how fast can you go in 4wd
12-31-2009, 10:28 PM
#11
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My thoughts exactly Bill. If you NEED 4 high you should likely keep it under 45 mph, but the transmission and transfer case don't care how fast you go.
01-01-2010, 11:25 AM
#13
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I went 55 - 60 last night and everything seemed fine no vibrations or anything but wow it has some real dead spots between 40 and 55 i know why people regear these trucks
01-02-2010, 10:45 AM
#15
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03-06-2011, 12:02 AM
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How fast can you go in 4WD on what surface? In many ways it's a judgement call question, but here's how I decide:
My rule of thumb is if the conditions warrant going 50 MPH, you really don't need the front axle engaged. In fact I notice a drop in fuel economy even when the hubs are locked, so unless the roads have a lot of snow and ice I leave them unlocked. Plus disengaging them saves wear and tear on your front axle U-joints, front spider gears, and Trac-lock clutch packs.
If I had a good stretch of desert trail with no real obstacles, I would not hesitate to go 70-80 MPH in 4WD. I would however run the trail a few times at slower speeds to confirm there are no rollover hazards, and would be very careful about blind hills/turns if there is even a chance of oncoming traffic, LOL. The key here is that on a desert trail you will never have 100% traction. Since there is no differential action in the transfer case, you could potentially harm the drivetrain by leaving it in 4WD in a high traction situation.
On snowy/icy days, I'll lock the hubs. If I notice wheelspin, I'll let my foot off the gas to stop the spinning, then engage the t-case before reapplying throttle. Works for me, I've occasionally done that as high as about 55-60 MPH but always take it as a strong indicator that I should slow down.
PS, sorry for digging up an old thread, that was an accident...
My rule of thumb is if the conditions warrant going 50 MPH, you really don't need the front axle engaged. In fact I notice a drop in fuel economy even when the hubs are locked, so unless the roads have a lot of snow and ice I leave them unlocked. Plus disengaging them saves wear and tear on your front axle U-joints, front spider gears, and Trac-lock clutch packs.
If I had a good stretch of desert trail with no real obstacles, I would not hesitate to go 70-80 MPH in 4WD. I would however run the trail a few times at slower speeds to confirm there are no rollover hazards, and would be very careful about blind hills/turns if there is even a chance of oncoming traffic, LOL. The key here is that on a desert trail you will never have 100% traction. Since there is no differential action in the transfer case, you could potentially harm the drivetrain by leaving it in 4WD in a high traction situation.
On snowy/icy days, I'll lock the hubs. If I notice wheelspin, I'll let my foot off the gas to stop the spinning, then engage the t-case before reapplying throttle. Works for me, I've occasionally done that as high as about 55-60 MPH but always take it as a strong indicator that I should slow down.
PS, sorry for digging up an old thread, that was an accident...