When to use your 4 wheel or Auto?
#11
12-24-2013, 10:31 AM
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Jp3hemi,
You are on the right track, auto 4wd is an awesome feature that really improves driving characteristics for us who drive in slippery condtions quite regularly. It improves fuel economy and eases turning by engaging/disengaging as needed.
What's not fair is guys who really have no way of Proving their "theory" spreading horror stories of what will happen is you don't use their truck exactly how they use theirs.
Most of the guys making these claims have very limited knowledge of how the 4wd even works and have no need to ever engage the 4wd unless they're putting the boat in the water or playing at the beach.
I don't claim to know it all, I'm just telling you what I do and how we drive these trucks where I'm from and we actually need 4wd to stay on the road.
At the end of the day, it's your truck and you drive it how you see fit, your the one making the payments and paying for repairs.
Mine keeps me out of the ditch and keeps me out of the snowbank. Wouldn't be able to say the same if I was ridin' around in 2wd
Merry Christmas, safe travels!
You are on the right track, auto 4wd is an awesome feature that really improves driving characteristics for us who drive in slippery condtions quite regularly. It improves fuel economy and eases turning by engaging/disengaging as needed.
What's not fair is guys who really have no way of Proving their "theory" spreading horror stories of what will happen is you don't use their truck exactly how they use theirs.
Most of the guys making these claims have very limited knowledge of how the 4wd even works and have no need to ever engage the 4wd unless they're putting the boat in the water or playing at the beach.
I don't claim to know it all, I'm just telling you what I do and how we drive these trucks where I'm from and we actually need 4wd to stay on the road.
At the end of the day, it's your truck and you drive it how you see fit, your the one making the payments and paying for repairs.
Mine keeps me out of the ditch and keeps me out of the snowbank. Wouldn't be able to say the same if I was ridin' around in 2wd
Merry Christmas, safe travels!
#12
12-24-2013, 02:17 PM
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Im Wondering what info you have to support this statement? Under normal driving conditions the only negative effects of running in 4 lock have been reduced fuel milage and increased tire wear, but never severe damage to the drive system.
I've personally logged thousands of miles in 4 wheel drive at highway speeds on dry pavement with no issues.
In fact many of the oilfield companies here (ab Canada) instruct they're drivers to use 4 wheel drive at all times during the winter months, it reduces accidents by drivers being caught off guard by road conditions, black ice etc.
I've personally logged thousands of miles in 4 wheel drive at highway speeds on dry pavement with no issues.
In fact many of the oilfield companies here (ab Canada) instruct they're drivers to use 4 wheel drive at all times during the winter months, it reduces accidents by drivers being caught off guard by road conditions, black ice etc.
There was a post on a Ram forum somewhere about a guy that blew up his transfer case and front differential just driving at highway speeds while in 4WD.
http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/owners/manuals/
Just sayin....
Last edited by B.Kaiser1; 10-12-2018 at 11:53 AM. Reason: Wrong information
#13
12-25-2013, 01:13 AM
Record Breaker
Jp3hemi,
You are on the right track, auto 4wd is an awesome feature that really improves driving characteristics for us who drive in slippery condtions quite regularly. It improves fuel economy and eases turning by engaging/disengaging as needed.
What's not fair is guys who really have no way of Proving their "theory" spreading horror stories of what will happen is you don't use their truck exactly how they use theirs.
Most of the guys making these claims have very limited knowledge of how the 4wd even works and have no need to ever engage the 4wd unless they're putting the boat in the water or playing at the beach.
I don't claim to know it all, I'm just telling you what I do and how we drive these trucks where I'm from and we actually need 4wd to stay on the road.
At the end of the day, it's your truck and you drive it how you see fit, your the one making the payments and paying for repairs.
Mine keeps me out of the ditch and keeps me out of the snowbank. Wouldn't be able to say the same if I was ridin' around in 2wd
Merry Christmas, safe travels!
You are on the right track, auto 4wd is an awesome feature that really improves driving characteristics for us who drive in slippery condtions quite regularly. It improves fuel economy and eases turning by engaging/disengaging as needed.
What's not fair is guys who really have no way of Proving their "theory" spreading horror stories of what will happen is you don't use their truck exactly how they use theirs.
Most of the guys making these claims have very limited knowledge of how the 4wd even works and have no need to ever engage the 4wd unless they're putting the boat in the water or playing at the beach.
I don't claim to know it all, I'm just telling you what I do and how we drive these trucks where I'm from and we actually need 4wd to stay on the road.
At the end of the day, it's your truck and you drive it how you see fit, your the one making the payments and paying for repairs.
Mine keeps me out of the ditch and keeps me out of the snowbank. Wouldn't be able to say the same if I was ridin' around in 2wd
Merry Christmas, safe travels!
#14
01-02-2014, 05:32 PM
Record Breaker
And for you who want some evidence, check out this other thread.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/4th-gen...breakdown.html
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/4th-gen...breakdown.html
#15
01-02-2014, 08:13 PM
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You do what you want,
My previous 15 years driving in Canada in 4wd proves nothing and the thousands of collective miles accumulated by the oilfield companies here stand for nothing.
Appearantly if you drive in 4wd you will experience severe drivetrain damage.
I'll just go home and wait for my truck to blow up in my face now.
Sometimes I wish I lived in Nebraska, then I'd know everything about 4wd..
My previous 15 years driving in Canada in 4wd proves nothing and the thousands of collective miles accumulated by the oilfield companies here stand for nothing.
Appearantly if you drive in 4wd you will experience severe drivetrain damage.
I'll just go home and wait for my truck to blow up in my face now.
Sometimes I wish I lived in Nebraska, then I'd know everything about 4wd..
#16
01-02-2014, 08:15 PM
Record Breaker
#17
01-02-2014, 08:28 PM
You do what you want,
My previous 15 years driving in Canada in 4wd proves nothing and the thousands of collective miles accumulated by the oilfield companies here stand for nothing.
Appearantly if you drive in 4wd you will experience severe drivetrain damage.
I'll just go home and wait for my truck to blow up in my face now.
Sometimes I wish I lived in Nebraska, then I'd know everything about 4wd..
My previous 15 years driving in Canada in 4wd proves nothing and the thousands of collective miles accumulated by the oilfield companies here stand for nothing.
Appearantly if you drive in 4wd you will experience severe drivetrain damage.
I'll just go home and wait for my truck to blow up in my face now.
Sometimes I wish I lived in Nebraska, then I'd know everything about 4wd..
It is kind of odd to me that only the Canadians in these 4wd threads seem to keep suggesting that running around in 4wd all the time is normal. Is that something they teach in drivers education up there?
#18
01-02-2014, 08:33 PM
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4 Wheel AUTO engages the transfer case the same as the 4WD position, but the auto hubs at the wheel are disengaged until slippage is detected. It is swinging All drive shafts and axels, but the front wheels are in freewheel until needed. When you drive in the Auto mode it is extra drag on the motor and affects your mileage.
Do not select and drive in 4WD Lock unless you are on a slippery surface. You will cause SEVERE damage to the drive system if you do.
Do not select and drive in 4WD Lock unless you are on a slippery surface. You will cause SEVERE damage to the drive system if you do.
Also my apologies B.Kaiser1 I didn't realize how the auto hubs worked on these trucks, I had been neglecting them, now that I see how they work I changed the oil in the automatic hubs on my truck, boy was it dark! I also lubed the actuators that engage the hubs when 4wd is selected.
my front hubs will be working much better now!
thanks!
#19
01-02-2014, 08:41 PM
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yep, its kinda like evolution or natural selection. the roads are bad so we either use 4wd or we hit the ditch, some learn some don't.
honestly I was done with this thread a long time ago, theres thousands of trucks working just fine up here in 4wd, and yes some companies mandate that 4wd is to be used at all times in the winter,
the company I work for has a fleet of trucks all running in 4wd some trucks are 10 years old some are brand new, no major failures due to 4wd misuse. our oldest truck has 450,000 kms on the original drivetrain, we run it in 4wd lots, just cant understand why they all hold together if its so terrible?
#20
01-02-2014, 08:45 PM
LOL, somehow I survive with a 2wd truck and our weather is pretty similar to Canadas. I just ask because I've seen several split transfercases and trashed axles in jeeps when people have insisted in driving them around in 4wd on the road. The owners manual in every 4wd we've owned states that part time 4wd should not be used unless needed.
But, whatever works for you.
But, whatever works for you.