Driving in 4wd

[15SilverSilverado]

Question for anyone ... just got a brand new 2015 Silverado 1500, back in January, it now has 2000 miles on it. I drive pretty much exclusively in 2HI and nothing else. I did put it in Auto a few times during the winter, but not much - we barely had a winter in Chicago - only had to use the snowblower twice, if you can believe that. Anyways ... once in a while, when it rains, I will put it in 4HI, just for a short time at about 30 mph, just to keep things lubed up, etc. However, this was very strange to me ... I started the truck and while in park, I switched the transfer case to 4HI. The light blinked, I waited for it to stop blinking, then put the truck in reverse, started backing out of my driveway. My driveway is a bit of a hill. When I got past the bottom of the driveway, and straightened out flat onto the street, the truck really slowed down and when I tried to put some force on the gas pedal to keep backing up further, it wouldn't move very well at all. It was almost as if it has an automatic "slow-down" or braking thing going on, while in reverse in 4HI. Is this normal? This is my first truck, still getting to learn things.

[JRL1164]

Question for anyone ... just got a brand new 2015 Silverado 1500, back in January, it now has 2000 miles on it. I drive pretty much exclusively in 2HI and nothing else. I did put it in Auto a few times during the winter, but not much - we barely had a winter in Chicago - only had to use the snowblower twice, if you can believe that. Anyways ... once in a while, when it rains, I will put it in 4HI, just for a short time at about 30 mph, just to keep things lubed up, etc. However, this was very strange to me ... I started the truck and while in park, I switched the transfer case to 4HI. The light blinked, I waited for it to stop blinking, then put the truck in reverse, started backing out of my driveway. My driveway is a bit of a hill. When I got past the bottom of the driveway, and straightened out flat onto the street, the truck really slowed down and when I tried to put some force on the gas pedal to keep backing up further, it wouldn't move very well at all. It was almost as if it has an automatic "slow-down" or braking thing going on, while in reverse in 4HI. Is this normal? This is my first truck, still getting to learn things.

Were you turning your wheels as you backed up? If so in 4Hi you probably caused a little binding requiring more gas to "go" which is normal. However I personally wouldn't use 4Hi or any variation of 4wd on wet roads.

[15SilverSilverado]

Were you turning your wheels as you backed up? If so in 4Hi you probably caused a little binding requiring more gas to "go" which is normal. However I personally wouldn't use 4Hi or any variation of 4wd on wet roads.

 

Yes, sir - I was ... when backing straight out, it was perfectly fine. But when I turned the wheels to get out onto the street - that's when the truck totally slowed down and I did not want to floor the gas pedal, out of fear of damaging anything. Truth be told - I did ask one of the Chevy mechanics at the dealership, if I'm supposed to put it in 4HI once in a while, in any road conditions, just to keep things lubed up, or whatever, and he said absolutely not, no need - he said that was a myth. So, I'll just leave it in 2HI full time from now on and not even bother with 4WD at all, unless I need it in the winter time.

 

In retrospect, being that I am a first-time truck and 4x4 owner, it would behoove the dealerships to give people like me a quick tutorial about "do's and don'ts" with 4x4. This truck is a dream - the last thing I want to happen, is to damage something, because of lack of knowledge/training. Thanks for your reply - appreciated.

[jamesonjc]

 

Yes, sir - I was ... when backing straight out, it was perfectly fine. But when I turned the wheels to get out onto the street - that's when the truck totally slowed down and I did not want to floor the gas pedal, out of fear of damaging anything. Truth be told - I did ask one of the Chevy mechanics at the dealership, if I'm supposed to put it in 4HI once in a while, in any road conditions, just to keep things lubed up, or whatever, and he said absolutely not, no need - he said that was a myth. So, I'll just leave it in 2HI full time from now on and not even bother with 4WD at all, unless I need it in the winter time.

 

In retrospect, being that I am a first-time truck and 4x4 owner, it would behoove the dealerships to give people like me a quick tutorial about "do's and don'ts" with 4x4. This truck is a dream - the last thing I want to happen, is to damage something, because of lack of knowledge/training. Thanks for your reply - appreciated.

Your owners manual explains everything you need to know. I assume you didnt read the 4 wheel drive section...?

[15SilverSilverado]

Your owners manual explains everything you need to know. I assume you didnt read the 4 wheel drive section...?

 

I read the 4WD section in full, believe me. However, there is nothing in there at all, regarding the differences between using 4WD while driving straight forward/backward, and then how it behaves when in 4WD while turning corners, etc. I did get feedback from several friends who have been driving trucks for years, and they told me the same thing ... don't use it at all, except in thick snow, ice, or mud conditions, due to the wheel mechanisms of how 4x4 works. One friend has an all-wheel drive Subaru and I know that is entirely different from the way our 4x4 trucks work. I just thought it was weird how the truck slowed down (the binding issue), when in 4WD and making turns. There is nothing in the owner's manual about that, whatsoever. Experienced 4x4 truck owners know these things, where the novice/first time owners like me, do not.

 

I just wasn't sure if I'm supposed to put it in 4WD once a month or so, to keep things in good working order over time, or if that is not an issue at all. If there is no such need for 4WD "preventive maintenance", then that's cool, I just won't ever use it, unless I need to.

[hurricanoday]

Isn't that what 4auto is for? I put mine in 4auto and haven't had any issues. Even times where "I need" 4wd I just use 4auto such as pulling my boat out of the water or anytime I get slipping.

 

I don't think I would put it in 4wd unless I was in some snow or mud. Even then I think I would just stick with 4auto

[15SilverSilverado]

Isn't that what 4auto is for? I put mine in 4auto and haven't had any issues. Even times where "I need" 4wd I just use 4auto such as pulling my boat out of the water or anytime I get slipping.

 

I don't think I would put it in 4wd unless I was in some snow or mud. Even then I think I would just stick with 4auto

 

You are right. The majority of people I know, have told me that they don't like Auto, because they would rather have control over 4WD, as opposed to the truck's computer doing it.

[Mark Wininger]

I have a friend that recently purchased a 2017 GMC Z71 and he wanted to test the 4wd so he put in high and drove about a mile on dry pavement when he smelled something burning.The truck was taken back to the dealer and the service manager told him by doing that on dry pavement he ruined the front transfer case, they installed new bearings etc under the warranty.I have a 2016 Z71 which i tested the 4wd yesterday and it is louder than the Yukon i previously drove but I feel that their was something wrong with his truck from the factory rather than driving in 4wd on dry pavement.

 

any thoughts

[ct_corey]

what about trucks with manual engage 4wd?

[Mackdriver]

I drive in 2hi mostly, but put the driveline into auto when it rains or snows. Ive noticed that on ice when backing up an incline, auto and even 4hi don't seem to give me much more traction. They do seem to help quite a bit while driving, but backing from a stop on ice is a pain. I've driven subarus for the past 10 years, and their awd systems work great, but they did have some flaws when coupled with traction control systems. I had to turn off the tcs when driving in snow to get the best performance from the Subaru awd. In fact there were times where I couldn't get over large snow mounds because the tcs was telling the wrong tires to spin. Once I turned off tcs those cars would go through pretty much anything though! Long question short do you guys say it's the tcs system in my Sierra messing up my awd/4wd, particularly my backing issue? I haven't had the chance to try turning off the tcs in the truck yet. I've always parked and then thought of it haha.

[truckguy82]

Shouldn't need to put it in 4hi to "lube it up" if you use 4auto once in awhile.

 

4lo is what needs to be lubed up. In some vehicles switching to the lo gear in the transfer case does not work after long term driving and never engaging it. That being said, I've never heard of that happening in GM vehicles. My dad lost 4lo in his tundra because he never engaged it for 80k miles.

 

I plan to put mine in 4lo once every 25-30k miles. Just drive it for like 30 seconds in a straight line should be enough to atleast coat the parts with lube to prevent them from seizing.

[sdeeter19555]

Shouldn't need to put it in 4hi to "lube it up" if you use 4auto once in awhile.

 

4lo is what needs to be lubed up. In some vehicles switching to the lo gear in the transfer case does not work after long term driving and never engaging it. That being said, I've never heard of that happening in GM vehicles. My dad lost 4lo in his tundra because he never engaged it for 80k miles.

 

I plan to put mine in 4lo once every 25-30k miles. Just drive it for like 30 seconds in a straight line should be enough to atleast coat the parts with lube to prevent them from seizing.

You don't need to drive in 4wd EVER with a modern truck to keep the front end lubed...the axles are directly connected between wheel and differential, the differential turns anytime the truck moves.

 

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[cbrsilv15]

I have a friend that recently purchased a 2017 GMC Z71 and he wanted to test the 4wd so he put in high and drove about a mile on dry pavement when he smelled something burning.The truck was taken back to the dealer and the service manager told him by doing that on dry pavement he ruined the front transfer case, they installed new bearings etc under the warranty.I have a 2016 Z71 which i tested the 4wd yesterday and it is louder than the Yukon i previously drove but I feel that their was something wrong with his truck from the factory rather than driving in 4wd on dry pavement.

 

any thoughts

Hopefully your friend learned to keep the 4wd off the pavement. It is only if the wheels can slip because of the traction. Straight lines shouldn't hurt, but when you turn the wheels you can hear the driveline binding.

[Dnt]

I have found the 4whl auto setting a necessity in heavy rain with the factory 20" Goodyear SRA's The 6.2 8spd with tune /dual exh and CAI (approx 455hp) will spin the back tires way to easy. Let the Nanny devices do their thing man they work well.

[redwngr]

You don't need to drive in 4wd EVER with a modern truck to keep the front end lubed...the axles are directly connected between wheel and differential, the differential turns anytime the truck moves.

 

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Nope.

 

Only if the front actuators are engaged. (like when in either auto, or 4wd)

 

Front dif turning is why auto uses slightly more fuel than 2wd.