Driving with difs locked...OK or not OK...

[Hecklin at y'al]

Well, the weather outside is frightful, and the plows and sanders have not yet found my street.
During the snow event, I had to get my daughter, stock up on beer, and spend other time on the road playing in the snow.
I had my front difs locked, and engaged 4x4 when needed. Yesterday, I drove to work and back, and again left the front hubs locked JIC. Kept my speed down, and didn't drive like the moron in the H2 that passed me on the Boundry Rd. detour.
My question? Am I doing harm to my drive train by keeping the front locked? I checked when stopped at work, and the hubs were not hot. There was no smell of burning oil, and no noise. I don't know what kind of condition my hubs are in, but they turn easily.
Sorry for the round about way of getting to the question.
Tim...loves driving in the snow.

[Neoworm]

No. they will be fine. It just means everything is turning up front but it only get's power when you engage 4wd. Don't worry about it. BTW it's not locking your diffs it is locking your hubs. Driving around with your diff lockers on all the time would be a different story.

[Hecklin at y'al]

Thanks, Neoworm. I will only do so when needed. I'm also going to get the hubs serviced when I get the muffler done.
Tim...now to teach the wife to get out and lock them for me.

[d0ubledown]

you talkin about diffs? or hubs? hubs locked is ok. diffs locked (assuming youve got selectables) is generally pretty dangerous in icy/snowy conditions...

as neoworm said, no harm done. hubs & cv's are just along for the ride...

[J20]

you talkin about diffs? or hubs? hubs locked is ok. diffs locked (assuming youve got selectables) is generally pretty dangerous in icy/snowy conditions...

as neoworm said, no harm done. hubs & cv's are just along for the ride...

ya what he said:soso

[Hecklin at y'al]

you talkin about diffs? or hubs? hubs locked is ok. diffs locked (assuming youve got selectables) is generally pretty dangerous in icy/snowy conditions...

as neoworm said, no harm done. hubs & cv's are just along for the ride...
Mmm. I guess hubs. Twisty things on my front wheels. Lock/Unlock option. Use shifter inside to shift from 2 to 4 wheel drive.
Sorry, edited the topic.
Tim...doesn't think he has selectable anything.

[bobknob]

Gas mileage goes down some.

[allochris]

There's one thing i don't quite understand about the use of part-time 4wd of a toy pickup in winter driving.

Some people put in 4wd only as needed (stuck/close to losing traction), others leave it in 4hi the whole time.

Questions are, I though we aren't suppose to use 4hi/4low on pavement due to binding (part-time transfer case)? If so, up to how fast can we drive in 4h?

Obviously, as the road is never 100% of the time full of snow, (only with sections of snow here and there), Is it bad to have the transfer case in 4hi while on bare ground (no slippage from the ground/No snow), with turning and such? Wouldn't that bind the transfer case?

Is most of the driving (90%+) done in RWD then? (That's what I did for the last 2 winters)

On my 91 pickup with ADD shift on the fly, i actually never manage to press the clutch and shift from 2h to 4h without a complete stop, (Yes I could if I really want to, but i feel gear grinding through the transfer stick to my hand...:eek: ), same thing from 4hi to 2hi. is this normal?


Now that's funny, I've drove 2 winters with this truck in 2wd and i'm only asking this question now...:mullet

[Hecklin at y'al]

There's one thing i don't quite understand about the use of part-time 4wd of a toy pickup in winter driving.

Some people put in 4wd only as needed (stuck/close to losing traction), others leave it in 4hi the whole time.

Questions are, I though we aren't suppose to use 4hi/4low on pavement due to binding (part-time transfer case)? If so, up to how fast can we drive in 4h?

Obviously, as the road is never 100% of the time full of snow, (only with sections of snow here and there), Is it bad to have the transfer case in 4hi while on bare ground (no slippage from the ground/No snow), with turning and such? Wouldn't that bind the transfer case?

Is most of the driving (90%+) done in RWD then? (That's what I did for the last 2 winters)

On my 91 pickup with ADD shift on the fly, i actually never manage to press the clutch and shift from 2h to 4h without a complete stop, (Yes I could if I really want to, but i feel gear grinding through the transfer stick to my hand...:eek: ), same thing from 4hi to 2hi. is this normal?


Now that's funny, I've drove 2 winters with this truck in 2wd and i'm only asking this question now...:mullet

I kept my truck in 2wd, unless it looked like slippery conditions ahead, or if I hit snow/slush, then I would go to 4H. No need to stop for me in my Nissan. I would remove my foot from the gas, however. When road was clear again, I'd go back to 2wd.
If this is the case, I'm going to leave it engaged until this white stuff/ice goes away.
When I had my Chevy back east, I'd leave the hubs engaged on dirt/snow, just in case. Never worried about it then.
Tim...misses his old Chev 2500.

[shift2]

i'm driving with the rears locked and it;s alot of fun!!!!! interesting tho


shift2

[michael]

there is no speed limitation for 4wdr
any bind that does occur will be scrubbed off as soon as the traction surface allows
no damage is going to occur from driving on pavement in 4wdr
IF there is a bind the tires will scrub it off before anything can be damaged

[gavman]

I keep the hubs locked and only use 4wd when needed, (in snow)

[Neoworm]

I just drive my Full-Time 4WD Corolla wagon with auto center locking differential. Does make this weather a little boring though.

The Offroad "princess" stays in the garage.:redneck :redneck

[Road Dog]

I just drive my Full-Time 4WD Corolla wagon with auto center locking differential. Does make this weather a little boring though.That would be all-wheel drive, not 4WD. The centre locking diff is nice but I'm not sure about the "auto" part.

[u2slow]

That would be all-wheel drive, not 4WD. The centre locking diff is nice but I'm not sure about the "auto" part.

It would be like a selectable part-time kit :D Now whether that comes on automatically, or you push the button or whatever, I don't know :confused2

FWIW, most owner's manuals will say what speeds are okay for part-time 4x4. On a '93 Chevy S10 its listed as 80km/h.

[Hecklin at y'al]

80km/hr? I'm lucky if my truck gets close to that. With the spedo busted, I just guess by the complaining of the engine.
I guess if I drove it off a cliff.9.8m/s sq. would get me close.
Tim...don't need to go fast to break stuff.

[Neoworm]

That would be all-wheel drive, not 4WD. The centre locking diff is nice but I'm not sure about the "auto" part.

Well according to the owners manual and this site:

http://news.en.autos.sympatico.msn.c...mentid=1079174

it has "Full-Time 4wd. I believe you're thinking of Subaru's. So you're not sure it has an "automatic center diff lock" OR you're not sure you'd LIKE an "Auto center diff lock" Regardless, it has it and I like it. Leave it on and forget about it.

The car is a JDM import. I don't believe the auto centre diff lock was offered on the NA models. i may be wrong though.

[Road Dog]

It's all just semantics but I like to define it as:

4WD -- aka "part-time 4WD", 2 speed transfer case, not for dry pavement.

AWD -- aka "full-time 4WD", center diff, use it anywhere.

Jeep has a system with a 2-speed transfer case AND a centre diff for the best of all worlds.

[Neoworm]

Ya for sure. You got me wondering though so I went out and read my owners manual. One thing I didn't realize is my auto center diff lock will only kick in in "L". Makes sense but I never really gave it any thought.

Now I'm going to have to find an icy parking lot and test it.:laugh FJ80 LandCruisers and newer have Full Time 4wd with a center diff and t-case as well,but out of my price range.

[killer toy]

hey noeworm u finnally got your snow days how is that thing does it live up to the expectation.
im having a blast i think "im not gonna be able to make it to work tomorow" hehe

[Neoworm]

Ya it's awesome. It was definitely made for these road conditions. It's still not capable enough to ge me to work though. LOL!

I've put in about six hours this week and I don't think I'm going to make it today either. Too bad my truck is in pieces.

[killer toy]

lol prissy framers waht are you doin to your truck this time?

[Neoworm]

Just got my 4.7:1 t-case. getting ready to put it in.

[mud-dog27]

oh how i love my 242 Tcase where i get fulltime and part time its great and then i just downshift to stop.......that throws people off like other as they swerve to avoid a rearender....jackasses ridin to close in these conditions....but yea part time is alright its when you hit dry ground that you get binding and such around corners where as fulltime unlocks for corners.....

[Chucky3436]

then i just downshift to stop.......that throws people off like other as they swerve to avoid a rearender

Thats like driving behind someone with no brake lights in the snow/ice who suddenly stops..........

Not cool man.

[mud-dog27]

well obviously i give a tap of the lights but when theres ice on the road i aint gunna hit my brakes when im runnin M/T and if you stupid enough to ride someones ass in this weather you deserve whats comin to ya

[EHeye]

Welded rear, 33 swampers, HAMMER DOWN!!!!

[Chucky3436]

if you stupid enough to ride someones ass in this weather you deserve whats comin to ya

True enough.

Most people dont know that big trucks with m/t tires or such are bad in ice/hard packed snow. They see it as.....big truck, scary tires......must have no problems in this weather.

Probably why theyre following you like that, let you pave a path for them not knowing that your in probably a more precarious position than they are on the road.