4-wheel drive sucks!!!!

[chwhit]

I guess I should say it is too good, we had about three inches of snow on the ground this morning, I pulled out of the drive, the truck didn't go anywhere, so I put it in 4WD-even with that much snow, it still binds like crazy trying to turn. I have a jeep, you can almost turn in 4-hi and not notice binding. It sucks trying to pull out of a snow covered neighborhood onto a clean busy road in two wheel drive, but you almost have to. Other than the weight issue, I bet it'd be pretty hard to get one of these beasts stuck.

 

[LEPage]

It'll get stuck quicker than you want to believe with all that weight sitting out front

 

[JFaulkner]

They'll get stuck in wet grass. I drove my gf's honda civic for a few days in the snow, no comparison, even with 4wd the prelude I had before this truck was easier to drive in the snow.

 

[chwhit]

Oh I agree, they'll get stuck easy, the front ends just sink in anything that's wet. I just hate it that you can (depending on how sticky the situation) only use 4WD when you're going straight, I cringe when I feel those U joints bind.

 

[BHenn]

I have noticed the same thing with the binding up issue. What does give with this issue? I have owned nothing but 4x4's and all of them were actually very smooth making tight turns in 4-Hi. What makes the Dodge different? It's a bucking machine when trying to turn tight in 4-wheel drive. I have to go to 2-hi when parking or I will never makle the turn. What gives????



Brent

 

[DMeurer]

I have never had that problem with my truck. Maybe it has something to do with the newer trucks. When we had a foot of snow here I would not have made it into work without my 4X4. I was driving on snow covered asphalt and dirt roads. 1998 2500 4X4 5 speed limited slip rear

 

[Arkapigdiesel]

I owned an '04 ferd before I bought a real truck and the ferd did the same thing in 4 high



I had a Dodge gas burner before I bought the ferd and it did the same thing in 4 high. Before the Dodge I had an '88 Bronco II and it also did the same thing in 4 high. I guess what I'm driving at is every 4 wheel drive vehicle I've owned bound up when turning sharp in 4 high

 

[Prairie Dog]

We have a heavy duty transfer case. No viscous coupling like toy 4X4's (Exploreres, Toyota's, Subaru's etc. ) because the tremendous load that you can create with a heavy, powerfull rig like ours would quickly destroy those light duty grocery getter transfer cases. You can use and abuse our XFER case a lot longer than the little guys can.

Also, if it's binding then your probably on pavement and it's time to disengage the 4WD anyway.



Scotty

 

[WM-300]

Ever since I bought my 03 the joints bind in a less than a full right or left turn ON SNOW. The dealer replaced the Joints and it was no better. All my trucks are 4x4 and none bind on snow except the Ram.

I can not imagine people who try to plow with these.



Paul

 

[NUKEMAN]

My 96 Dodge, 01 Jeep TJ and my current '03 Ram all had terrible bind. My wife's '04 Silverado also binds when turning. Just a fact of life, the power has to go somewhere... Install a set of 37's; you won't want to turn in 4x... ever.



And yes, these trucks get stuck easier than most, especially in the soft stuff. But they are practically unstoppable in deep snow.

 

[telliott]

thats just how it is in 4wd. ever ridden in a rig thats all locked up in the rear end? The rear end will do the same thing. its just what happens when your tires are trying to turn at different speeds when in a sharp turn. the outside tire is trying to turn faster than the inside to keep up, but when 4wd is engaged, it wont let it turn faster, therefor causing the binding

 

[RJOL]

There were a couple of companies that use to make kits for the front axles/drive shaft that were the viscous damper type. I think one of them was MileMarker, but I don't think they have them anymore.



That being said, if you are on ice or snow, even if the front end binds up while turning, you should be okay. The wheels will slip on the slick surface. Just don't do this routinely on dry pavement...

 

[chwhit]

It was actually kind of funny this morning, I engaged in 4WD, turned the wheel, and backed up, the front axle pushed the truck in the direction the wheels were turned, meaning the back end was going sideways, almost like the front diff. was locked up. I've engaged my locker on my jeep in 4wd and turned on pavement, just to see if everything was working right, and I swear it wasn't as bad as my truck.

 

[CRuth]

I have to agree. Its not normal. My Jeep, even with the detroit in the rear and tight limited slip up front, turns much better than the dodge. Something is not right in the engineering of these things. And I don't engage 4wd on pavement.

 

[buddys06]

I have to agree. Its not normal. My Jeep, even with the detroit in the rear and tight limited slip up front, turns much better than the dodge. Something is not right in the engineering of these things. And I don't engage 4wd on pavement.

Put 1000# over the front of the jeep and see if it doesn't do it also

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Let's think about this . . . the difference in travel between the front and rear wheels is huge on a long wheelbase rig that turns as tight as a Ram. Rams will never turn a tight corner smoothly like your short wheelbase Jeeps. The hobbyhorsing should come as no surprise.



Best fix is a good set of traction bars, but no matter the front and rears are going to be fighting each other big time in tight turns.

 

[troll3193]

they definitely get stuck. I have stuck mine 3 years in a row in deep hard pack snow up north. Doesn't really get stuck as much as it sinks and beaches itself on the frame...



frustrating this is having to have my cousin with his 4x4 1/2 ton Chevy pull me out. .



Bryan

 

[chwhit]

I guess all the weight up front would make a huge difference. I'm thinking selectable hubs up front would get rid of this, if you knew you would be turning on a surface that would cause it to bind you could just disengage one side.

 

[CRuth]

Trucks heavier, but it has power steering. Jeep doesn't.

 

[MRosinski]

Ever since I bought my 03 the joints bind in a less than a full right or left turn ON SNOW. The dealer replaced the Joints and it was no better. All my trucks are 4x4 and none bind on snow except the Ram.

I can not imagine people who try to plow with these.



Paul

Plowing with a CTD is quite pleasurable With about 5,000 lbs. (salt/sand+salter) in the bed and 1,200 lb. blade hanging off the front, you almost never need 4x4. Only for loading docks and such.