Exactly. I don't need a 500 HP mustang but I want one. I don't need my 25K Harley that I only ride 8 months out of the year an then only on dry days but I like it. Same goes for mods. I didn't need the extra 50 HP from a tune but I'm glad I have it.
I have used 4wd hi range in heavy rain @ hiway speeds. The truck loves this. On dry pavement with curves the system might build up tension / bind due to unequal wheel travel. If you will drive in mud or snow 4wd beats 2wd any time.
Nice video but whats all the white stuff everywhere?
Must be excess salt from the plow.
Same. I value my life and safety more than my truck. If I feel safer and more confident in 4wd I'm putting in in 4wd. I don't see why so many people are pushing against 4wd. Its your truck do what you want with it. In Michigan, 4wd is a must, even if all these so called experts say you "don't need it". Well I can tell you more times than I can count how 4wd saved me from sketchy situations. And no its not cause I needed to "slow down", the opposite is true in snow when you need to pull out a neighborhood where the snowplow trucks create 4 foot deep banks of snow and pulling out is a 50/50 shot of getting hit by a car blasting over the hill...
It also helps a lot in keeping the vehicle from spinning out and skidding on a road, but you are correct in that it will not help stopping.
The Ranger doesn't have vacuum hubs. It hasn't had them since 2001 IIRC. The front axle shafts are permanently bolted to the hub. This means that the front driveline is always engaged and spinning at vehicle speed. It is only disconnected at the transfer case in 2WD. This also means you don't really need to worry about using 4WD to "lubricate" the front driveline on a Ranger, because it's already spinning.
One thing I've always said is that 4wd goes better in snow but doesn't stop or turn any better.
