Hey everyone. I just bought a new 05 4x4 with the hemi and have a question. I shifted the truck into 4 wheel drive and got some really strange results. First, the truck seems extremly slugish, like you really have to get on the gas to get the truck moving. Second, if I start off with the wheel turned or come to a stop with the wheel turned then step on the gas the truck jumps foward and not just starts rolling. This things only happen if I am in 4 wheel drive. Any one have any ideas or thoughts? Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks in advance.

Jeff

 

Make sure that when you put your truck in 4 x 4 that you are on a slippery surface. The truck will lurch and bind and clunk if you steer hard in 4 x 4 on a non-slippery surface. This is due to the fact that the transfer case can not change the drive shaft speed between front and rear tires. If you have the truck in 4 lo, the gear ratio is a lot taller, that will mean that you will have a LOT of torque, but no top speed. That could be the reason for the slow going. Otherwise, it could just be the fact that you are in 4 x 4. There is a lot more stuff for the motor to turn and get moving. A truck in 4 x 4 will always be slower than one in 2 wheel. Hope this helps

 

This your first 4wd? I can't explain the sluggish issue since it should be about the same on take-off as 2wd but the other you described is called drive-line bind. Most 4wd's are not for hard surfaces, only lose surfaces (dirt, rock, grass, snow, ice, etc). Drive in 4wd on pavement and you will trash your diff. The wheels have to turn at different speeds and in 4wd they can't which gives you the lurching and chirping in a turn on hard pavement like your riding a bucking horse.

Your owners manual should explain and go to howstuffworks.com and looks up 4wd and drivelines.

 

The reason it even seem slugish going in a straight line is because the front diff is geared a little higher than the rear to allow more effective steering. so on dry ground it is trying to drag the rear wheels along on a slippery surface you wouldn't notice that.

 

If that is true that the gearing is different from the front and rear axle, than I will not be buying a 3rd generation ram. I am not trying to argue, but are you sure about this?

 

There are different front and rear gear ratios in all part time four wheel drives no matter if it is a chev, ford or dodge. If they were geared the same when you tryed to turn a sharp corner in 4X4 the rear wheels would just try to push the front wheels straight ahead. they are gears so the front wheels pull the truck around a corner. There not gear dramaticlly different but there is a slight difference in gearing.

 

I agree with the discussion about binding on dry pavement, but I've had probaby 6-8 4wd's in my day and never experienced the "sluggish" behavior in any of them, including the Ram...that doesn't sound normal. It will take some additional power to run 4wd, but it shouldn't be noticeable.

 

I guess you learn something new everyday. To bad the days of shifting the transfer case yourself and getting out and locking the hubs for instant 4 wheel drive are gone. Now it is up to that little **** where you can't feel any feedback and wait and hope everything engages. When I get my 3rd generation, it will take this old school fella a while to get used to it. Who knows, maybe I might like it.

Thanks for the info exchevy

lowcountry

 

You can still purchase the manual hubs for external locking into 4WD... Just ask your salesman about it, or go to the local shop that installs lift kits and things like that, a lot of those people know where to find them.. Hell, even do a search on the web, my dad had them put on his 03 F250, he doesn't like to trust electronics.. LOL

 

There is hope afterall. It seems like everybody would want to do this. Less moving parts equals less noise and less friction. Unfortunately I will be buying used so I will probably end up with the "****" but I would definetly look at adding the manual hubs. I think a true trac in the front and rear would also do it quite nicely. I used to have a z71 work truck and it took it about 20' to engage. I found that out the hard way. At least with my CJ I can go ahead and lock the hubs and shift the transfer case as I feel necessary.