Towing - Stay in RWD or change to 4WD?
We just purchased our first camper this past Monday and we are making our maiden voyage tomorrow. Our tow vehicle is a 2013 Expedition EL and it has an option for 2WD, 4WD Auto, 4WD High, or 4WD low....
Forum Discussion
MikeJulieGDImagine wrote:
Out of curiosity, why is it bad to drive in 4WD on hard surfaces?
time2roll wrote:
no center differential at the transfer case causes the driveline to bind up with a lot of stress until one of the wheels slips.
Or until one of the gears breaks.
4WD is ONLY for slippery conditions because it requires slippage at one wheel or another from time to time. Use it on dry pavement and it not only endangers the mechanical bits, it also makes it dangerous for the driver, when one wheel simply slips from being forced by the mechanical pressure that has built up. If this happens at the wrong time in, say, going 'round a corner, it can cause a loss of control.
AWD has a center differential between the front and rear axles to accommodate these stresses without making tires slip or gears bind up. If your transfer case offers true AWD as well as 4WD, you can tow in AWD on dry pavement, and might find that it works better than 2WD. Or not.
I had a Jeep that offered both standard 4WD and AWD with selections such as you describe. It towed much better in AWD than in 2WD. Yours may not.
But whatever you do, do NOT attempt to drive, let alone tow, in 4WD on dry pavement. You will not like the results.
