Stupid Question (Please come in and laugh at me!!!)

[05Ram3500]

Being that this is my first 4x4, what will happen if I leave my truck in 4x4???? Will be there any long term damage???







Girlfriend has a Wrangler and she was asking me, and I have no clue what to tell her. I just said I was going to ask my All Knowing friends at TDR.

 

[Buffalo]

05 Ram 3500,



First of all, your question is a good, honest question. It's not "stupid" at all. And, I for one, am not laughing at you for asking it. None of us were born knowing the answer to that question or any other, for that matter. That's why were here. To learn & to share information. I can't believe how much I've learned on these forums & I'm grateful for everything I have learned. Its made owning my Dodge/Cummins trucks just that much more fun.



Now, to answer your question. You do not want to drive in four wheel drive on dry pavement. The 4X4 needs to be able to "slip" a bit, especially, in turns & curves. It will have a tendency to want to torque or bind-up the drivetrain if the tires can't slip, a bit. In snow or mud or slippery surfaces, that slip will occur.



When you are driving in slippery, snowy conditions & you feel the truck start to loose some of its stable footing, that is the time to put it into 4X4. You should start to feel a more secure feeling in the trucks handling.

One thing you want to be careful of, though is, just because you have 4X4 doesn't mean your truck is invincible. Often, 4X4 means you can get a bit further into trouble before you actually get stuck. So, get yourself a good tow strap for either pulling you or the other guy out.



Above all, enjoy your new truck. You got a great one.



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[Sarge]

In a nutshell, yes. The front and rear Diff's turn at slightly different speeds for various reasons. When in 4WD, the truck must be on a surface that allows the wheels to slip. To run it on a solid dry surface for a length of time will toast the diffs and or the trans. It is not designed to be a full time 4WD vehicle, at least not on pavement.



PS: I just read the bottom of your signature. God bless your friend. I take my hat off to him. Sarge

 

[XJSuperman]

And make sure your girlfriend also knows her wrangler should not be left in 4wd either... except for the above listed circumstances.

 

[05Ram3500]

Buffalo: Thank You for the Info. That sounds good to me.



Sarge: Thank you Sir.



XJSuperman: She has been informed.

 

[jwduke]

Well its like my dad always said "Its better to as a stupid question, than make a stupid mistake" & "There is no such thing as a stupid question". So you really didn't ask a stupid question.



As for running in 4-wheel drive all of the time, yes it can lead to damage later down the road, with increased wear on the transfer case & front axle. But the new 4-wheel drive systems are not gear driven anymore, so they will take a little more punishment in this area.

 

[XJSuperman]

The only stupid question is the one not asked.

 

[rbattelle]

While we're on the subject, I'd like to comment on the binding that occurs in 4x4 on these trucks. My previous 4x4 trucks had short wheelbases (90"-110"), so the binding that occured on sharp turns, although pronounced, was quite manageable. But this truck, with 140. 5" wheelbase and a HUGE weight over the front wheels, binds like nothing I've ever experienced before on sharp turns in 4x4 despite being on slippery snow. That long wheelbase makes the speed differential front/rear quite large, and the weight over the front wheels helps them bite into even the most slippery of surfaces. I'm actually afraid that one day I'll stretch the transfer case chain!



I've learned to avoid making sharp turns in 4-wheel mode. I try to keep to less than 50% of maximum turn rate. Frequently I will disengage the transfer case, make my turn, then re-engage when I'm straight again.



Some weeks back I had the wonderful opportunity to drive a large Case tractor with 4wd (and a B5. 9, I might add). It had a brilliant system whereby the front wheels were disengaged by lightly depressing the brake pedal. It made tight turns a piece of cake. Of course, such an arrangement is not practical on our trucks.



-Ryan

 

[RLars73]

rbattelle, I've noticed the binding you are talking about. Even in snow you can feel the fronts tugging through the steering wheel. I thought about making an extended transfer case shifter for doing easier 2wd turns and going back to 4wd.

 

[rbattelle]

I thought about making an extended transfer case shifter for doing easier 2wd turns and going back to 4wd.

That's what I did! (I've since painted it black as everyone advised).



-Ryan

 

[RLars73]

Cool, now I got something to do this week. I think I'll make it out of some stainless stock. Thanks for the link.

 

[cojhl2]

You guys extending the shifting handles,, I dont think thats a good idea. It provides the capability of putting too much force on the shifting forks. Cant be good.



A little scruffing around isnt going to hurt anything. .

 

[RLars73]

I don't know. The way I do it now is to stab the clutch, slip it in 2w, clutch out slide to desired heading then stab clutch and grab 4w again. I don't think extending the shifter would put that much additional stress on the forks. I just don't like the stress on the transfer case chain, or u-joints. Plus its more fun to slide around when no ones in the vicinity.

 

[rbattelle]

You guys extending the shifting handles,, I dont think thats a good idea. It provides the capability of putting too much force on the shifting forks. Cant be good.

That's why I keep my linkage very well lubricated (minimum twice per year with white lithium). Slides easier than the transmission shifter.



-Ryan