Driving in 4 high

[nicko1234]

Can I drive in 4H on dry pavement, or will it damage the truck?

[aseibel]

If you drive in a straight line, you won't do much damage, just don't turn the steering wheel.

 

Once you are turning, you stress the axles and wear the tires excessively. a few feet isn't going to hurt anything. but certainly don't drive on the road in 4 hi.

 

why would you want to do that anyway?

[newdude]

Straight line only and even then I wouldn't do it. Zero need to use 4HI on dry pavement.

[It's Tim]

Manufacturers should really be more clear on the operation of a vehicle with a transfer case. I know the instructions are in the owners manual that no one ever takes the time to read. But it's unfair when some noob "tries something" and tosses a driveshaft in the ditch.

[SMiller]

Why do you want to drive in 4-high on dry asphalt?

 

Several thousand people have done this with zero effects, most by mistake when they forgot to put it back into 2wd, guys drag race all the time in 4-high.

 

Can the transfer case and drive line handle it, yes, still no idea why though.

[nicko1234]

Why do you want to drive in 4-high on dry asphalt?

Several thousand people have done this with zero effects, most by mistake when they forgot to put it back into 2wd, guys drag race all the time in 4-high.

Can the transfer case and drive line handle it, yes, still no idea why though.

Just curious. Wasn't going to do it. I don't know much about 4 wheel drive.

[gearheadesw]

It's best to engage 4 wheel drive when you need it, tires slipping, ie stuck. Yank the lever, turn the dial when the wheels stop spinning. Engage 4 x 4 when ice and snow are on the road, the tires need to slip independently or stress builds up in the transfer case causing damage. Go out in a field and throw it in 4 wheel drive, and see the difference, then stop, and put it in low range. You'll see what a mechanical advantage that offers for low speed operation.

[carkhz316]

Eh, I've driven on "dry" pavement in the winter time, both on purpose and accident for quite a few miles. Nothing has happened aside from perhaps some accelerated, but immeasurable tire wear. I put dry in quotes, as it's usually been the days were it was snowing or ice on the roads, or partially melted, so that the road surface was more or less bare pavement, but you could still spin out if you were really careless. That said, I wouldn't go for a summer cruise at 70 in 4H. Turning obviously sucks on dry pavement, with the tire scrubbing and front end hop and all that.

[Nick The Great]

I've done it on accident before and realized it when I went to turn!

 

I think it's 'okay' on occasion, but I certainly wouldn't do it on purpose!

 

Certainly NOT 4-low

[i82much]

the truck's steering will tell you if the turn is tight enough that you should be in two wheel drive.

[Doug Rosewood]

The steering will bind and the wheels will buck if you try turning in 4hi on dry pavement.

[Chevyfeller]

Just seen this thread and I have kind of a funny story about driving in 4H on dry roads. I have a 2005 Chevy 2500hd 4x4 crew cab with the 6.0 and 4l80e trans. I have owned this truck since 2006 when it only had about 10,000 on the odometer. I have used the truck primarily for pulling the family travel trailer and have done so since 2006. We like to get out and go when we camp and typically do cross country runs. Yellow Stone, Florida, South Carolina just to name a few. Anyway we were getting ready to leave for one of our big trips in June of 15 and I had washed the camper and truck and was hooking the truck up to the camper the night before we left. I finished hooking it up in a grassy area that I had the camper parked in and was trying to pull it onto the driveway when the back tires started to spin. To keep from throwing mud on the truck or camper I put the truck into 4 wheel high and pulled it up no problem. Not thinking I turned the truck off and went in the house and to bed for the night. The next morning we got up and left for vacation. I drove from Southern Illinois all the way to Destin Florida not thinking much about anything. The truck ran Great as it always has and all seemed well. Anyhow I get to the RV resort and was backing into our camping spot when I cut the wheel hard to back in and the truck kind of galloped on me. I immediately looked down at the indicator light for the 4x4 and much to my surprise it was still in 4H. I about shit my pants. I immediately put it back into 2H and finished backing in and unhooking the camper. The next morning I got up and took the truck to a local shop and had the transmission and transfer case serviced. The mechanics said all looked well with both and neither had any metal shavings or anything unusual in the fluids. We had a great vacation and pulled the camper home without further incident. Its been 2 years and I have had both serviced again since and all is fine. I would have thought that I would have noticed the truck pulling funny or worse than usual gas mileage when driving some six hundred miles in 4 wheel high but I didnt. The only thing I can figure is that typically when pulling a camper you dont cut the wheel hard very often and with a lot of weight on the back of the truck the typical characteristics of driving in 4 wheel drive wasnt as noticeable. Anyway I wouldnt recommend anyone else try this...lol