Having owned 4wd vehicle since the 1970s I find there are varying opinions on how to use 4wd, every owner is an expert in their minds. IMO, 4LO is the appropriate gear and what I would use, You have to feather the gas to avoid spinning tires and the lower the gear the better chance. But like I said you will find those that think their method is best. I live near a boat launch. Yesterday there was a new Ford Maverick pulling out a pontoon boat almost 2x its size, they had no problems.
True story. One winter day no long ago I was coming out of small town post office and there was a F150 4wd parked in front and was stuck foot deep snow ruts. I knew the lady so I asked her to put it in 4wd (wondering why in the middle of a 2-snow storm she wasn't). Her reply surprised me, "my husband" (the expert) told me not use that because it uses more gas. She finally got unstuck spinning in 2wd.
Your tire pressure issue may just be batteries, you can reset them using tge Ing switch (I think) and the owner's manual. ChatGTP will b e a faster, better help than Google.
The thinking is that starting out in a higher gear makes it easier to avoid applying excessive torque when pressing the gas pedal. In a modern 4wd truck with 4 low and a limited slip or locking rear end, I would use 4 low and try to crawl up the ramp. Sometimes if they are too slippery, you have to back up to let the boat have some bouyancy, and then accelerate briskly to get some momentum to help you pull the through the slippery parts.
I have a Retrax pro that I first had on my 2020 chevy and transferred it to my current GMC. It stays in the garage most of the time, so hard for me to judge it's long term weather resistance. It still works perfectly, been very durable. It doesn't see oil patch usage, but it's not a mall queen. It keeps most things mostly dry (small leaks) and the security of it is enough to slow someone down but not keep them out for long. I would buy one again, it works for me.
Thanks to the convenience of Amazon, I was able to get a few things done to the truck today. I installed Carquest Premium oil and air filters with five quarts of Mobil1 High Mileage 10-30 along with a quart of Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30 I already had. The latch for the flip up center console lid was broken so I replaced it along with the power mirror switch. I found my push retainer assortment this morning and reattached the plastic under the bumper and it was only held on with a few screws and retainers. Then I programmed a new remote keyless entry fob so I can lock my dog in the truck when I take her out with me (I've got to keep the air going for her since it's been in the 100s). Finally, I ordered some LED interior bulbs and replaced the reading lamps. The front lights are working fine while one of the back lights only works intermittently and the other not at all.
While under the truck, I found the source of at least one of the noises: the sway bar links need replacing. I ordered a set of Suspension Dudes links with Code Red bushings. Never heard of them, but they're made in the USA and have decent reviews. While making yet another Amazon order, I went ahead and added a set of front tow hooks. I went with red, since that's the color of the sway bar link and bushings and it should look decent enough on a black and chrome truck. Speaking of which, it doesn't bug me much, but the passenger side mirror has a chrome cap while the driver side doesn't, so eventually I'll make them match one way or another. Oh, and I ordered a $20 TPMS reset tool. No idea if it will do anything for my sensors but it was cheap and will work for the Ford Transit Connect as well.
For tradition's sake, I ordered a new oil change wrench. I kept the Snap-On 9/16"x15mm GM wrench I bought when I was 18 in the 2006 GMC from the time I bought that truck until the truck was lost. While I was tempted, there's no need to spend $80 for a new SO wrench, or even $50 with shipping for a used one on Ebay. I just bought a Duratech 15mm extra-long ratcheting wrench to do the job as needed. It works, and if I like that wrench enough, I'll buy the set.
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