I told him if I need it, I just turn the knob. He said he didn't know he could just switch to 4HI on the fly.

 

[AzScorpion]

Used it once

I would've waiting until spring!

 

[IdahoRanger]

I would've waiting until spring!

In spring it looks like this

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