Your dad and I must have had the same driving instructor. And then there was the day I was being swallowed by mud. Actually found a farmer with a tractor to haul me out--after I used the come-among to haul his tractor out!
You did pretty good Jason, but just a few corrections/added facts. "Traction Control" uses the "anti-Lock" brake system to apply braking on a slipping wheel to help transfer power to the non-slipping wheel. You should turn it off if your stuck and using 4x4 or you'll be fighting the brakes to get unstuck. Also, 4Low is much more power/Torque and so if your going slow and trying to get something to move (like maybe a stump or stuck vehicle) 4L is great. Better 4x4 traction happens with low tire pressure. We regular Off roaders like to reduce pressure down around 20lbs. Much better grip and smoother ride. You just have to have a way to fill them back up before you hit pavement. I spent many years building transfer cases for 4x4s and driving off road areas of the North east!
I have a 2021 F250 w/7.3 gas with a locking rear differential....not 4WD. I only use this vehicle for towing my 5th wheel or boat. Never thought I needed 4 WD but have always had limited slip differentials or a locker in this case on this truck. My locker has really worked well in certain conditions and the added benefit of having increased payload capacity (3450 lbs) . So many people have a misconception about 4WD trucks and believe they are the answer to everything......heavy duty, more payload, safer, etc. We live 3 miles in on a curvy steep grade two lane paved road and through the many years we have lived here I have seen far more 4WD vehicles sitting on top of the guard rail or in the ditch than 2WD. This video is very informative and I hope all those knuckle heads that laugh at me having a 2WD truck will see it!! Good video!!
Nice subject to cover, you are right that new RV'ers and truck owners may not have a clue as to when to use 4 wheel drive. I've been driving for over 50 years now, didn't have 4 wheel drive for the first 20 years, only 2 wheel drive. (chains in the snow) now with 4 wheel drive, I only use it when needed (wet grass getting the camper out of storage, then turn it off!)
Good video! It IS 4 wheel braking, even 2 wheel drive cars have 4 wheel braking! LOL I'm just giving you a hard time, I understand your meaning. Just because you take off better doesn't mean you can't stop better. With 2wd you know how slick it is when you try to take off. 4wd gives you false confidence. I drive 3500 miles a week in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana and if it snows and the wind is blowing there WILL BE a 4wd pickup in the ditch. AWD is typically 70/30 or 60/40 front to rear ratio because that's the weight distribution on most vehicles. On a 4wd it's 50/50 with a mechanical lockup BUT the weight distribution is still forward biased. 4wd is great to get you moving but as soon as you get going turn it off. The biggest problem is most people don't rotate their tires on a regular basis so the tires at one end of the truck has more wear than the other. This effectively means the gear ratio between the front and rear are different. Another way to say it is the tires cover a different distance per revolution. If the front tires are taller you are dragging the rear of the truck which reduces the traction so you actually have less traction than two wheel drive. The more dangerous situation is if the rear tires are taller. You are trying to "push" the truck but since the weight bias is in the front and the front tires have more traction which means the rear tires are constantly spinning. It only takes a small amount of crosswind on snowpack to get you into a spin. If you are pulling a trailer I wouldn't use 4wd on dry pavement at all. You have the potential really cause a lot of wear. Even with new tires the rear tires will be carrying the bulk of the load which effectively makes them a tiny bit shorter and again get you into a situation where the front and rear tires have a different revolution count per mile. The "rolling diameter" of the tire is different than the physical diameter. To determine the rolling diameter you have to measure from the center of the axle to the ground x2 xπ. You have to use the radius to the ground to "assume" the top of the tire is also squished down or there will be an error. Basically what you will be doing is loading the back side of the ring gear as you were coasting downhill all the time you're driving. It would destroy your fuel economy, tires and if you hit the diffs with an infrared thermometer you would see excess heat buildup. Sorry for the rant. Have a great day and be safe out there!
Jason, it is SOOOO hard to describe just when to use, let alone what 4LOW is really all about, FOR ME, it was a learning experiance! That even after years of “wheeling” many different opinions as to when, where, it is appropiate. From that i have determined being with like minded people to go out an “play with it” so you get a feel just what it can offer! I commend you for all you offer😎
Keep your transfer case and diff lubed during long non use periods, find some dirt (not pavement) and drive for a mile or so. Then go back to 2 wheel drive.
In four years of trailer towing I've used FWD twice. Once to get out of my snowed in winter storage place to head south and once when the rear wheels were on wet grass. But I was happy I had it both times.
Loved this guide! 🌟 Your breakdown of four-wheel vs. all-wheel drive and when to use each is so helpful. 🚙💨 As someone always on the road exploring, understanding these features makes a huge difference. Thanks for keeping it clear and practical-this is knowledge every truck owner needs! 💪🏾✌🏾
I towed with a RWD F-150 for years. It did have a locking rear differential which I used once or twice to back up a loose gravel drive but that was it. However for the most part I never had a situation where I needed anything more. My current F-150 is 4X4 but that's due to me wanting the max tow pkg and the dealers around here order all of those with the FX4 pkg. Since we don't have any snow to speak of I do take it occasionally to a nearby NFS camping area that caters to 4-wheelers so I can exercise the 4 wheel drive functions. I don't go out on the trails and stick to the loose dirt and sand roads. The only places around here that I can think of where 4-wheel would be useful on a regular basis are boat ramps. They can get pretty slick and being in 4H gets power to the front tires which are usually on dry pavement.
Test your 4x4 modes (Hi and Lo) / drive modes once a month. It's okay, even on dry pavement for just one block. Use it in forward and reverse. The electronic acuatated modes are susceptible to failure if they are not used regularly. And, you'll be practiced in how to use it per the owners manual. Best case, you'll detect a failure before you really need the system. Use it or lose it.
Always a good thing. Keep those u joints and CV joints lubricated and the actuators working. Just make sure you drive in a straight line and do not turn on dry pavement.
When you buy a 4x4 no mater what it is important to educate yourself an this video covers most of the basic issues. I would advise that you actually engage all the different modes every other month to exercise the components. This helps you to be confident an it works those solenoids an switches an axle components . Having to get the book out in a snow storm is not good an then if it does not engage O SUGAR . So be prepared ,try it out ,educate yourself. Thanks JASON good video
4Auto best use is on a road that has patches or sections of ice or snow with lots of wet in between. In my parking lot shenanigans at low speed on snow with truck only , with regular 4 wheel drive engaged , it is easier to recover a slide or spin. In the average pickup not heavily weighted ,it can be quite difficult to catch a spin in 2WD. In 4WD it is also easier to modulate braking without activating antilock system. On downhill mountain passes you also may want to manually activate trailer brakes to avoid jackknifing.
Yeah, people don't realize the power of these vehicles and how it's harnessed when 4x4 is engaged - it can get you out of tight spots or it can tear itself apart.
Part time 4wd (locking) on dry pavement is actually dangerous especially at highway speed. That skipping that you feel becomes enough torque to flip the vehicle in the case where you are doing quick maneuver or lane change in an emergency. I had a Rav4 with typical all wheel drive but it had a button to lock the transfer case. It would automatically shut off the lock at 25 mph for safety.
4 WD is great for pulling out from a stop sign on a hill in slick rainy weather. I have a Ram that has 4 wheel auto and turn it on while driving in rain...just in case.
My truck has been in 4 Auto for 60k miles with occasional use of 4 Hi and 4 Low for conditions where I know traction is very limited. 4 Auto is much closer to full time AWD in that the computer senses slip and sends power to compensate. I've talked to GM engineers and there's zero harm in running in auto all the time as the computer is making decisions to both control the vehicle and preserve the drivetrain. The truck defaults to it at every startup so it's obviously not something they want you to avoid.
Good Vid I went from a Ford f450 Dually 4x4 to a GMC sierra 1500 4X4 I love the auto/4x4 setting. I do not use it very often! but we get a ton of water acumulation puddles on the roads here and when it rains hard they are all over the place! I use the auto durring these events just to keep me streight when on the road. these "puddles" sneek up on ypu when driving down the highways and freeways. I do drive slower durring the rain events. I feel a little safer when in auto VS 2 wheel drive. Hydroplaining sucks and spinning out sucks. 4 auto engages and attempts to keep traction.
I pull a 9500lb trailer in the Mojave Desert. I live on a 2 mile long very steep dirt road. I used to tow with 2wd but got tired of losing traction and God forbid I'd have to stop for some unforeseen reason. My 4x4 gets switched on as soon as I leave the pavement.
It's still crazy that American trucks use this antique transfer cases which are lockers. Landrover, Toyota and pretty much any European have developed center differentials or limited slip middle differentials.
Hi Jason! Wow! Your roads there in Chicago look as bad as in Detroit or Michigan. If not they look worse. This cars and trucks look like they were driving fast. Thank you for this video on four wheel drive in snow or rough terrain. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. Going to get to your podcast tomorrow been busy with my birthday and friends and families birthdays this week plus Thanksgiving, I forgot about birthdays. There’s a lot in November like in July. lol! My brother drive in snow and ice. He said it wasn’t fun. He has a 4 wheel drive truck. They had some roads closed. Thank you Jason for this video.
I've lived in the Rockies for 30 + years, I've driven 4x4 trucks almost as long. Mine were always manual transmission w/ shift on the fly. I recently "upgraded" my ride to an F-350 w/4x4 and auto-transmission. I feel I no longer have control over my truck, it controls me. It's a manual transmission thing. Like I'm missing a step. Every time I "shift on the fly" I hold my breath waiting for it to engage. I just think it's a mental thing. Lord help me...
Unless I am buying a motorcycle or sports car it is going to be a 4wd. I have seen guys stuck in flat wet grass fields w 2wd trucks. Most 2wd are one wheel drive unless they have a locker. Most 4wd are two wheel drive (one front one rear) unless they have a locker front or rear. It is just another tool, no better or worse than the person using it. Good tip on knowing how to turn off your traction control and engage your locking axle. I lost traction traversing a bar ditch in my F150. Locking the rear axle allowed the tire with the weight to move me out. Pretty sure all Lariats and up are now 4wd only...
Excellent recommendation on turning off traction control when you are in deep snow, slippery snow or stuck period. The bascic way traction control works is once wheel spin is detected it brakes that wheel or wheels. This does not help you when you are trying to get unstuck or slippery snow. I had to find this out the hard way on my new ford f-350 4x4😊
Drive in 4wd on dry pavement you will stretch the transfer case chain. Then you will have to have it rebuilt or replaced. It’s expensive. Don’t do that.
The GM, 4Auto shifts the transfer case sending power to the front differential, but does not engage the half shafts until slippage is detected. When the transfer case is shifted into 4 Lo, limited slip, and traction control is automatically disabled.
Over 15 years we used 4WD three times in our Sierra 2500 HD. 4WD maintenance was VERY expensive over the 200,000 miles. Try finding a HD truck on the lot without 4WD. They add the big $$$. Our AWD SUV tows our 30’ Airstream Classic in all conditions. We will not go back to a HD truck.
Good video. My dad use to say 4 wheel drive just gives you the chance to get stuck further in the woods than 2 wheel drive LOL
Your dad and I must have had the same driving instructor.
And then there was the day I was being swallowed by mud. Actually found a farmer with a tractor to haul me out--after I used the come-among to haul his tractor out!
You did pretty good Jason, but just a few corrections/added facts. "Traction Control" uses the "anti-Lock" brake system to apply braking on a slipping wheel to help transfer power to the non-slipping wheel. You should turn it off if your stuck and using 4x4 or you'll be fighting the brakes to get unstuck. Also, 4Low is much more power/Torque and so if your going slow and trying to get something to move (like maybe a stump or stuck vehicle) 4L is great. Better 4x4 traction happens with low tire pressure. We regular Off roaders like to reduce pressure down around 20lbs. Much better grip and smoother ride. You just have to have a way to fill them back up before you hit pavement. I spent many years building transfer cases for 4x4s and driving off road areas of the North east!
I have a 2021 F250 w/7.3 gas with a locking rear differential....not 4WD. I only use this vehicle for towing my 5th wheel or boat. Never thought I needed 4 WD but have always had limited slip differentials or a locker in this case on this truck. My locker has really worked well in certain conditions and the added benefit of having increased payload capacity (3450 lbs) . So many people have a misconception about 4WD trucks and believe they are the answer to everything......heavy duty, more payload, safer, etc. We live 3 miles in on a curvy steep grade two lane paved road and through the many years we have lived here I have seen far more 4WD vehicles sitting on top of the guard rail or in the ditch than 2WD. This video is very informative and I hope all those knuckle heads that laugh at me having a 2WD truck will see it!! Good video!!
Nice subject to cover, you are right that new RV'ers and truck owners may not have a clue as to when to use 4 wheel drive. I've been driving for over 50 years now, didn't have 4 wheel drive for the first 20 years, only 2 wheel drive. (chains in the snow) now with 4 wheel drive, I only use it when needed (wet grass getting the camper out of storage, then turn it off!)
Good video! It IS 4 wheel braking, even 2 wheel drive cars have 4 wheel braking! LOL
I'm just giving you a hard time, I understand your meaning. Just because you take off better doesn't mean you can't stop better.
With 2wd you know how slick it is when you try to take off. 4wd gives you false confidence.
I drive 3500 miles a week in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana and if it snows and the wind is blowing there WILL BE a 4wd pickup in the ditch.
AWD is typically 70/30 or 60/40 front to rear ratio because that's the weight distribution on most vehicles. On a 4wd it's 50/50 with a mechanical lockup BUT the weight distribution is still forward biased.
4wd is great to get you moving but as soon as you get going turn it off.
The biggest problem is most people don't rotate their tires on a regular basis so the tires at one end of the truck has more wear than the other.
This effectively means the gear ratio between the front and rear are different. Another way to say it is the tires cover a different distance per revolution.
If the front tires are taller you are dragging the rear of the truck which reduces the traction so you actually have less traction than two wheel drive.
The more dangerous situation is if the rear tires are taller. You are trying to "push" the truck but since the weight bias is in the front and the front tires have more traction which means the rear tires are constantly spinning. It only takes a small amount of crosswind on snowpack to get you into a spin.
If you are pulling a trailer I wouldn't use 4wd on dry pavement at all.
You have the potential really cause a lot of wear. Even with new tires the rear tires will be carrying the bulk of the load which effectively makes them a tiny bit shorter and again get you into a situation where the front and rear tires have a different revolution count per mile.
The "rolling diameter" of the tire is different than the physical diameter.
To determine the rolling diameter you have to measure from the center of the axle to the ground x2 xπ.
You have to use the radius to the ground to "assume" the top of the tire is also squished down or there will be an error.
Basically what you will be doing is loading the back side of the ring gear as you were coasting downhill all the time you're driving.
It would destroy your fuel economy, tires and if you hit the diffs with an infrared thermometer you would see excess heat buildup.
Sorry for the rant. Have a great day and be safe out there!
Jason, it is SOOOO hard to describe just when to use, let alone what 4LOW is really all about, FOR ME, it was a learning experiance! That even after years of “wheeling” many different opinions as to when, where, it is appropiate. From that i have determined being with like minded people to go out an “play with it” so you get a feel just what it can offer! I commend you for all you offer😎
Keep your transfer case and diff lubed during long non use periods, find some dirt (not pavement) and drive for a mile or so. Then go back to 2 wheel drive.
The best information’s in the Owner’s Manual.
In four years of trailer towing I've used FWD twice. Once to get out of my snowed in winter storage place to head south and once when the rear wheels were on wet grass. But I was happy I had it both times.
Loved this guide! 🌟 Your breakdown of four-wheel vs. all-wheel drive and when to use each is so helpful. 🚙💨 As someone always on the road exploring, understanding these features makes a huge difference. Thanks for keeping it clear and practical-this is knowledge every truck owner needs! 💪🏾✌🏾
Great advice. One thing, most manufacturers recommend staying under a certain speed in 4 wheel drive. Check your manual
I towed with a RWD F-150 for years. It did have a locking rear differential which I used once or twice to back up a loose gravel drive but that was it. However for the most part I never had a situation where I needed anything more.
My current F-150 is 4X4 but that's due to me wanting the max tow pkg and the dealers around here order all of those with the FX4 pkg. Since we don't have any snow to speak of I do take it occasionally to a nearby NFS camping area that caters to 4-wheelers so I can exercise the 4 wheel drive functions. I don't go out on the trails and stick to the loose dirt and sand roads. The only places around here that I can think of where 4-wheel would be useful on a regular basis are boat ramps. They can get pretty slick and being in 4H gets power to the front tires which are usually on dry pavement.
Test your 4x4 modes (Hi and Lo) / drive modes once a month. It's okay, even on dry pavement for just one block. Use it in forward and reverse. The electronic acuatated modes are susceptible to failure if they are not used regularly. And, you'll be practiced in how to use it per the owners manual. Best case, you'll detect a failure before you really need the system. Use it or lose it.
Always a good thing. Keep those u joints and CV joints lubricated and the actuators working. Just make sure you drive in a straight line and do not turn on dry pavement.
When you buy a 4x4 no mater what it is important to educate yourself an this video covers most of the basic issues. I would advise that you actually engage all the different modes every other month to exercise the components. This helps you to be confident an it works those solenoids an switches an axle components . Having to get the book out in a snow storm is not good an then if it does not engage O SUGAR . So be prepared ,try it out ,educate yourself. Thanks JASON good video
I cannot back my 5th wheel up my gravel drive without engaging 4wd. Can't happen.
4Auto best use is on a road that has patches or sections of ice or snow with lots of wet in between. In my parking lot shenanigans at low speed on snow with truck only , with regular 4 wheel drive engaged , it is easier to recover a slide or spin. In the average pickup not heavily weighted ,it can be quite difficult to catch a spin in 2WD. In 4WD it is also easier to modulate braking without activating antilock system. On downhill mountain passes you also may want to manually activate trailer brakes to avoid jackknifing.
It's a combination of the right tires and the 4 wheel drive that get you out of bad situations.
when i had a 4x4 i only used the 4x4 drive on the beach or if i got stuck in 2-wheel drive
Yeah, people don't realize the power of these vehicles and how it's harnessed when 4x4 is engaged - it can get you out of tight spots or it can tear itself apart.
Most of the Ford trucks have the locking rear differential. Can be handy to lock the rear up and get you out of spots without 4 wheel drive.
Part time 4wd (locking) on dry pavement is actually dangerous especially at highway speed. That skipping that you feel becomes enough torque to flip the vehicle in the case where you are doing quick maneuver or lane change in an emergency. I had a Rav4 with typical all wheel drive but it had a button to lock the transfer case. It would automatically shut off the lock at 25 mph for safety.
4 WD is great for pulling out from a stop sign on a hill in slick rainy weather. I have a Ram that has 4 wheel auto and turn it on while driving in rain...just in case.
My truck has been in 4 Auto for 60k miles with occasional use of 4 Hi and 4 Low for conditions where I know traction is very limited. 4 Auto is much closer to full time AWD in that the computer senses slip and sends power to compensate. I've talked to GM engineers and there's zero harm in running in auto all the time as the computer is making decisions to both control the vehicle and preserve the drivetrain. The truck defaults to it at every startup so it's obviously not something they want you to avoid.
Good Vid I went from a Ford f450 Dually 4x4 to a GMC sierra 1500 4X4 I love the auto/4x4 setting. I do not use it very often! but we get a ton of water acumulation puddles on the roads here and when it rains hard they are all over the place! I use the auto durring these events just to keep me streight when on the road. these "puddles" sneek up on ypu when driving down the highways and freeways. I do drive slower durring the rain events. I feel a little safer when in auto VS 2 wheel drive. Hydroplaining sucks and spinning out sucks. 4 auto engages and attempts to keep traction.
My 2004 Diesel Excursion has 4Auto. My 2013 Expedition EL also has 4 Auto.
Awesome video well done. Very good info. 🇨🇦🛠️🇨🇦🛠️
Thanks, my friend!
Excellent as always!
Appreciate it!
I pull a 9500lb trailer in the Mojave Desert. I live on a 2 mile long very steep dirt road. I used to tow with 2wd but got tired of losing traction and God forbid I'd have to stop for some unforeseen reason. My 4x4 gets switched on as soon as I leave the pavement.
It's still crazy that American trucks use this antique transfer cases which are lockers. Landrover, Toyota and pretty much any European have developed center differentials or limited slip middle differentials.
Next week, All Wheel Drive, torque vectoring, and m&s versus mud or snow tires. Right?
Some good information and some almost correct info ,overall good advise for new users.
This is excellent! Thank you.
You’re very welcome.
When you are set for "2" wheel drive, is that just a plain drive? Or positraction, so both wheels really can work for you?
Perfect timing. I pick up my new truck next week.
Enjoy the new truck!
Hi Jason! Wow! Your roads there in Chicago look as bad as in Detroit or Michigan. If not they look worse. This cars and trucks look like they were driving fast. Thank you for this video on four wheel drive in snow or rough terrain. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. Going to get to your podcast tomorrow been busy with my birthday and friends and families birthdays this week plus Thanksgiving, I forgot about birthdays. There’s a lot in November like in July. lol! My brother drive in snow and ice. He said it wasn’t fun. He has a 4 wheel drive truck. They had some roads closed. Thank you Jason for this video.
Great helpful video!
Thanks for watching!
Great explanation!!!
Thanks!
I've lived in the Rockies for 30 + years, I've driven 4x4 trucks almost as long. Mine were always manual transmission w/ shift on the fly. I recently "upgraded" my ride to an F-350 w/4x4 and auto-transmission. I feel I no longer have control over my truck, it controls me. It's a manual transmission thing. Like I'm missing a step. Every time I "shift on the fly" I hold my breath waiting for it to engage. I just think it's a mental thing. Lord help me...
If you have the correct tyres for the time of year and or type of road you are driving 4x4 should only be used once in a blue moon.
Unless I am buying a motorcycle or sports car it is going to be a 4wd. I have seen guys stuck in flat wet grass fields w 2wd trucks. Most 2wd are one wheel drive unless they have a locker. Most 4wd are two wheel drive (one front one rear) unless they have a locker front or rear. It is just another tool, no better or worse than the person using it. Good tip on knowing how to turn off your traction control and engage your locking axle. I lost traction traversing a bar ditch in my F150. Locking the rear axle allowed the tire with the weight to move me out. Pretty sure all Lariats and up are now 4wd only...
Excellent recommendation on turning off traction control when you are in deep snow, slippery snow or stuck period. The bascic way traction control works is once wheel spin is detected it brakes that wheel or wheels. This does not help you when you are trying to get unstuck or slippery snow.
I had to find this out the hard way on my new ford f-350 4x4😊
I prefer 4x4 in my tow rig
Your videos are more quiet than other channels.
Drive in 4wd on dry pavement you will stretch the transfer case chain. Then you will have to have it rebuilt or replaced. It’s expensive. Don’t do that.
The GM, 4Auto shifts the transfer case sending power to the front differential, but does not engage the half shafts until slippage is detected.
When the transfer case is shifted into 4 Lo, limited slip, and traction control is automatically disabled.
Over 15 years we used 4WD three times in our Sierra 2500 HD. 4WD maintenance was VERY expensive over the 200,000 miles. Try finding a HD truck on the lot without 4WD. They add the big $$$. Our AWD SUV tows our 30’ Airstream Classic in all conditions. We will not go back to a HD truck.
Real men drive 4 wheel drive trucks equipped with a transfer case lever, not a button.
lol
It's a knob 😂
But if all other men drove trucks equipped with a transfer case lever, not a button, how would you go about feeling superior and masculine?