Hey at the risk of sounding like an idiot and not having an owners manual, I need to know something. When pulling the truck up into 4Hi can I be moving or should I be at a stop? I have done it both ways and I think being at a complete stop when placing it into 4Hi is alot smoother and dont make some gear clashing sounds. I have owned several other makes of 4WDs and each were different.

 

I would say stop unless u have shift on the fly. I would stop but there has been times going into hi were i havent a it seemed ok. I have never tryed it in lo and dont want to lol.

 

I guess that is my question. How do I know if I have shift on the fly 4WD? What do most have?

 

You can shift on the go...my mechanic just said to try not to shift it into 4wd going any faster than 50 But shifting it into 4lo is a completely different story.

 

Hey Rammin99, thanks for the info but why might I be experiencing gear clash and some other clunking noises when I do shift on the fly sometimes? It never does when at a stop?

 

People have said on this forum you can shift on the fly but my dad always told me to stop if possible and shift down. So that is what I have always done and so far, knock on wood, no transfer case problems with my dodge. They again I don't like to get to fast when I am 4wd anyway...better to be safe that "oh sh#@*&" later.

 

4 Lo you have to stop and be in neutral. 4 Hi any speed up to 50 is safe let off the accelerator when you do and it will slide right in no problems.

 

When you shift it in to 4wd, be sure you are off the gas, so there is no load on the tranny...

If you still get a clunk, then you have issues.

You can shift in/out of 4wd up to 50mph (not sure if thats the official, but I'd not go any faster than that). Give it a second or so for the CAD to engage itself.

 

According the 2001 Ram Owners manual, you can shift into 4HI up to 55 mph. It says that you can shift into 4LO with your truck in Park or Neut. and if your truck is running vigorously shift your truck from 4HI to low in one motion. This kinda feels like shifting a transmission w/out the clutch. Its easier if you just shut your truck off and put it in 4Lo.

 

Ice, the only noise I have ever heard when shifting is if I don't give it a fast enough jerk to put it into 4, then I will get some grinding noise, but other than that a hard swift jerk and she goes right in. If you are having these noises other than that, then there are problems.