Not Thrilled with 4x4
02-07-2019, 06:57 PM
#41
Great call! 
Yes sir, some of those are Citrus. I'm in Tampa, too. My local off-roading / hunting stomping grounds are Citrus, Croom, Richloam / Green Swamp, and we go to Hard Rock Off-Road park in Ocala a lot for the real fun stuff! (We don't off-road during hunting season, as a courtesy). Do you hunt or off-road there?
Yes sir, some of those are Citrus. I'm in Tampa, too. My local off-roading / hunting stomping grounds are Citrus, Croom, Richloam / Green Swamp, and we go to Hard Rock Off-Road park in Ocala a lot for the real fun stuff! (We don't off-road during hunting season, as a courtesy). Do you hunt or off-road there?
Last edited by Florida_F150; 02-07-2019 at 07:04 PM.
02-07-2019, 07:58 PM
#42
Flaccid Member
Great call! Yes sir, some of those are Citrus. I'm in Tampa, too. My local off-roading / hunting stomping grounds are Citrus, Croom, Richloam / Green Swamp, and we go to Hard Rock Off-Road park in Ocala a lot for the real fun stuff! (We don't off-road during hunting season, as a courtesy). Do you hunt or off-road there?
Yes sir, some of those are Citrus. I'm in Tampa, too. My local off-roading / hunting stomping grounds are Citrus, Croom, Richloam / Green Swamp, and we go to Hard Rock Off-Road park in Ocala a lot for the real fun stuff! (We don't off-road during hunting season, as a courtesy). Do you hunt or off-road there?
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Florida_F150 (02-07-2019)
02-07-2019, 08:22 PM
#43
Cool, you're more than welcome to join us any time.
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Florida_F150 (02-07-2019)
02-07-2019, 08:40 PM
#45
As I said. I don't need the gearing of 4lo, but regularly use 4lo specifically to disable the electronics. Don't really give a crap about the gearing most of the time, so yes, there is definitely more to it than just gearing. The truck is an integrated package of electronics and mechanical. Selecting 4h or 4lo has significant effect on both.
02-08-2019, 01:08 AM
#46
That's not accurate, but at this point I guess we'll have to to agree to disagree. And you don't need to "explain it to me". I aggressively off-road my vehicle weekly as part of several 4x4 off-roading clubs. Steep Grades and Sand are also related to the gearing. The extra torque with the gearing allows you to get the heavy weight of the truck up steep hills, and the gearing in sand lets you significantly reduce throttle response (pressing the gas pedal makes the wheels turn slower and go far less distance in 4Lo than in 4Hi), so that you don't dig yourself into a hole. That's also why you use 4 low to slowly "crawl" among rocks and boulders. You don't want to press the gas pedal and lurch off a boulder and snap a drive shaft. The section of the manual I posted is purely referencing the gearing, as there is no mention whatsoever of the Traction Control system.
If you think these trucks are heavy, then you don't know what heavy really is.
Yes, you can use 4 low to crawl, which certainly it is good for but that is only one specific example in certain off roading conditions. My example was in circumstances where you do not want traction control, roll stability control and electronic stability control to be enabled. Which low and behold, the only setting to get you that is in 4 low.
If I put my transmission in (R) Reverse, the white bulbs in the tail lights come on. That doesn't make them part of the transmission system. They are a related "side note". The same is true for Traction Control and related RSC and Stability Control. They are just part of the truck. How the Drive Mode selected affects the operation of the Traction Control is a side note. As a matter of fact, it's only relevant on certain model year trucks. What about before Traction Control when F-150's had mechanical limited slips? 4Hi and 4Lo acted then exactly as they do today.
As I previously stated, I turn off Traction Control in 4Hi for the very reasons you describe. Roll Stability and other related related systems (not counting Traction Control) will not cause any "problems" or "dangerous situations" when in 4Hi. Turning off Traction Control in 4Hi successfully turns off the part of the system that applies the brakes when there is wheelspin when moving forward. I can plow through mud and slam up long steep hills spinning my tires without any worry that Traction Control will apply the brakes and affect my momentum. I know, because I do it all the time. The same is true for deep sand. I drive in deep sand in 4Hi with the Traction Control off so it doesn't apply the brakes constantly.
We'll simply have to agree to disagree, and that's OK. Don't get me wrong, it is definitely important to understand how the various Traction Control systems affect the truck, even in 2wd. We agree on that for sure. I just don't think it's relevant to the discussion of the difference between 4Hi and 4Lo.
Maybe the best way to answer the question about the difference between 4Hi and 4Lo is to say something like: "The primary difference between 4Hi and 4Lo is the gearing which is used in the transfer case. Also note that depending on model year, the Drive Mode setting selected may affect the various Traction Control systems and how they operate. See your manual for more details." :-)
Maybe the best way to answer the question about the difference between 4Hi and 4Lo is to say something like: "The primary difference between 4Hi and 4Lo is the gearing which is used in the transfer case. Also note that depending on model year, the Drive Mode setting selected may affect the various Traction Control systems and how they operate. See your manual for more details." :-)
02-08-2019, 06:03 AM
#47
Old Fart
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Florida_F150 (02-08-2019)
02-08-2019, 07:26 AM
#48
02-08-2019, 08:13 AM
#49
What is not accurate? Everything I posted was accurate, and it started with a correction to your post. Which is the one that was not accurate.
If you think these trucks are heavy, then you don't know what heavy really is.
Yes, you can use 4 low to crawl, which certainly it is good for but that is only one specific example in certain off roading conditions. My example was in circumstances where you do not want traction control, roll stability control and electronic stability control to be enabled. Which low and behold, the only setting to get you that is in 4 low.
Where did I say anything about it being part of the transmission system? It is a stand alone system, which is directly controlled by the transfer case system. Specifically the act of placing the truck in 4 low. Do you understand that? And it is not a "side note". 4 low is the only selection that disables traction control, roll stability control and electronic stability control. I wonder how many times I have to keep repeating it? And I am not and have not talked about other model truck years. This thread is about a specific vehicle which the OP asked questions about and all of my replies have been in reference to that specific vehicle. I don't know why you want to talk about other years/models of vehicles for the 2nd time now.
I am glad to know you do it all the time. I hope the Stability Control table I posted and explanation of the system helps you in your future endeavors.
There is only one traction control system. It is part of the stability control system. The stability control system consists of the traction control system, roll stability control and electronic stability control. If you remember nothing else, please remember that.
If you think these trucks are heavy, then you don't know what heavy really is.
Yes, you can use 4 low to crawl, which certainly it is good for but that is only one specific example in certain off roading conditions. My example was in circumstances where you do not want traction control, roll stability control and electronic stability control to be enabled. Which low and behold, the only setting to get you that is in 4 low.
Where did I say anything about it being part of the transmission system? It is a stand alone system, which is directly controlled by the transfer case system. Specifically the act of placing the truck in 4 low. Do you understand that? And it is not a "side note". 4 low is the only selection that disables traction control, roll stability control and electronic stability control. I wonder how many times I have to keep repeating it? And I am not and have not talked about other model truck years. This thread is about a specific vehicle which the OP asked questions about and all of my replies have been in reference to that specific vehicle. I don't know why you want to talk about other years/models of vehicles for the 2nd time now.
I am glad to know you do it all the time. I hope the Stability Control table I posted and explanation of the system helps you in your future endeavors.
There is only one traction control system. It is part of the stability control system. The stability control system consists of the traction control system, roll stability control and electronic stability control. If you remember nothing else, please remember that.
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Original Post:
Your focus on semantics appears to prevent you from fundamentally understanding how your vehicle actually works. My post below should include all the appropriate vocabulary.
In 2Hi, the Stability Control system settings can ONLY be controlled by the driver via the AdanceTrac button.
In 4Hi, the Stability Control system settings can ONLY be controlled by the driver via the AdvanceTrac button.
In 4Lo, the driver has NO control over the three Stability Control systems because they are forced to "Off".
The only "control" a driver has over Stability Control settings is via the AdvanceTrac button. If you want to stretch the logic to say that the system being "Forced Off" when in 4Lo is you "controlling how it works" then that's your prerogative. But I don't consider having ZERO control over how Stability Control works in 4Lo to be "having the ability to Control it."
As you state, the Stability Control System is comprised of three separate systems, Traction Control, ESC, and RSC. Traction Control is intended to prevent general wheelspin and traction loss. ESC is intended to prevent lateral skids. And RSC is intended to prevent roll-over.
What I would like is for you to give me one single real-world example where you were in your truck, in 4Lo, and you said to yourself "Wow. Boy I am glad that the ESC and RSC functions are turned off here. Even though my Traction Control portion of the system is turned off too, that wasn't good enough. I really really needed the ESC and RSC to be off as well, or man would I be in trouble and unable to complete the task at hand". Please, go ahead and tell me when that occurred. And before you try, here is not a reasonable response "Well I just know that in certain situations it's best to have everything off. I don't want any electronic nannies getting in the way of what I want my truck to do." What I'm looking for is a specific, real-world example that you personally have encountered, where your truck would only complete whatever task you needed due to the ESC (which prevents lateral skids) and RSC (which prevents rollover) both being turned off.
Last edited by Florida_F150; 02-08-2019 at 04:59 PM. Reason: Edited to make shorter, at the request of other posters :-)
