How often do you use 4L?

[Texasota]

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.

I always use 4L when pulling the boat out. My boat is only 4000 pounds so I could pull it out with 4H, but it walks up the ramp effortlessly in 4L requiring almost no gas pedal. I figure it puts less stress on the drive train and I have fun using it.

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[dtech]

I use it only when going off road, something steep and rocky and 4H slips, however the real value of 4L can be psychological, serving to differentiate it from pseudo trucks like - you guessed it - the Ridgeline or the Ford Maverick, or worse yet the Sante Cruz.

 

[Montana Ranger]

Rarely, but I do engage it every so often just to exercise it. There's a series of switchbacks with a steep downhill grade at a preserve we visit every so often that it's useful to engage on. Spares me riding the brakes when 1st gear isn't even slow enough.

 

[Maxacceleration]

I use 4wd semi regular just to leave & return to my home in the winter.
I rarely use low range. Usually on steep craggly uphills where 1st high range may be lugging. Then put it in drive low range if I dont need to hold a gear.
Most of the stuff I have done requires wheel speed, vs too much rpm’s in low range.
All depends!

Haven’t really done trails yet with my new to me XLT.

 

[got3fords]

In spring it looks like this

F*** that sh**!

 

[got3fords]

I had a 1978 F150 with what used to be called granny gear, similar to 4L I guess. Boy that thing would pull with little effort.

 

[EJH]

Maybe 4-5 times in four years. Occasionally when off-road, but more to back the TT up a steep slope slowly a couple of times.

 

[Frenchy]

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.

Going to assume he has a Titan or Armada? If not mistaken both can go I to 4HI from 2HI at speeds up to 60-65 MPH(a bit lower than what Ford will allow). I know this because my Frontier is like that as well. That said, regardless of the vehicle you have I know it is required to be in Neutral to switch in and out of 4LO

 

[got3fords]

Going to assume he has a Titan or Armada? If not mistaken both can go I to 4HI from 2HI at speeds up to 60-65 MPH(a bit lower than what Ford will allow). I know this because my Frontier is like that as well. That said, regardless of the vehicle you have I know it is required to be in Neutral to switch in and out of 4LO

Yes, Titan. And the requirement of being in Neutral to go to 4LO makes sense. I have no idea why he felt he needed to do that vs. just using 4HI.

 

[Frenchy]

Yes, Titan. And the requirement of being in Neutral to go to 4LO makes sense. I have no idea why he felt he needed to do that vs. just using 4HI.

Lol it's ok, years ago I had a new Armada come into the shop for a concern with "Hard Steering". The moment I started the vehicle I saw the notification on the Instrument cluster stating it was in 4HI ?

 

[got3fords]

Lol it's ok, years ago I had a new Armada come into the shop for a concern with "Hard Steering". The moment I started the vehicle I saw the notification on the Instrument cluster stating it was in 4HI ?

So classic case of "user error"!

 

[Frenchy]

So classic case of "user error"!

Talk about an easy hour of "your too stupid and are now required to pay me for your stupidity" charge!!

 

[JohnnyO]

I only need it a few times a year to drive up the steep hill in my back yard so I don't tear up the grass. About once a month I'll shift into 4-hi and sometimes 4-low and just drive down my street to keep the electric shift motor and transfer case exercised. Dry pavement won't hurt it if you're going straight.
People who say they can't shift into 4wd, if you ask them, they will always admit that they haven't used it in years if at all.

 

[Friday yet?]

I use it only when going off road, something steep and rocky and 4H slips, however the real value of 4L can be psychological, serving to differentiate it from pseudo trucks like - you guessed it - the Ridgeline or the Ford Maverick, or worse yet the Sante Cruz.

That’d be me!

 

[Friday yet?]

Yes, Titan. And the requirement of being in Neutral to go to 4LO makes sense. I have no idea why he felt he needed to do that vs. just using 4HI.

I’ll go out on a limb and say…. He’s never read the manual?

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