My first 4x4 please help

[Silverado-Hareek]

I have an idea, to those saying auto 4wd should not be used in the wet, you're clearly only saying it because you think it's bad for the drivetrain. Otherwise there would be no downside.

 

Please explain why you think it's damaging it.

 

Also explain how it differs from my wifes awd rdx, or any other run of the mill clutch actuated awd system that only transfers power to a second set of wheels under a low traction situation

 

It says in the manual that using 4HI on asphalt pavement can damage the drivetrain. Also, think about how the system functions. When 4WD is engaged the transfer case is powering both the front and rear drivetrains at equal rotation speeds. When you turn your vehicle on dry pavement, because of geometry the wheel on the inside of your turn is turning less than the wheel on the outside of the turn but your front drive axle is delivering power in equal rotation to the rear drive axle when in this scenario it should actually be cut back to compensate for the vehicle turning. But it can't be cut back due to how 4WD functions which is why you get the binding sound and the vehicle feels like it's hopping or jerking....that's the drivetrain forcing your front wheels to overcome the frictional resistance of being on asphalt so the wheels can spin with the drivetrain...that hopping or jerking feeling is the wheels loosing and regaining traction on the asphalt. So yes you should be on loose material to allow the wheels to spin freely so you don't bind up your drivetrain and cause damage.

 

AWD functions completely differently than 4WD. AWD systems are designed to compensate for these differences in front and rear drive axle speeds, different wheel rotation speeds, and so on. So while AWD will provide more traction than 2WD, it does not provide the same level of traction as 4WD due to it's inherent design to compensate for varying wheel conditions and therefore shouldn't be used in conditions like deep snow, sand, or deep mud.

 

My level of experience: I've driven 3 different 4WD trucks for 13 years now on dry asphalt, wet asphalt, light snow, heavy snow, light mud, medium depth mud, wet compacted sand, and dry/loose deep sand. I've gotten 1 truck stuck in the sand at the beach when I was 19 and when I was 22 I lost traction driving in 2WD in light snow on the interstate and spun out and ended up in the ditch. I've learned a lot of lessons the hard way.

[truckguy82]

4wd auto is a good in between if you are going between high traction and low traction situations such as melting snow, rain. Use 4wd high in continous low traction scenarios.

 

I'm curious as to why one would even use 4wd hi

 

4wd auto reacts so fast that it seams like 4wd hi is almost pointless.

 

Is it just easier on the system to not have to engage and disengage the clutch?

 

[truckguy82]

 

It says in the manual that using 4HI on asphalt pavement can damage the drivetrain. Also, think about how the system functions. When 4WD is engaged the transfer case is powering both the front and rear drivetrains at equal rotation speeds. When you turn your vehicle on dry pavement, because of geometry the wheel on the inside of your turn is turning less than the wheel on the outside of the turn but your front drive axle is delivering power in equal rotation to the rear drive axle when in this scenario it should actually be cut back to compensate for the vehicle turning. But it can't be cut back due to how 4WD functions which is why you get the binding sound and the vehicle feels like it's hopping or jerking....that's the drivetrain forcing your front wheels to overcome the frictional resistance of being on asphalt so the wheels can spin with the drivetrain...that hopping or jerking feeling is the wheels loosing and regaining traction on the asphalt. So yes you should be on loose material to allow the wheels to spin freely so you don't bind up your drivetrain and cause damage.

 

AWD functions completely differently than 4WD. AWD systems are designed to compensate for these differences in front and rear drive axle speeds, different wheel rotation speeds, and so on. So while AWD will provide more traction than 2WD, it does not provide the same level of traction as 4WD due to it's inherent design to compensate for varying wheel conditions and therefore shouldn't be used in conditions like deep snow, sand, or deep mud.

 

My level of experience: I've driven 3 different 4WD trucks for 13 years now on dry asphalt, wet asphalt, light snow, heavy snow, light mud, medium depth mud, wet compacted sand, and dry/loose deep sand. I've gotten 1 truck stuck in the sand at the beach when I was 19 and when I was 22 I lost traction driving in 2WD in light snow on the interstate and spun out and ended up in the ditch. I've learned a lot of lessons the hard way.

 

I wasn't concerned with 4wd hi to be honest, 4wdauto vs awd

 

I use 4wdauto every time the ground is wet. I feel no binding whatsoever. I engage it a lot when turning.

[Andy Seibel]

I feel more secure and if I need to swerve to miss someone who is driving recklessly or on bad tires or whatever I have the ability to do so safely.

 

All of you 4-auto users do realize that the 4WD only helps you accelerate (like from a stop). It does NOT help you turn or stop in any way.

 

So the only benefit you get from using it is when the pavement is wet you can floor it and avoid spinning your tires. All of the other functions of driving are not affected. That is why the smart people on here are saying you need to adjust your driving to the conditions. Using 4 auto in rain is fine if your goal is to drive aggressively and cut in front of people. But when the guy in front of you hits the brakes, it doesn't matter if you are in 2, 4 or Neutral, your brakes still operate exactly the same.

[truckguy82]

 

All of you 4-auto users do realize that the 4WD only helps you accelerate (like from a stop). It does NOT help you turn or stop in any way.

 

So the only benefit you get from using it is when the pavement is wet you can floor it and avoid spinning your tires. All of the other functions of driving are not affected. That is why the smart people on here are saying you need to adjust your driving to the conditions. Using 4 auto in rain is fine if your goal is to drive aggressively and cut in front of people. But when the guy in front of you hits the brakes, it doesn't matter if you are in 2, 4 or Neutral, your brakes still operate exactly the same.

 

yeah we're all 17 years old and have not figured that out yet

[15 Z71]

When I'm driving on snowy roads I do not like auto. I would rather have all four wheels turning together. 4auto only really good when doing a lot of stop start in and out of parking lots or in town driving. Doesn't auto pretty much run in 2 wheel until rear slips?

[Silverado-Hareek]

 

I wasn't concerned with 4wd hi to be honest, 4wdauto vs awd

 

I use 4wdauto every time the ground is wet. I feel no binding whatsoever. I engage it a lot when turning.

 

I misunderstood. At any rate my explanation may help others so I'll leave it. In theory if you're driving around in 4Auto and no power is being delivered to the front drive axle, you are correct in stating that you aren't damaging the system by driving on pavement with auto engaged. Damage really only occurs when the 4wd is engaged and working on the pavement.

 

Yes with Auto you wouldn't feel binding because power isn't being delivered to the front drive axle unless there's loss of traction so you aren't feeling binding because no power is being sent to the front axle most of the time. This confirms my point that you don't need 4WD in wet conditions, just use 2HI and slow down. As others have pointed out, there are plenty of 2WD rear wheel driven cars on the road driving in the rain just fine. I've never used anything but 2WD on my truck in the rain and have never had an issue in 13 years. Auto is meant for light snow covered roads or maybe wet compacted sand...variable conditions where loss of traction can occur outside of normal driving operations. It's not intended to be used for wet pavement your vehicle is designed to handle wet roads just fine. It's the driver that should adjust for the conditions. Again loss of traction on wet roads is not the result of normal driving operations, it's driver error. As opposed to driving on the snow where no matter what you do as the driver you may lose traction or get stuck.

 

You also raised the question that you don't understand why anyone would need 4WD Hi. I feel the same way with auto. I hardly find the need for it except maybe in extremely light snowy conditions on the road. Most of the time I find myself needing either 2WD or 4wd and the conditions for 4wd are such that I know I need it, so I just engage it. I rarely use auto. But to each his own.

[truckguy82]

When I'm driving on snowy roads I do not like auto. I would rather have all four wheels turning together. 4auto only really good when doing a lot of stop start in and out of parking lots or in town driving. Doesn't auto pretty much run in 2 wheel until rear slips?

yes but do you noticed a difference? Honestly I haven't driven mine in snow yet because I don't know....

 

but yeah it's driving in 2wd until it slips, but you can't really call that a bad thing if it engages the 4wd in 1/10th of a second

 

it's not like you need to do a burnout and then it engages, it's so fast I can't detect any slip

[Bikemobile]

 

I'm curious as to why one would even use 4wd hi

 

4wd auto reacts so fast that it seams like 4wd hi is almost pointless.

 

Is it just easier on the system to not have to engage and disengage the clutch?

 

Over a long period of time I think there will be less wear on the clutches in the transfer case.

 

In the many gm trucks and suv's that ive driven in heavy rain and snow ive noticed that there is some slack in the system in auto 4x4.

 

1999 Yukon

2003 Suburban

2000 Jimmy

1998 S10 Zr2

2007 Siverado

 

These vehicles have all had near 100,000 miles or close to 200,000 miles. They showed a bit of slack in the takeup between wheel slip and front axle engagement. I noticed it was most pronounced on my 2007 Silverado and 2000 jimmy. I think those two vehicles lead a tough life before my purchase. In the 2007 on packed snow at traffic lights I would feel the rear wheels spin then the front wheels would engage with a thud. It was concerning for me. All winter we have packed ice and snow on side streets and parking lots in the shade. Dry or wet asphalt on the highway and main roads with snowy patches. We rarely see above freezing temps between thanksgiving and valentines day. Perfect situation for auto4x4

 

My 2007 had just about 100k on it. Traded that truck in on my 2017. I'm hoping this new truck will have a more intelligent auto4x4 system with less slack in the system and a more positive takeup on slippery streets.

 

My wife's family wagon is a 2013 Hemi AWD Dodge Durango. The full time AWD system is seamless on dry roads and slippery roads. If wheels slip it scrambles for traction and just roars forward with no drama. It is essentially a rear bias auto4x4 with 4lo mechanically just like our trucks but lacking a 2wd switch.

[truckguy82]

 

I misunderstood. At any rate my explanation may help others so I'll leave it. In theory if you're driving around in 4Auto and no power is being delivered to the front drive axle, you are correct in stating that you aren't damaging the system by driving on pavement with auto engaged. Damage really only occurs when the 4wd is engaged and working on the pavement.

 

Yes with Auto you wouldn't feel binding because power isn't being delivered to the front drive axle unless there's loss of traction so you aren't feeling binding because no power is being sent to the front axle most of the time. This confirms my point that you don't need 4WD in wet conditions, just use 2HI and slow down. As others have pointed out, there are plenty of 2WD rear wheel driven cars on the road driving in the rain just fine. I've never used anything but 2WD on my truck in the rain and have never had an issue in 13 years. Auto is meant for light snow covered roads or maybe wet compacted sand...variable conditions where loss of traction can occur outside of normal driving operations. It's not intended to be used for wet pavement your vehicle is designed to handle wet roads just fine. It's the driver that should adjust for the conditions. Again loss of traction on wet roads is not the result of normal driving operations, it's driver error. As opposed to driving on the snow where no matter what you do as the driver you may lose traction or get stuck.

 

You also raised the question that you don't understand why anyone would need 4WD Hi. I feel the same way with auto. I hardly find the need for it except maybe in extremely light snowy conditions on the road. Most of the time I find myself needing either 2WD or 4wd and the conditions for 4wd are such that I know I need it, so I just engage it. I rarely use auto. But to each his own.

 

Can you just be honest with yourself. The only reason you don't use it is because for the last 50 years 4wd vehicles were only meant to engage 4wd in poor conditions. You have no other real reason.

[truckguy82]

Over a long period of time I think there will be less wear on the clutches in the transfer case.

 

In the many gm trucks and suv's that ive driven in heavy rain and snow ive noticed that there is some slack in the system in auto 4x4.

 

1999 Yukon

2003 Suburban

2000 Jimmy

1998 S10 Zr2

2007 Siverado

 

These vehicles have all had near 100,000 miles or close to 200,000 miles. They showed a bit of slack in the takeup between wheel slip and front axle engagement. I noticed it was most prnounced on my 2007 Silverado and 2000 jimmy. I think those two vehicles led a tough life before my purchase. In the 2007 on packed snow at traffic lights I would feel the rear wheels spin then the front wheels would engage with a thud. It was concerning for me. All winter we have packed ice and snow on side streets and parking lots in the shade. Dry or wet asphalt on the highway and main roads with snowy patches. We rarely see above freezing temps between thanksgiving and valentines day. Perfect situation for auto4x4

 

My 2007 had just about 100k on it. Traded that truck in on my 2017. I'm hoping this new truck will have a more intelligent auto4x4 system with less slack in the system and a more positive takeup on slippery streets.

Have you tried the '17 in the wet to compare? I never used the older system, curious to how it compares. I was shocked out how seamless it was the first time I used the newest system. So fast it feels like 4wd is full time.

[Silverado-Hareek]

 

Can you just be honest with yourself. The only reason you don't use it is because for the last 50 years 4wd vehicles were only meant to engage 4wd in poor conditions. You have no other real reason.

 

You are taking this way too personally. Use it if you want I really don't care. I'm saying I don't use it because I don't need it. I find it to be a mostly pointless feature. If you need it then use it. I admit it sometimes comes in handy in light snow conditions. But if you're using 4auto in the rain, you simply don't know how to drive.

[Bikemobile]

Have you tried the '17 in the wet to compare? I never used the older system, curious to how it compares. I was shocked out how seamless it was the first time I used the newest system. So fast it feels like 4wd is full time.

I drove it one day in heavy rain and felt the good for nothing stock tires slip on the painted crosswalk lines. I was in 2wd though. I had stock size duratracs put on shortly after and I have since been through some deep mud, sand and a bit of snow off road but never took it out of 2wd. Those tires just kick ass and never slip. The brand new G80 is really smooth and quiet too. I never felt it slip or clunk. Of course you need to ease into the gas gradually to properly use the G80.

 

The snow flies here right after halloween so it will be soon.

 

During the winter here, my rwd Dodge Charger patrol car lives in the paved and shoveled driveway with the wifes car and my trucks live in the deep snow on gravel next to the garage. So i usually end up driving to town in auto4x4 and hit 4x4hi to park it in the snow.

[Knotsure]

 

All of you 4-auto users do realize that the 4WD only helps you accelerate (like from a stop). It does NOT help you turn or stop in any way.

 

So the only benefit you get from using it is when the pavement is wet you can floor it and avoid spinning your tires. All of the other functions of driving are not affected. That is why the smart people on here are saying you need to adjust your driving to the conditions. Using 4 auto in rain is fine if your goal is to drive aggressively and cut in front of people. But when the guy in front of you hits the brakes, it doesn't matter if you are in 2, 4 or Neutral, your brakes still operate exactly the same.

.

I have not been in a car accident in the rain in over 20 years of driving. My driving habits are fine. And my brakes don't work at all without my driver input, which is on point. You don't use 4auto in the rain and justify it to yourself and I do.

 

Again to the OP, don't let anyone else try to guilt you into not using the 4auto. It's there so why not use it? I just traded in my 2006 GMC with auto4. It had over 187000 miles on it and when I put it in 4auto there was no slack our clunking or anything wrong at all, and I use the auto4 feature regularly. Do what you want with your truck but your driver input is the most important thing for safe driving.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Andy Seibel]

Can you just be honest with yourself. The only reason you don't use it is because for the last 50 years 4wd vehicles were only meant to engage 4wd in poor conditions. You have no other real reason.

 

No one is going to stop you from driving your truck however you want.

 

But for those asking questions about if "auto" is necessary for regular driving on wet road- that has been answered. And it seems like you are in the minority.