MegaCab manual shift 4wd

[Newsa]

Might want to re-read your owner's manual......I don't think a wet, paved road falls into the "loose" category. Post #4 kinda sums it up.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/254036-New-to-4x4-is-it-supposed-to-do-this

I did. The owners manual says not to use on dry pavement. But i really only use it when there is standing water and a danger of hydroplaning. Except for one time (or maybe two) when i thought it was out of 4x4. But didn't act like it had switched back to 2wd.

 

[Newsa]

Campground host at Roan Mtn State Park had a 2012 Laramie pulling his 35 ft camper. We were talking trucks. He says when he goes up the steep mountain road inside the campground, he puts it in 4x4 low on dry pavement and it will idle up the hill pulling his heavy camper. I doubt he did any damage going so slow. But i don't use mine on dry pavement. Rarely use it on wet pavement because i get worse fuel mileage.

 

[gsbrockman]

I did. The owners manual says not to use on dry pavement. But i really only use it when there is standing water and a danger of hydroplaning.

Any chance that slowing down would be a better option to prevent hydroplaning as opposed to just slappin' it in 4WD???

I've only been driving for 35.5 years.....so my analysis of the situation could be incorrect.

 

[Ram4Sam]

Any chance that slowing down would be a better option to prevent hydroplaning as opposed to just slappin' it in 4WD???

I've only been driving for 35.5 years.....so my analysis of the situation could be incorrect.

You rookies.......:-laf Actually, is it even possible for a 8500 plus pounds pickup truck with M/S tires to hydroplane....?? Us rainless westcoasters want to know!!Oo.

Sam

 

[kthaxton]

But the 2016's get 1 mpg more than my 2013 because they have the front axle disconnect. Not dependent on the electric/manual engagement.

Who or what is this in reference to?

 

[Newsa]

Who or what is this in reference to?

My 2013 didn't get the CAD.

Read right above the picture of the axle where they discuss 1mpg.

I think its a Ram estimate but not sure if its an average between the gasser & CTD


http://www.allpar.com/trucks/ram/2013-heavy-duty-pickups.html

 

[Newsa]

Any chance that slowing down would be a better option to prevent hydroplaning as opposed to just slappin' it in 4WD???

I've only been driving for 35.5 years.....so my analysis of the situation could be incorrect.

Water depth is not comstant on our roads. See water depth factor..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaplaning

 

[kthaxton]

My 2013 didn't get the CAD.

Read right above the picture of the axle where they discuss 1mpg.

I think its a Ram estimate but not sure if its an average between the gasser & CTD


http://www.allpar.com/trucks/ram/2013-heavy-duty-pickups.html

Yes, I know this. Your post seems to be in response to another post.....which doesn't appear to exist, unless I am completely missing something. It's like you are in your own conversation. Did someone delete the post you were addressing?

 

[Loren]

You rookies.......:-laf Actually, is it even possible for a 8500 plus pounds pickup truck with M/S tires to hydroplane....?? Us rainless westcoasters want to know!!Oo.

Sam

Sam,

Airplanes that weigh well over 100,000 pounds can and do hydroplane. It's a concern mostly on landing, but rarely on takeoff. That's partially because takeoffs are optional but landings are mandatory.

Hydroplaning, also called aquaplaning, is affected by a number of factors, among them are:

• water depth
• pavement texture
• tire condition (tread depth)
• tire pressure (higher is better)
• tire contact patch aspect ratio (length vs. width) (narrow is better)

There's a good article on hydroplaning on Wikipedia here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaplaning

-- Loren

 

[Ram4Sam]

Sam,

Airplanes that weigh well over 100,000 pounds can and do hydroplane. It's a concern mostly on landing, but rarely on takeoff. That's partially because takeoffs are optional but landings are mandatory.

Hydroplaning, also called aquaplaning, is affected by a number of factors, among them are:

• water depth
• pavement texture
• tire condition (tread depth)
• tire pressure (higher is better)
• tire contact patch aspect ratio (length vs. width) (narrow is better)

There's a good article on hydroplaning on Wikipedia here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaplaning

-- Loren

Well, that's great.......now you gave me another reason to hate flying.......:-laf

Sam

 

[mwilson]

I like the insidious "Vicious Hydroplaning" where it turns the water into steam....could be handy melting snow under the tires...

 

[Loren]

I like the insidious "Vicious Hydroplaning" where it turns the water into steam....could be handy melting snow under the tires...

mwilson,

It's spelled "viscous". But even though it's not called vicious doesn't mean it can't bite you. I bet your spell checker changed that for you. Aren't these new contraptions useful?

I actually had viscous hydroplaning happen to me, only once, at McChord AFB near Tacoma, WA. Naturally, the runway was wet; it's Tacoma isn't it? There were just a few puddles and the plane slipped a little bit at a relatively low speed, maybe 50 mph. It was easily controlled and I didn't think anything of it until I saw the tire after parking the plane. The bottom of the tire had melted and the rubber was soft. It was really weird. We had to get the tire changed before we could leave.

The plane was a U.S. Navy trainer, the TA-4J, which doesn't have anti-skid. I'm sure that's why I had the problem.

For Sam: All airliners have excellent anti-skid systems and have had them for a lot longer than cars and trucks have. The systems are very sophisticated, even regulating braking on individual tires on landing gear trucks that may have 4 or 6 tires on a single truck. I suspect that the anti-skid system on most airliners costs more than several new Ram trucks.

Don't worry, fly happy.
-- Loren

 

[photowrite]

Campground host at Roan Mtn State Park had a 2012 Laramie pulling his 35 ft camper. We were talking trucks. He says when he goes up the steep mountain road inside the campground, he puts it in 4x4 low on dry pavement and it will idle up the hill pulling his heavy camper. I doubt he did any damage going so slow. But i don't use mine on dry pavement. Rarely use it on wet pavement because i get worse fuel mileage.

Agreed, he probably did not do any damage, and I'm not saying I don't/won't ever use 4WD on dry pavement [though I'd much prefer to have a 2WD-low setup on my '14 G56 in the future]...but

Speed and distance can contribute to gear-bind or windup, turning is much worse, but one can certainly have these same gear bind issues—and potential for damage/breakage—at slow speeds on dry pavement.

That said, truck 4WD systems are not as fragile as we/some might think. Four-Wheelin' on the rocks in places like Moab, Utah, can be similar to driving on pavement in that there is less slippage (depending on the terrain/obstacle) and the 4WD systems seems to tolerate it fine. However, when a change in terrain comes (sand/dirt) the bind between the front and rear axles sometimes has a chance for some relief, allowing some differential because the typical 50/50 [locked] transfer-case is not. But when the traction is good, particularly if there is turning, there can be plenty of bind, easily felt by drivers.

 

[Ram4Sam]

mwilson,

It's spelled "viscous". But even though it's not called vicious doesn't mean it can't bite you. I bet your spell checker changed that for you. Aren't these new contraptions useful?

I actually had viscous hydroplaning happen to me, only once, at McChord AFB near Tacoma, WA. Naturally, the runway was wet; it's Tacoma isn't it? There were just a few puddles and the plane slipped a little bit at a relatively low speed, maybe 50 mph. It was easily controlled and I didn't think anything of it until I saw the tire after parking the plane. The bottom of the tire had melted and the rubber was soft. It was really weird. We had to get the tire changed before we could leave.

The plane was a U.S. Navy trainer, the TA-4J, which doesn't have anti-skid. I'm sure that's why I had the problem.

For Sam: All airliners have excellent anti-skid systems and have had them for a lot longer than cars and trucks have. The systems are very sophisticated, even regulating braking on individual tires on landing gear trucks that may have 4 or 6 tires on a single truck. I suspect that the anti-skid system on most airliners costs more than several new Ram trucks.

Don't worry, fly happy.
-- Loren

Sounds like you are trying to confuse me with the facts.....:-laf

Sam

 

[mwilson]

I still like insidious "Vicious Hydroplaning".......