4WD Low vs 4WD High | What is the Difference? **Heavy Duty Mechanic Explains**
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- Опубликовано: 26 сен 2024
- I review my 2022 RAM 2500 and Ram 1500 4WD LOW and explained how 4wd low works, when to use and how to use it properly. I also talk about common 4wd low myths. I explained why 4wd low is the best tool for off-roading in any RAM truck.
What is going on today guys! I hope every one is having a good week. I figured I would make a full length video about 4wd low vs 4wd high because I frequently get comments that are simply wrong when it comes to 4wd low. So first I talk about what 4wd low is.
In a transfercase you have 2 actions. going from 2wd to 4wd and going from low range to high range. so that leaves us with 2wd high, 2wd low, 4wd high and 4wd low. now most manufacturers won't give you the electronic option to go into 2wd low but it is 100% possible.
Now 4wd low or low range simply raises the final drive ratio of the vehicle slowing down the wheel speed but increase the torque in a proportional matter. this is important because this increase in torque is 4wd low is so good off road. This increase in torque gives more control to your wheels allowing for maximum traction in off road situations.
There are certain situations where 4wd high may be advantageous like in deep snow or even sand or mud but it would depend on the situation at hand. But general 4wd low is the best option for most off road situations.
Jumping into the common myths. 4wd low does not lock up all 4 wheels. if your wheels don't lock up in 4wd high they certainly won't all lock up in 4wd high. 4wd low is all in the transfer case, once power leaves the transfer case and does to your 4x4 differentials. it's up to your diffs to decide how power is split between both wheels.
The second common myth is that your front axle locks up. and similarity with the first myth this again is just not true while in 4wd low. the front axle or differential has no bearing on what range the truck is in. if the front diff is going to lock up it will lock in both 4wd high or 4wd lock and 4wd low.
anyways guys I hope you liked the video!
I have used 2WD Low. I was stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, going 2 mph for a few miles. The truck had a manual transmission so I just put it in 2wd low, popped the clutch and just coasted at idle for a few miles. My left leg loved me.
😊
i wonder how many times a truck has fallen in that pit
Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing. Something you want to take your time and not do by yourself.
I thought the truck was going to fall in the pit during the video.
He's a professional so probably enough times to know not to do that 🤣
Was thinking the same
No tire guide on that Pit ❓. Dangerous
When I owned trucks with manual hubs, I would leave the hubs unlocked and shift into 4wd low, giving me 2ed low. I used this when moving heavy trailers around the farm on dry ground. It helped tremendously when backing up…especially with a manual transmission.
Me too!
2014+ rams can do that with an aftermarket switch. BD 2Low kit. I love it for backing heavy trailers into tight spots.
4 low with hubs unlocked can overload rear ring and pinion and causes broken teeth ! I know from 1ST hand experience
GMCs have an after market kit to do this as well - thought about it, but really not worth doing for me.
@@mikewehling4449 curious to know in what application this happened. What vehicle did this happen on and what differential specifically?
4wd low is a big advantage to me. Helps regulate speed when in driving downhill on my driveway to my house in the snow. It’s also allowed me to get out of ditches whereas 4wd hi would load up the drivetrain with torque too much with little forwards motion.
It makes your car into a tank lol
My current truck is the first 4WD I have owned so I am still learning stuff. I only have gone off road a couple of times and I have used it to get through snow a couple of times.
4WD low is awesome pulling heavy (that is relative to the truck) boats out of the water at the boat ramp. My buddy had a V6 4WD Dakota with a manual transmission and it was easier on the clutch in low range pulling his boat out. My trucks have been automatics but most times I use low range to pull my boat. I'm sure it is fine to use high but low seems easier on the truck.
You have confused the final drive ratio (the ratio in the axle ring and pinion) with the overall gear ratio. The final drive ratio doesn’t change unless you swap gear sets. The overall drive ratio depends on what gear the transmission and transfer case is in. And it isn’t true that your overall gear ratio is normally 1:1 in high gear. Many transmissions used to have high gear as direct drive or 1:1, but you still had the final drive ratio so the wheels and engine did not turn at the same RPM. The wheels turned slower than the engine by the final drive ratio. Most modern transmissions have overdrive transmissions where high gear, and sometimes two or more high gears, have a ratio less than 1:1. It does get complicated at times. 😁
Overall Ratio and Final Drive Ratio are numerously interchanged in various countries to mean the same drivetrain environment which then really make matters confusing 🙂
The way I understand it with my rwd '11 XTERRA is that in 4-hi, the vehicle operates as normal, but with the front end connected to the engine, limited to the first 4 gears and no faster than 70 mph. With 4-lo, the vehicle is locked into first gear and the vehicle dynamics controls (VDC) are disabled so that every wheel is getting the maximum amount of power from the engine at all times (also due to being in the lowest gear ratio), but the 4-lo is generally saved for a SHTF situation because of that. Anyway, that's what I make of it from my manual. It's incredible how much of a difference there is when driving through snow with 4-hi on, though
@@user-et5mz5ex9s my 2012 F150 has no such limits on 4 low, altough the manual says not to exceed 35 mph because the transfer case or transmission might overheat.
I went 80 in 4 low in a foot of snow on the highway when everyone else was in the clear-ish right lane doing 15-20. Let off the gas and slowed down with engine braking for 3 miles before the exit i planned on getting off at, manually shifting the automatic transmission on the way down.
Even in 4WD, downshifting before braking greatly helps maintain control, along with good snow tires and traction control (as my 4WD Toyota has), but going 80 in a foot of snow when you have no idea what lays under it is crazy. Mix that in with the nutcase drivers that make last minute decisions to change lanes, possibly in front of you.
I live in WNY (Buffalo) and see it all the time... way more 4WD vehicles pushed up against the guard rail or off on the shoulder/rail of the 90/190/290/219 than 2WD/AWD cars. All of them thinking they knew better and could go faster. LOL
Hahah I wouldn’t do 80mph in low
I've never understood why most manufacturers don't let you select 2WD Low....its actually extremely useful
Maybe but dummies would be cruising down the freeway in 2 lo.
And actually extremely detrimental when it explodes at road speeds because dummies forget to transfer to 2 H.
It makes too much torque from the additional gear reduction and can break the drive shaft or axle.
Useful why? Never needed 2 WD low. If you need Low It's because you need extreme traction. Like pulling a stump or climbing a wall
I have 1L in my chevy in usa
I think some people get confused because when 4x4 vehicles first started switching to electric hubs, they talked about how when you shifted into 4wd it would also automatically lock the hubs. Given the similar terminology, I could see people (especially people who talk to sales people at dealerships) getting things confused.
I also wouldn’t completely rule out there being a small handful of vehicles with locking differentials that _also_ lock the diffs when you put it into 4-wheel-low. That may be a pretty obscure few vehicles, but I’d be shocked if there aren’t at least one or two of them out there somewhere. It would generally be a bad idea and locking diffs would be a separate switch from 4-WL, but I know many 4x4’s in the manual tell you explicitly to never engage 4-WL on pavement or normal roads and to only use it in off-road or stuck situations to avoid problems or causing excessive wear or damage by driving with locked diffs on pavement and going around corners without realizing what’s actually going on.
So while you are technically 100% correct and accurate in your description and explanation of what 4 wheel low is and what it does and doesn’t do, that doesn’t mean that the 4 wheel low button/switch/shifter in some vehicle somewhere doesn’t _also_ happen to lock one or both differentials.
Some do come with LSD's
My opinion is 4WL saves your transmission when you’re under heavy resistance. I use it when going slow through very deep snow.
I would agree with that. torque converter probably isn't slipping as much!
Also when my truck is in 4lo thr torque converter locks up at 15mph vs 40mph in normal high mode. This is extremely helpful when going up in the mountains when the transmission produces way too much heat with the converter unlocked in 2wd/4hi.
yup and 4H is when you want to do 60 threw the mud hole
thinking about having to drive that truck over that pit gives me anxiety. i guess you gotta be used to it to be comfortable.
If you're not accustomed to using 4WD low be super cautious with it at first. It is extremely torquey and it takes a LOT of brake pedal pressure to stop the truck. If you're not expecting that torque it is very easy to hit something you may not have intended to and it will likely do some damage because the force is so amplified. Be prepared to stand on that brake pedal to bring your truck to a stop. It's very powerful, especially if coupled to a Cummins Turbodiesel which is a very high torque engine to begin with.
a lot of "smart" people out there who spread false information about anything and everything very confidently and people believe them. thanks for shedding light on whats right and whats wrong.
I think the simple explanation of 4wd low vs high is that when you are in a sand and you can get stuck easily when you are on a higher gear speed. You need to feel the engine and to do not drag. Also, with all been said - I can’t get those 4wd when you need a push everything is spinning except the one you really need. But again- I think it is because of the purpose of differentials - and to minimize a risk of flip over etc. because nowadays most of the people don’t know how to use lockers.
MY old 79 k15 GMC half ton full time 4x4 had 2 low on it. Now I have a 2017 f350 which I have to unlock the hubs to achieve this. This is very useful when pulling a utility or boat trailer in rough country roads with sharp turns and plenty of boulders. The low gear lets you crawl over the boulders, and you can turn very sharp without the 4x4 system making your front-end bounce around tight corners. You have greater control. Of your speed over rough country with more torque that lets you crawl over the rocks without having to put the pedal to the metal and jumping over Bolders at higher speeds. and without the 4x4 engage you don't bind up your front end in extreme tight corners.
My old Toyota also had that advantage. With the front hubs unlocked had two wheel low range,much like the old American full sized trucks with the low range first Granny gear.. Why don't the manufacturers still offer that? Oh,I know,Maybe because nobody offers a manual transmission anymore...
1:50 good point. In the gm vehicles, and probably the other truck oems too, a simple switch can be added in the cab to gain function of 2wd low. I've thought of adding it but never did. I have seen a few videos on RUclips where 2wd low was used unwittingly (front auto locking hubs failing to lock) and it turned out to have great results. Towing super heavy uphill on highway terrain is a good example of its use. Oems should definitely start offering 2wd low mode on the factory gear selector.
Another option would be to go with a 2 speed rear axle which was pretty common on commercial trucks a few decades ago. Used to love running tough the gears and shifting the axle as well..
My Ram has the 3.6. The 8 speed compensates nicely on the highway, but when pulling my boat out of the water on a steep ramp, using the 4WD low makes it sure footed and gives the extra torque that really helps. Great little truck. Good video.
Great shop talk and the bicycle demonstration makes it very visually understandable 👍
Thank you
Well, experience creates know-how in the mud....a big part of know-how is knowing your machinery and how it works.
If your truck has "4 high auto - 4 high lock" and you put it in 4 high lock it will not "lock" the front any different than 4 high auto does.
4 high auto makes it so you can turn the wheels as sharply as in 2 wd and not have wheel skip and bandage.
To make 4 high lock pull as it should you have to turn the ESC off. When off now if you turn sharp you will bind up and get wheel hop, if in mud there is a big difference between "high auto" and "high lock" if Esc is turned off.
If your truck has only "2 wd - 4 high lock - 4 low" than you don't have to turn Esc off because it is automatically in "Lock" and will bind if turning shape at low speed.
Now for the "Lock" thing.
The manufacturers do not put a "Locking" front axel on any 4x4 vehical..... that is if you are thinking of lock as in being a positrack type of lock. Reason is because positrack is awesome in straight line type of mud and ruts, it pulls hard, but if there is reason for turning to go a different direction or trying to get out of the ruts before the bad parts... you can't, you turn but you still go straight following the ruts...limited slip will come out of ruts because you have to have one tire with traction and not spinning to steer out while the other tire pulls, so that is why they are not like all time positrack when in lock mode.
Why put "lock" word on 4 high lock if it don't lock? Because it does lock, just not positrack type lock. It locks the electronics from releasing the axel clutches on either tire if it feels one or other get in a bind, instead the friction clutches have full pressure on them and if wheel gets in a bind the axel will have to manually make the clutches slip with pressure still on them...and they will slip in a good bind.
That is why when people think their trucks really do lock the front end, its because unless turning which is enough bind to make slip most times, (sometimes not) they see both tires throwing mud at the same time...like going straight or real slippery shit, they will both spin... but look at the amount and the look of(big chunks or little ones or spay of mud)the mud, they will more times then not be different from one side to the other, that is because each tire is spinning at different speeds, so yes they both spin but they are not locked like positrack because the clutches are slipping, maybe not stopping the tire from pulling, but effecting it's full on lock.
Well, now that I think of it maybe Chevy does have a full locking frontend..front-end... I mean that would explain why they are always stuck in the trees and in the turns making you have to go through the deepest nastyest part of the mudhole to drive around them... I don't know, maybe the reason why.
Now " Does that mean you don't have a full lock front end from some factories? NO, not at all. Old and new Dodges, Jeeps, Older Fords and some new ones, old internationals, not sure if Chevy did...well the mudholes say they didn't have the ability to lock it.
Yes, I know I just said no factory puts full lockers in their Frontends, and they don't, but if you have experience in mudriding and know your equipment you can make it lockup...both front and rear at the same time.
If your stuck and the only tires spinning is the ones with the lest traction while the other 1 or 2 tires in a bind won't spin much, just do this to lock them.
As you give gas, not crazy full throttle gas, but enough to get you moving, as you give gas...press on your brake, not enough to stop tires from turning, but enough to put all 4 tires in a "created by the brakes" bind.
What that does is now the truck can't transfer power to the tires that are in the least amount of bind because all 4 are in the same bind, so it distributes even power to all 4 tires which now makes it a full locker because all 4 will not stop pulling unless you let off the brakes, like if you need to turn out of ruts and shit. For real, it does.
So to make a long story short (to late for that huh?) If both of them Dodges on the Jack's with 3 tires spinning had someone press the gas and brake at the same time it would of pulled off the jacks,, if it don't, than give more gas and harder brake until it does, and it will, always use enough gas and brake to get the job done no matter how much it takes.
It works so good everybody asks me why I always put chevy emblems on my Dodge.. I don't put chevy emblems on Dodge, them emblems come off the tailgates and get stuck on my grill when I'm pushing them out of the way when they are stuck and I need to get by.
The difference between 4 low and 4 high is a transmission that will not slip because of overheating after climbing to around 12000 feet. The difference between 4 low and 4 high is still having some fizz to the beer after crossing that last rough spot or two. The difference between 4 low and 4 high is not wearing out the brakes going back down. Getting stuck in the snow drift because you weren't going fast enough is another difference. If you drive a 4x4 enough years this is a no brainer.
On my GMCs it automatically connects (via the center disconnect) the front axle in any 4x4 mode - which makes the driver feel the binding and bucking of 4x4. The actual cause of the binding is the lack of slip in the transfer case - but you feel it through the steering so people think it is from the front axle. GMC now seems to have gone to "auto" 4x4 in both the light and HD trucks which is much better for use on hard surfaces and especially on the mixed surfaces these trucks are likely to see. With auto since you have that "center slip" you no longer get the binding. You can still switch over to straight 4x4 or 4x4 Low if needed - but I would guess 80% of the drivers have no clue.
Your video is great to explain to people that don't understand what low and high are for. Most people that get stuck don't know about the putting on the brake methods. If rear is spinning on one tire apply the e brake and if your really stuck put it in low 4x4 and ride the brakes so it sends power equal. Would be a good video for you to show. I've had to use this method before not always 100% going to work but in most case's it will get you out of a pickle.
Yep. "Left foot braking." In the army I went to the AM General driving school and learned what Humvees are truly capable of. They called it "brake modulation." It just eliminates the path of least resistance that causes one free wheel to spin in an open differential. However, if you want a truck that is truly made for off-roading, then you need locking diffs.
@Karl with a K that can only happen with a locked differential. An open differential allows the two wheels (front axles or rear axle) to travel at different speeds. In a turn, they are different because they travel different distances. The inner moves in a smaller circle, etc. That's why it's called a "differential. " you can't drive on the road with a locked differential (or a solid axle between the wheels) unless you only drive straight with no turns or curves. This also isn't only for 4wd vehicles. The same is true for fwd or rwd vehicles.
4wd low is simply a lower gear ratio in the transfer case that is a good bit lower than 1st gear (4 hi is 1:1 between the transmission and the 4 hi gear). This allows more torque at the wheels. Think of going up hill on your bicycle in both the highest and lowest gear. Which one is easiest? The trade off is the lowest gear is a lot slower.
@Karl with a K no they don't. The only way the wheels can turn together, at the same speed, is with a locked differential. It has nothing to do with the 4 lo. That gearing is in the transfer case. A locked front diff, locks both front wheels together, a locked rear diff locks both rear wheels together. In a truck with a center differential (usually found in SUVs and usually not foynd in pickup trucks), a locked center diff locks the front and rear drive shafts together. The 4 lo setting is a completely different mechanism that is a gear reduction. It has nothing to do with independent or locked wheel spin.
@Karl with a K they do. When you make turns the tires chirp and you can feel the stress you're putting on the driveline. On Chevy, Ford, Toyota, dodge, etc.
@Karl with a K I was agreeing with you
Great video. You just made a new fan. "2 wheel Low" was rather common back in the day. We would just shift into Low and not get out and lock the hubs. It worked great for driving around the pasture. Also, I have A 2017 Ford 4x4. It certainly has electronics past the tranfer case and uses traction control technology to simulate locked axles in 4 High. However, that traction control turns off in 4 Low. Consequently, I have been able to navigate tricky situations in 4 High with traction control that I could not do in 4 Low. Not sure why Ford wont give traction control in 4 low but there have been plenty of times I wish I had it.
Found this on a Jeep forum. Traction Control is just one small part of the whole ESP system. Although the anti-skid and anti-slide functions of the ESP system are turned "off" in 4L, your Traction Control System DOES work in 4L--it's your anti-skid program that does NOT, hence the "slippery when wet" light. Your TCS system tries to function like limited slip, but uses the ABS system to apply brakes to the spinning tire, instead of friction in your diff. Yes, the light is supposed to come on in 4L.
Alex, good presentation, you dispelled some myths. One thing I would clarify. You mentioned 4L having "better traction off road", while a video of the truck climbing a hill in the snow was being played. That is another myth, obviously gear selection cannot affect tire friction with the road surface, but there are some times when selecting a higher gear can decrease the chance of tires slipping. If you are trying to climb a hill, get going from a start, etc., with very limited traction (additional power and torque are not needed), the key is to apply very smooth and consistent power to each wheel. Internal combustion engines do not produce very smooth and consistent power, think more like impact gun than electric motor. However, the fluid coupling of the torque converter can help smooth that power out. If the vehicle is in 4H you will have to use more engine RPM to initiate movement and with that higher RPM more smoothing will take place. Also, as torque spikes come though the transmission and into the transfer case/driveline they will be less likely to break tire traction in the higher range.
Try this the next time you have to get started on a very steep and slippery hill. Put it in 4L and slowly and gently apply throttle until movement is achieved, test how easy it is to not break traction and get moving. Then switch to 4H and try again, slow and smooth throttle pressure. It will be much easier to control in 4H and you will be able to get speed more quickly without breaking traction. As long as you did not overheat the trans fluid you didn't hurt anything or cause wear, you just made better use of your torque converter.
The same thing can be achieved in a manual transmission to a lesser degree, use 2nd or third to limit torque spikes. Often better than 1st at getting un-stuck. Maybe not the best to do to a clutch, but if a gentle start in 2nd gets you out when 1st would not, hopefully not a significant clutch wear event.
Yes that's interesting 🤔 the correct term for that I think is called lugging. An automatic trans you can do that more easily and get away with it because the torque converter just cuts through the fluid and creates tremendous heat. If your machine has efficient trans cooling, you're good. The engine's egts will be higher than normal for sure. On bigger diesel trucks nowadays you get an egt guage, but u could add one and a pyrometer cheaply if you cared to monitor those temps.
An explanation of why the wheel in the open diff was spinning twice as fast as the posi diff would have been nice for the laymen.
Honestly, I had a clip in there ready to go because I noticed that too and was like wow that would be a great talking point. but I ended up leaving it out because I really just wanted to nail down the basic concept of 4wd low.
The reason it's spinning twice as fast, The differential splits the power 50/50 so with the one wheel stopped the other is 100% is the easiest way to explain that. It's actually a little bit more complex with the ring, pinion, and spider gears. A little bit of algebra and geometry to complicate matters even worse.
@@minenachos I said for the layman, of which I am not.
@@strykerjones8842 I never said you was. I thought people would be interested in a basic description since TGA didn't offer one in reply to your comment. No disrespect intended.
Hi. 2017 Sierra. Truck is acting like it's on 4LO (hard to turn) when I set the selector to 4HI mode. Any idea what's wrong
Loved the program, explained a lot to me, and i have been driving 4WD vehicles for 6 years. I use 4lo when hooking up to trailers.
The front diff in my old ranger seemed locked full time, posi rear. It was pretty obvious if I forgot to unlock the hubs after switching back to 2WD on pavement. I never got stuck where I couldn't get out. That was a good truck. Should have just kept it.
Amen !!
Yeah I can totally relate to this. Mine had manual locking hubs on the front. That ranger would crawl up mountain dirt roads covered in ice like nobody's business. It could go places my dad's 4x4 tundra would slip all over. If I put the ranger in first gear and 4wd low I could get out and walk next to it with the door open. It was a real crawler when I needed it. Never once got it stuck. I never even had good tires on it and it was a real champ. Ashamed I didn't fix the internal coolant jacket leak into the engine that caused it to die.
I am the proud owner of a 2003 Toyota 4Runner, with the bulletproof 4.7 V8 and what they call full time four wheel drive, with the two speed transfer case and the button to lock all four wheels. It isn't the best in fuel mileage but what a beautiful vehicle to drive in all conditions. Apparently not many SUV's have this set up but the 4Runner is built on the Tundra frame and therefore is more truck than family SUV. As far as I know, no 4Runners in Canada have only two wheel drive and I was very surprised to see that people in the US had two wheel drive 4Runners.
Well, my 1987 jeep Cherokee 5 speed manual does in fact lock all 4 wheels.
My suburban however does not.
I've gotten my jeep to where only 1 tire has traction and that one is spinning as well as the others that are buried in snow and ice.
So, some vehicles do in fact lock all 4 wheels.
2wd low allows for tight turning radius especially if backing a trailer up when off road if you have ever been in the situation
Yep. My Ford had manual locking hubs, so just didn't lock them. Great for backing 5th wheel up steep driveway. It does have its place.
I live in the frozen north and drive a dump truck that is set up to spread salt on the iced up roads and parking lot. The truck is 2 wheel drive but has push button locker. The truck is stored out in the country down a dirt road in open area that drift like crazy and I have pulled people out of the drifts that have 4x4 and my weight and the locker out performed the 4x4's on flat frozen ground covered in ice and snow it's very impressive how big of an improvement a locker is😁
In some vehicles with part time 4WD, 4low works well when going down a steep hill. 4high works well when going up a steep hill.
Some steep hills need aggressive power to climb. That is what I do with my old vehicle and it works well.
Modern vehicles with erectronic diff locks work like that.
4 low is basically a crawling gear, especially useful when pulling weight
Can't believe that a 4 wd owner wouldn't already know this stuff.
Not everyone knows. ; )
Lots of city folks buy trucks that wont see more than a few days of work in its lifetime.
The myth is 4lo gives you better traction... the truth is, it only reduces ratio for steadier slow speed wheel control. Traction still is the same.
I got to tell you, out of all the upgrades I've done to my second generation RAM. Having a Detroit rear and e-locker up front is one of the best things when living in a snowy state.
I can't tell you how many times I've been stuck somewhere, flipped that switch to lock the front and just clawed my way out of it.
I also removed that central axle disconnect. Having that extra lock collar made it so I couldn't shift into four wheel as fast as I wanted to, it also often broke in the winter. So I just put solid shafts in.
Cost me like $2,800 in parts between front and rear to rebuild everything but it was worth it.
This guy is trying any and everything he can to try and make RUclips videos. And be a super star.
The best explanation I've ever heard thank you for explaining it and thank you for showing the demo
Also in 4 wheel drive with rear posi trac , if the vehicle is stuck and only 3 wheels are turning the one wheel that is not turning ,will cause the opposite wheel on that same axle to rotate at twice the rpm as the wheels on the axle that both wheels are turning
My anxiety was so high I couldn’t retain any of this information
A good 4wd low is a HUGE deal. My transfer case is 2.92... that means it basically TRIPLES the torque! More torque will help you keep momentum. Keeping momentum, especially at low speeds, will help prevent getting stuck.
If it was just about going slow , a lot of that could be achieved via throttle controller these days because at ultra low throttle , you can sort of stay below the torque converter stall speed. That ALSO makes a huge difference.
With the Ram Power Wagon, you proved in 4WD hi, lo or 2WD - only one wheel spins in the front if the other wheel is on the ground. Your emphasis was on the front axles due to the common myth you were trying to bust. I did not hear you mention that it is also the same for the rear axle. If you had only 1 wheel lifted on the rear axle, only the lifted wheel would spin UNLESS you also had the axle locked. It seemed like you were differentiating the front axle from the rear axle when in fact, on the Power Wagon they perform the same when you have a lifted wheel and the differentials are not locked.
Knowing when and when not to use lockers is just as important. If you have independent front end 4x4 with cvc axles you won't be able to put lockers there if I'm not mistaken. At that point your only option is rear lockers. You have two options. Air lockers or electronic. Each has pros and cons. It's up to you to decide witch aplacaction is best for you. With that said getting a good quality locker is the most important. Buy cheep if you want to. Look for lockers that have a manual override built in just incase something fails. That way you can disengage it or engage it. Also having the right tires is a must. If you know what your doing and have the tires for the aplacaction you intend to preform, your 4 wheal is for back up. Good recovery equipment is a must and never go alone.
The bicycle explanation nailed it! 👌
Hope I never get to old to learn, thank you for teaching this old guy 🤓
If you have a manual shift and pickup up small bales of hay you can put it in low range first gear and it will go about right speed without having to clutch it all the time I have gotten out of truck and let it go by itself and put bales on.
I used to do that with my F250...left the hubs unlocked put the transfer case in low range and transmission in 1st gear, got out and started loading bales onto the trailer...worked great.
Low is good for when you have traction, acending/descending, or as a crutch for more inexperienced drivers that might get themselves into a worse situation. But there are a lot more times when wheel speed is more important, something Low cannot provide.
I think what people are talking about the front wheels locking up in low range is the more pronounced bucking you feel on paved surfaces when you turn the wheels. You also left out better engine braking in low range. Other than that good presentation
Thank you!
Bucking of the front end happens in any solid front axle 4high or 4low IFS front axle you only get bucking in 4low
@@johnmillis5159 I didn't know that. All I've owned is IFS. I love learning new things.
@@johnmillis5159fuck, if this is true this answers my questions. I thought some makes models put locked diff in the front for some stupid reason
The reason for the bucking in four low is because of the center diff locking in low range and not in high. This guy completely missed that important point in this video…
01 Ram off-road short box trussed axle, lsd 4.10s, delete the vacuum servo for posi lock cable up front 🙌
I have snowplowed for 35 yrs, never used 4low to plow ... the truck runs cooler and more tractable helping with brake modulation ...not every truck has locker this locker that ...
all my sanding trucks where 2wd ... the newer trucks leave it in tow haul also ... we average 250cm a year from the
flat lands of Ontario
I know all about the lake effect snow in Ontario!! I grew up in London. one year we had 3 feet of snow fall inn 24 hours
Yeah that's a fair amount of snow for the flat lands of Canada = 98 inches. Here in nw Colorado we have about 500 inches of annual snow fall
Great explanations! Hope you got this truck out of the garage safely? Pretty close to the edge of the pit.
I was looking at those edges. Wouldn't take much to have the wheels fall in.
Same here, I use 2wd low on my manual shift transfer case and Manual transmission truck. I use it when backing my camper or trailers. It really makes backing my easier.
Another good video would be to explain how going into 4L disables traction control, the bane of everything off road.
That pit terrifies me. Have you ever messed up and dropped a vehicle into that hole? I know they are common old school but yikes.
Ford still has select shift built in to the transmission controller. If You put the truck in second gear that what it takes off and stays in for traveling in severe conditions. Like ice, mud, or pulling another vehicle out of a ditch. It allows the trans to stall up without sounding the tires, getting in the torque band needed. I use it often
I kept staring on how big the pit is
I prefer to do all off roading in high whether it’s deep snow mud or steep hill climbs because if you have decent throttle control you won’t make tires slip. They might occasionally slip on there own but you can’t avoid that but at least with good throttle control I know I didn’t do it. And with low my vehicle gets so torquey it makes it a lot easier to spin the tire and in low I can’t get the speed I need for an aggressive Hillclimb without being at 4K rpm
I live in a mountainous area, 4Lo is my best friend when climbing and descending steep, 15% and greater, inclines or declines. crossing a dry riverbed where 4HI would have me bouncing all over my cab but 4LO i can creep over slowly
A good explanation from a guy that doesn't off road much...I would disagree that 4 lo is best for most "off road" applications. 4 lo is for slow and control..."crawling" 4 hi in 1st or 2nd will get you through most situations. Sometimes i use 4 lo to pull my camper up mountain grades...but, thats because my jeep is only a 3.8 v6 with no balls.
scary service bay with no metal high LIPS
well buses and trucks are so wide it's honestly hard to put them in the pit. keep the bus center to the door and your fine every time. as far as a truck well. I just keep the driver side wheel on the yellow paint and your fine.
Thanks for the informative video! Now I understand the difference between the two options and environments where each might be most useful.
The term “LOW” in 4x4 is referring to the level of your fuel gauge after using it.
Torque also has the power to twist things clean.
So there is an off road traction control mode in Rams. You have to be in 4Low and hold traction control for 5 seconds to disable the regular system, then the off road system turns on and it will lock spinning wheels with the brakes. Similar to Toyota's ATRAC, Nissan's ABLS, etc..
Great video, thanks! One of the myths I was told, and believed it for years, is that "4low makes the front wheels spin slower than the rear wheels".
Some front difs are geared different then the rear usually faster in the front but it would be same In Hi or low
That is 100% incorrect. The front and rear diffs need to be geared the same or the driveline would bind in 4x4.
@@revnkevin1 Idiot...
When I tow my 40’ 5th wheel, I do put the truck in 4 low when I go up/down my long steep ass driveway. Very steep and very long. Just seems to save the brakes and the torque converter.
Hey brother thanks for all your videos.. I just got a A used Ram truck but she is lovely for me
You should do a video that explains to people the difference in AWD and FWD seeing how there are a lot of people that think it's the same thing.
If you think 'all wheel drive' is the same as 'front wheel drive' you're either a woman or an idiot.
No
@@Senkino5o let me correct that not FWD but 4WD
The bike was the best explanation 👌 for someone who doesn't understand numbers and mechanics at all 🤣
Depending on the manufacturer, the limited slip 3rd member (chunk). The add power or wheel speed can make it feel like a possi-trac
What low range really does is make more of the engine's torque available at a lower road speed. It allows the engine to run faster than it would in high range at the same road speed delivering more torque. Benefits:
1) in an auto trans vehicle, it reduces the amount that the torque converter must slip thereby reducing auto trans temp, very beneficial off road
2) in a manual trans vehicle, you don't have to slip the clutch to start on an incline, much less stress on the clutch.
Let's say that your overall ratio in 3rd gear, is 3:1, your engine is turning 3 times every time the rear tires turn once. With a 2.72:1 low range ratio like most Jeeps have this gives you approximately 8.2:1 ratio, thereby allowing the engine to run closer to the RPM where maximum torque is developed.
I think it is better to use 4 low off road as long as your road speed is going to be kept low so engine revs do not go too high, as most off road use you are probably driving 5-15 mph, it is fine to use 4 low.
In snow and ice, high range is preferred because you actually want to deliver as little torque to the wheels as possible to avoid wheelspin.
That's generally pretty accurate. Where you have steep inclines to go up or down, 4 low is definitely the way to go. The exception to that would be mud, where a person might need to hit it with speed to use momentum to help get through it. That's an offroad situation for 4 high. Too many people make the mistake of thinking "I have 4 wheel drive, I can't get stuck" oh yes, yes they sure can and they find that out the hard way. And getting stuck in a 4x4 is wayyyy worse than being stuck in just a 2 wheel drive lol
Todays modern trucks and SUW have Auto tranys and the gear ratio is hight 1 or above. Older Standard Tranys had a 1st gear under 1, and powerfull enough not to need 2 Low. My 1984 FJ60 will climb a wall in 1st Gear as its under 1 ratio. I usualy use 2 nd Gear to take off on flat ground. 4 HI often for beach sand. 4 Low years ago to pull a stump and pull a car parked in my parking spot
Didn't need to watch, but great job explaining things.
Another benefit of using 4 Low if you have an automatic transmission is it keeps the transmission cooler when loaded or towing a trailer up a steep grade. You'll be going the same speed with similar RPM's, but accomplishing this due to the gear reduction, rather than through the tourqe converter slipping. Heat is not good for an automatic.
One reason I wish 2wd low was on trucks.
Power Wagon is goat.
Its a pretty cool truck!
I have a 2022 Ram Rebel 1500 that has a lock dif that i got from the factory. It is also a diesel. But thanks for the rest of the great demonstration
Damn you did an amazing job explaining this topic brother. Good job
The first myth I am surprised by not off road people saying that
To make all go need diff lock
Thank you for saying that I've been saying that for years about 4 wheel drive low
Many tks!, Alex, for the super clear explanation. No one else explained this clearer.
Yellowww how's it goin?! Got some different winter tires this winter. I got the Nokian Hakkapeliitta LT3's. I've only had them for a few days I'm curious to see how they're gonna do lol. I have a 2020 RAM Rebel and one reason why I'm leaving this comment is because.........I DRIVE IN 4 wheel HI at all times even in the summer lol. I just find I get more traction and grip and I'm able to take off from a full stop at a light or something with NO slippage and or spinage. If I drive in 2wheel in the winter here in Canada LOOOOOL, its over. I mean if I drive really, really slow its do able but there's so much power I spin out in 2wheel if I press the gas even a little hard. So 4 wheel high is where its at for me lol.
One thing about it that Dodge wont rust with all the oil leaks
I spray my truck with special oil probably 3 times a year. if not the salt will eat it alive up here
By the time I understand your explanations my truck probably broke. 4 High when you are on dirt off-road, 4 low wind you're in rougher terrain dirt road going slow or climbing.
On my 2011 big horn...When I'm stuck in 4wheel high, 4wheel low pulls me out without hesitation 🤔
Mechanical advantage from 4h to 4l. That advantage can make or break the task at hand.
Thanks for trying to dispell myths. I've heard incredibly ignorant things from ppl who claim automotive knowledge. One just needs to understand the t-case and differentials and the 4wd system is ez to comprehend. Like you said, the axle and differential don't employ magic gnomes that appear in 4wd low, locking all the wheels apparently since the gnomes weren't yet bribed with the correct Turkish delights while in 4wd high. Like u said, no wires. No sensors. Use your brain! Anyone believing those myths as an adult just has never bothered to educate themselves about basic car stuff. Another pet peeve I have: ppl who claim a car works a certain way because they're Dad told them so 😒 My dad told me when I was younger that only one of the rear wheels spins from the transmission on our 97 Ford e150 4.2L work van, true story. A few years later I educated myself on differentials and immediately knew my dad was wrong. There's too many adults missing that part where you look for yourself to test what you've been told. And it's okay for your dad to be wrong! 😂 I had a friend that was adamant that his car (94 Pontiac grand prix) was a V8. I said no, count the spark plugs, 6, front wheel drive. Look. GM never offered a V8 for that. Approaching 40 years old now he still thinks that pos Pontiac he used to have was a V8! I worked for a generator installation and maintenance company briefly in my late 20's. The son of the owner in his mid 30's thought diesels ran glow plugs the same as gas engines used spark plugs. Even when I explained to him how compression ignition works it was like talking to a potted plant. He was literally adamant about his belief on diesels and their glow plugs. 😣 Not long after that, we were replacing the mag pickup on a generac house generator at a customer house. I told the son if he was worried about breaking it, I would do it because I'd been taught how to do it and I've seen it done, yet I'd never done one myself yet. He said no way I got it.. I told him u get no second chances. Make sure it bottoms out then come back a couple turns. After a while he said I'm certain I got it, hit the starter! I said ok... ::CRUNCH:: I was subsequently fired after the boss son nearly broke a load bank. I've come to realize that was to my benefit. Yes, lots of bad info out there on cars. People adamantly wrong as adults in the effing Information Age is unacceptable. 🖕👨🔧🛻💨
I knew everything you said but I watched the video just to see how good you did and I think you did good
More torque on a slippery surface is usually worse . I've never understood some mind set jump to 4L for slippery 4H does much better.
From the perspective of a manual transmission in a 1990 Toyota pickup, donuts in a muddy field are more fun in 4 high than 4 low.
Changing out the timing chain when it skips a tooth doing that, not so much.
A 'cheater's' way to get 2WD low range is to not lock the front hubs (assuming you have locking hubs). I have used this only once. We were cutting down a madrona, which is the most god-awefully hard tree around, I think. The saw broke about half way through a six inch tree. We did not want to leave the tree up while we went for another saw (safety) so we went to pull it down. The front wheels would have been in mud with the angle we could get, so we wanted all the power to the rear wheels. We used a regular strap and not a 'kinetic' strap, eased into it, kept adding power and, quite suddenly, the tree gave way. Unexpectedly, the tree did not break off at the cut, we pulled the entire tree out of the ground. That was a bit shocking, but I had not had my Toyota with the 22RE for long. I am quite used to the amount of torque that engine has now. And, if the situation comes round again, will do the same thing and cheat a bit. Cheers, folks. Oh, and that was a good vid. some folks do not seem to know this stuff.
I love how this guy just throws up a physics equation like everyone can just look at it and understand it in the 2 seconds it was on screen
When I go off road, and I don't think I will be going faster that 25 mph and likely will need to climb, I go into 4LO immediately.
Wait till Detroit Lockers are shown that detect a wheel spin in 4W drive and automatically lock that axle.
Then of course Air Lockers, on demand lock of axles.
Minor comment/correction. Virtually all truck transfer cases do not transfer power 50/50 front to rear. They interconnect the front and rear driveshafts. This does not imply 50/50 power transfer as the power transferred varies continuously based on the traction available at each tire. If both rear tires are on pavement and both front tires are on ice, then the power split will be more like 90% rear and 10% front. The power will go to the axle with the greater traction.
Yes, but.... With most (all?) american trucks the center dif is open in high range as you noted but locked in low range. Plenty of other vehicles allow you to select if you want the center dif to be locked or not in low or high. Land Rover's LT230 transfer case for example.
@@donhappel9566 What do you mean by “center” diff? Do you mean the transfer case? On most American trucks, and certainly on my Chevy 2500HD and former 1500, the transfer case locks the front and rear driveshafts together. This ensures that at least one front wheel and one rear wheel will turn. My 2500HD has a locking diff in the rear which locks when one wheel’s RPM exceeds the others by a certain amount. So, I get three wheels driving when needed.
@@LTVoyager Yes, the dif in the transfer case. I understood most american stuff to be open dif in the tcase when in high but locked in low. It sounds like you're saying there is no dif in the tcase at all on yours? That you couldn't even use 4-high on pavement? If so, then sounds like I'm wrong. Since I wheel a Rover we have no 2wd option in the LT230 tcase but can select low/high and center dif locked or open all independently when stock. Of course you can mod to get a 2wd option, install a spool to get locked in both 2 or 4wd, or do a torque biasing dif to get a limited slip instead of open and still lock fully. Very flexible setup but different than what most american stuff uses.
@@donhappel9566 I can speak as to what is most common in the US, but for trucks anyway, I believe that a good percentage of transfer cases have no differential. My 2015 Chevy doesn’t nor did my 1994 Chevy before that. And the owners manual does warn against extending driving on dry roads in 4WD due to excessive wear on the drivetrain. Most AWD vehicles have a center differential to allow such use. I think most 4WD vehicles do not. There are also vehicles with a so-called automatic 4WD and I believe these don’t have a center diff either, but rather a clutch that will engage or disengage one axle as needed so these can handle dry roads as they will automatically disengage one axle to prevent binding and wear of the drive train.
There is such variety in these systems that you really have to look at the specifics of each vehicle, but generally when the term 4WD is used, it implies no center diff and no use on surfaces that aren’t slippery. If AWD is used or sometimes Full-time 4WD, that more generally implies a center diff. If Auto 4WD is used, then I think more often than not that suggests no center diff, but a clutch that can automatically engage and disengage 4WD. If you read page 9-42 of the user manual for my truck, you will see how this is described. www.chevrolet.com/bypass/pcf/gma-content-api/resources/sites/GMA/content/staging/MANUALS/2000/MA2694/en_US/9.0/2k15i_silverado4thPrint.pdf
@@LTVoyager All good info - shows what I know about typical american systems I guess.
2 low is great for going down steep hills with out having to riding the breaks but don't need 4 wheel.
50/50 power split at the t-case only occurs when the t- case is a part-time unit. Full-time 4x4 only offers a 50/50 power split if it has a locking differential in the t-case. 4WD low does not increase traction. Traction is a function of the tire, not driveline.
INformative video! I don't off road, but park on ice ruts/hills with snow also. I put it in 4wd high and crawl over them. Not sure if 4wd low would be easier on the truck, so far 4wd high has done the trick. Only my 2nd winter with 4wd. This is an old truck (98)
Great video and explanation. How about all wheel drive vs 4wd for various terrain?
Got me nervous with the wheels that close to the pit haha.
Me too!
Jeep used to have a feature called "quadratrack" that did in fact lock up all 4 wheels. You did actually have to manually lock the hubs. This isn't the case with new 4WD vehicles.
Quadra trac 2 removed the need to manually lock hubs.
Amazing vid. Thanks so much, brother.
Shame we live in a society where explanations are needed for things like 4 wheel low.