My 4x4 shift says
2wd high
4x4 high
neutral
4x4 low
when i put it in 4 wheel drive the light on my dash says 4x4 part time i only use the 4x4 on snowy days to and from work which is a bout 6 miles is this safe for my transfer case?

 

Well it looks like I gotta pick this one appart....

This has been talked about if you fully read this thread.

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2HI: Differential is disengaged 100% power to rear axel - drives like regular rear wheel drive car

Ahhhhhhh.......Dude, the Differential only locks it you have a locker installed. You are talking about the transfer case.

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4 Part Time: Most Traction you can get... Locks the diff so you get 50% Power to front axle and 50% power to the rear axle - if you feel safe driving over 50 mph in 4Part Time you don't need to be in it - axel bind will happen on dry road in about 5 miles above 50 mph

Again it's not the diff. It's the transfer case! In 4X4 Part Time the transfer case locks the drivelines front and rear. There is no 50/50 because of full lock front to rear. All power is split exactly the same.

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4 Full Time: OK Tractionin slippery conditions -great for awesome handling on a dry road - differential is working totransfer 100% power to the wheel that is slipping the most on the front or rear axel - THIS IS A KEY POINT!! READ ON...

Again the Differentials aren't locked! You are right about the transfer of power because of the viscous coupler that is installed inside the Transfer Case. Now it can happen to transfer all available power but cannot do it that fast or it would burn. Most of what one will see is 90%-10% split. This only is installed in the NV-242-HD True Part Time Transfer Case!

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This is what hasn't been addressed yet in this forum... unless you have a LSD (limited slip differential... (standard on the rear of 5.9 and on some 5.2s)

This was not Standard and was an option.

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which shifts power to a wheel that doesn't slip (usually in a 40%/60% configuration) then even though you are in 4 Full Time you aredriving the equivalent of a front or rear wheel drive car based upon the road condition under each wheel.

4x4 drivers need to understand that in most 4x4 trucks or suvs when you are in "4wheel drive" all you are getting is 2 wheel drive... here's why:

Because the front differential is an open differential this is incorrect. Let me add that when you are talking about "most" SUV and trucks 4X4 vehicles and a vehicle equipped with a transfer case that is a NV-242 HD are very minimal and therefore you need to differentiate between them and not just say they are all the same when clearly they are not.

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the tranny's (the ball in the middle of the axel with the gears transfering power from the drive lineat a 90 degree angle to the axel (front and rear)

Clearly you don't understand what a trany's job is, and what a transfer case's job is!

1. The trany is not a ball in the middle of an axel! It drives the transfer case.

2. The driveline doesn't transfer power! The transfer case does.

3. The driveline turns the gearing and not the axel! The gearing turns the axel shafts.

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) is designed to allow the wheel on the inside of a turn to rotate slower than the outside wheel so you don't get "wheel hop". If the tranny didn't allow for this then the inside wheel (which has less distance to travel in a turn)would want to travel the same distance as the outside wheel (which has a farther distance to travel)... this would cause the inside wheel to "hop" or literally skip because it would be trying to travel the same distance as the outside wheel. Older cars had this problem... (If you've ever seen the movie My Cousin Vinnie you may remember the key piece of evidence was that the car was a direct drive... when peeling out there were two tire marks for a burnout... not one. But I digress)

The trany doesn’t allow for slippage, the differential does.

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Try this... you may have experienced it already... when in 2Hi in your Durangogoing slow, crank the wheel hard in either direction and punch it... What happens? The inside wheels starts spinning out and the truck go nowhere... Do you understand now? The wheel with the LEAST traction gets all the power... whole lotta smoke and noise... not going anywhere... unless you have a LSD which senses when the inside wheel starts losing traction and then transfers about 40% of the power to the wheel that doesn't.

This is clearly not a great idea because you can loose control of the vehicle. Besides, I've seen both wheels lock even with the open diff's and not the limited slip.

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Now let's put your Durangoon some patchy ice. Just so happens that you stopped on a cold day in 2HI in your Durango... your rear right wheel is on a patch of ice and your rear left is ondry ground. You go to accelerate a little hard and suddenly that right rear wheel on a patch of icestarts spinning and your truck ain't moving. All power is going to your wheel that has the least traction.

You are correct. This can happen with both rear ends regardless but the limited slip can apply power either side.The only problem with this idea is you shoot yourself when you said above that the limited slip will sense this and apply 60%/40% to the other side. With this in mind it would slowly push forward unless there it's too hard to move then it will stay in one place.In this case you can place the E-brake on and this will but pressure on the gearing to switch more power to the other side wheel and get you going.

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Move the transmission into 4 Part Time... this locks the differential and transfers 50% of the power to the rear tranny and 50% to the front tranny... your front wheels are both on dry pavement... as you accelerate, you notice your rear right wheel spin, but the front wheels (on dry pavement) grab and get you going. Fantastic you made it!

There is not a position on the transmission to engage 4 part time...... Also the trans doesn't engage the differentials it engages the transfer case then the transfer case engages the diff's (by way of drivelines) as the driver see's fit as to where the transfer case is engaged.

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What would have happened if you put the Durango in 4 Full Time? The rear wheel would have continued to spin, even though the differential was engaged... 100% of the power would have still gone to your rear right wheel, or any of the 4 wheels that would have been on ice.

This could happen but would probably not because some power would go to the front. But this could only happen on the NV-242HD T-case.

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Now here's the kicker, the 4x4 works great when all wheels have some form of traction, but the second that there is no tranction on one wheel in 4 Full Time you might as well be in 2 Hi.

Confused? Don't be... here's what you do... bad road conditions snow and ice 4 Part Time... don't go over 45 or 50 mph because another thing that many 4x4 owner don't understand is that 4x4 will get you going fast in slippery conditions but you can't stop... if you do need to stop in slippery condition, you will need to down shift with you automatic to really make a difference, the second you lose traction on the wheel it's gone... brake with the engine, not with the brakes.

You shouldn't be going 45 MPH in Part Time 4X4 anyway. This is for 4X4 Full Time (HI) and not for Part Time period. Part Time is for that " Part Time Use"!

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Really bad conditions, 4 Low, don't go above 25mph, you really cant's

Slippery boat launch 4 Low

So when do I use 4 Full Time you ask? When you are on a windy road with plenty of traction, the wife and kids (or hubby and kids I guess) aren't in the truck and you want to get the performance of an AWD vehicle... try it some time on a 280 degree onramp turn... your truck will blow you away... the rear end will not swing out as your front tranction will pull thru the turn for you and you find you can keep up with the Porsche in front of you... until the straight away of course...

I really don't get why Dodge put the 4 Full Time in because you really don't need it unless you want to get your truck to perform like a race car, which is fun to have I suppose. I guess I would really prefer more options than less.

Enjoy

This is true although I would not recommend doing 280 degree turns because a sliding turn will only be 180 anyway unless you don't know how to drive.......

Folks, this write up is only on the NV 242 HD Transfer Case and only 1998 and 1999 5.9L motors were equipped with it as an option. Most of you this information does not apply!

Last words I can say is please use spell check.......

 

No problem dude. You have a regular T-case and not the NV-242-HD case. You don't have the "true" Part Time Case so no worries. And yes Dodge used a standered display. I have heared of this one before.

Again don't worry.

The user " hackler " has everyone confussed.

 

I cannot agree with short term use for 4Lo or 4Hi. There is nothing in the manual or any other evidence to backup the statement that it must be used for as short a period as possible. I live in northern MN and we have snow covered roads for about 5 months of the year. I currently have my 99 Durango and an 04 Jeep Grand Cherokee, both with the Full time transfer case. I run Fulltime all winter long for stability on our less than perfect roads that are covered with ice, and snow and a few Prius' that were lost. Anyway, before I had a 94 Jeep Cherokee and 93 Dodge Dakota both with the NP231 transfer case. I ran 4 hi for trips back and forth ranging up to about 160 miles a day all winter long. As long as you have the slippage in the terrain, there should not be an issue. I can see possibly more tire wear and a chance that 4wd components in the front end will wear sooner than if in 2wd. I've been operating like this for many years as well as the other thousands of vehicles in my area.

 

can some one help me under stand why every time i get stuck in the mud the two wheels that are not getting any traction(LF RR) are the one that spin its a 2000 4x4 4.7 3:92 on 31s my cousin said diffs should be limited slip also it sometime pulls the occasional posi brake stand but not often

 

The PT transfer case is different than the one you are using.

The PT case is the NV-242-HD transfer case and not the Full Time case (NP 231) you are referring to. Axel bind on the PT case is because of the front and rear axel being locked. "IF" you drive on hard surfaces you will bind up and blow the case. On this PT case it has a selection for 4 Full Time for this application so you would use the viscous coupler on a regular driving conditions when extra traction is needed.

You are correct about the axel bind issue with driving on slick surfaces not being a problem but it is still not advised.

In my owners manual, and also listed on the visor it does state this on the trucks equipped with this case. ( just not yours )

Your T-case allows for slippage between the axel by using a type of viscous coupler that is built in for use in 4 Full Time, but 4 Low is locked between axels.

I see where you are going with your question but let me say this, IF you had this case would you stay locked in 4X4 low range everyday "all day long" or do you think it would be better to change to the section that was built to handel it like 4 Full Time. Its just not built for everyday driving. It's built for Part Time Use period!

 

The front is an open gearing and the rear was open as well ( I think ).

Next time that happends you can apply the E-brake slowly to add torque to the wheel that is slipping so it will move over to the other side wheel. Also you must relize that the ABS system that was installed in later years that included the R/T had All Wheel Drive ( which transfers power ) and yours doesn't.

 

hey guys i have a 2002 5.9 R/T that i just bought 2 weeks ago. i noticed that none of the lights work on the shift **** in any setting ... AWD, 4Hi, or 4Low. and the other day in the snow, i was sliding around and fishtailing on every turn. i was wondering if the 4WD is not working. any ideas ? thanks.

 

Welcome!

With the R/T edition it's in AWD all the time unless you select LOW or HI.

With the AWD in your R/T the ABS system should already take power and place it from the wheels that slip to the wheels that grip.

I wounder in your situation if the 4X4 isn't engaging. On your rig the front can move different rpm's as the rear and this can make you "fishtail" although the PCM should transfer power.

first, take your foot off the gas!

second, if you stop and engage the 4 LOW do you go into a low gear ratio?

third, the position sensor on the transfer case could be bad. Not sure if it is in the accuator on that model.

 

Wow... The confusion and misinformation...
It's true that inside and outside tires spin at different rates in turns...
but, does any transfer case actually drive the front wheels at a different ratio than the rear? I find that hard to believe.
My wifes 2003 SLT has 2WD,4HI,nuetral, and 4LO on a dash mounted ****.
She traded a 97 Grand Cherokee for this, which had a lever on the floor.
Her Jeep had a fulltime 4WD setting, that she used most often on snow covered roads. Turned corners and everything just fine. She could even pull into a parking spot in a snow covered lot no problem.
She commented that her Durango when in 4HI didn't want to turn into a parking spot in the same snow covered lot.
Having not even thought about that when we bought it, I figured it was a less sophisticated 4WD system on the Durangos. I told her that she needed to put it into 2WD to make sharp turns and manuever, even in snow. She didn't like that.
It is definately not as nice a system as her Jeep was.
So in 2003, was a fulltime 4WD available as an option? She really doesn't like this 4WD setup. It's more old-school like my 91 Bronco's system.