turn on 4wd high
Just a question when I'm towing on mountains roads uphill I slow down of course gas engine, just wondering when I drop to around 40 or less would it help to turn on the 4 wheel drive in high mode to h...
Forum Discussion
mowermech wrote:valhalla360 wrote:
4WD High - No as others have said. You are still running at the same gear ratio so your engine will struggle just as much but there are minor differences between the front and rear gear ratios ad they likely will damage your drivetrain on a dry road. On gravel or snow, the tires can slip a little to adjust for that minor difference.
One option if you have manual lockers on the front is 4WD Low if the truck simply comes to a stop and can't get up the hill. Set the front lockers to allow freewheel and drop into 4WD Low. You won't have a lot of speed but you will have an extra low gear and since the front wheels are no longer connected to the drive axle binding won't be an issue. Don't make a habit of it as the low gearing can put a lot of strain on the driveshaft and rear diff.
While that has been done, successfully, (I even did it myself once, by accident), it is not recommended by any vehicle manufacturer, AFAIK. There is a very good chance of twisting an axle or driveshaft into two pieces. You REALLY don't want to do that!
That's why I put a warning at the end but if I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere and the rig won't go forward in the normal gear, I would likely chance it. Assuming you are borderline making it up the hill, it's unlikely fail unless you really hammer it.
