4WD use question

[Birdman330]

If you've never used the 4WD you probably just have a funky switch. I'd find a very straight road and try cycling it through 2H and 4H and back to work the switch back and forth a few times and possibly free it up. The reason I mention "straight" road is that problems can occur if all four wheels have a good grip on the road and you turn a little in either direction. The front and rear wheels will want to rotate at different speeds while in a turn and can't in 4WD. On a slick road they'll just slide but on a dry surface it will put more stress on the suspension and differentials than you want. I cycle my Jeep in and out of 4WD at least once a month - even in the summer - but only when I know I can go "zero she flies" until I'm back in 2WD.

Avoid 4L until you find your manual and know how to do it and what to expect. It's not a big deal, but you want to be barely moving when you engage 4L and not go very fast in 4L in any case, not that you really can.

Like nullptr mentioned, the switch only turns the light on and off. As long as you know where the lever is positioned you don't need to worry about. A quick search here will tell you how to replace it. It is an easy job and a fairly cheap part and would be worth it when you get around to it, if only as a reminder to disengage it when you hit dry road, for instance during a snowstorm where sections of road have been well plowed and others have not.

Shift on the fly has always bothered me, For some reason I just get horrible visions of driving even at slow speeds, trying to engage the 4WD and the transfer case ending up on the road when it happens, though we had a Liberty that a couple had bought which had Command-Trac where the sensor was bad on it. Salesman brought it through wanting to know what the problem was the Part Time was lit up despite it not having that feature. I told him it was just the sensor so nothing to worry about. If they could live with the part time dash light despite it not having part time they would be fine. Which he said they were.

 

[profdlp]

Shift on the fly has always bothered me, For some reason I just get horrible visions of driving even at slow speeds, trying to engage the 4WD and the transfer case ending up on the road when it happens...

My old Geo Tracker (pre-Chevy days) needed to be at a dead stop when you engaged the 4WD system. I did not know that and the first time I tried it (going slowly, thank goodness) it made some awful noises. I still wince a little when I engage 4WD in my Liberty even though I've done it dozens and dozens of times with nary a peep. Old memories die hard.

 

[nullptr]

I had no idea about the sunvisor. That is probably because in Cleveland we generally had no idea that there was a sun, either. :blah:

Huh. I didn't know that either. Hang on, I'm running out to the garage to try it out!

My old Geo Tracker (pre-Chevy days) needed to be at a dead stop when you engaged the 4WD system. I did not know that and the first time I tried it (going slowly, thank goodness) it made some awful noises. I still wince a little when I engage 4WD in my Liberty even though I've done it dozens and dozens of times with nary a peep. Old memories die hard.

Wait. We have shift on the fly 4wd? I didn't know that either! Although I suppose it would at least make sense on the SelecTrac. Hm. :shrug:

 

[profdlp]

...Wait. We have shift on the fly 4wd? I didn't know that either! Although I suppose it would at least make sense on the SelecTrac. Hm. :shrug:

CommandTrac too. All the way up to 50mph, though I don't know from personal experience because if it's slippery enough to need it I slow down. I did have an emergency 80 mile round trip in a blizzard last winter and was cutting the 4WD in and out as needed up to about 40mph. It made me feel like a mighty man.

 

[Birdman330]

Huh. I didn't know that either. Hang on, I'm running out to the garage to try it out!




Wait. We have shift on the fly 4wd? I didn't know that either! Although I suppose it would at least make sense on the SelecTrac. Hm. :shrug:

Most modern 4WD's do now, even the Ford Super Duty does despite having an option to manually lock the hubs.

 

[boboborino]

Well lets see, did you know that the sunvisor can be slid over about 3 inches ? For instance when you have it to the side you can slide it back more to block the sun better.:

Well Thank You Sir for that Tip!

icon996.gif

I don't think I've used the visor yet but now I'll know!

Bert

 

[nullptr]

Most modern 4WD's do now, even the Ford Super Duty does despite having an option to manually lock the hubs.

Yeah, my Colorado had supposed 'shift on the fly'. While the 4wd worked great, I hated the push-button actuator. Seemed like half the time you'd hit 4HI and it'd shift into neutral, then the lights would blink and nothing would happen until you put it in neutral or park. It was a very touchy system which made horrible, horrible, clunking noises whenever it changed modes.

I much prefer the mechanical linkage on my KJ, I guess I'm just old-school that way. :shrug:

 

[renegade 04]

I would never buy a vehicle with a electronically actuated transfer case . For me having real mechanical linkage is the best and is the way every jeep should be.

 

[post]

Well lets see, did you know that the sunvisor can be slid over about 3 inches ? For instance when you have it to the side you can slide it back more to block the sun better.
One person I know had owned his Jeep for 5 years and never knew that one:icon_lol:
Tuneups ( swap spark plugs) should be done every 30,000 miles since you mentioned tham

I did not know about the sun visor. I'll have to check the invoice for the tune-up date. Not sure how many miles I have put on it since then. That's good to know!

 

[post]

If you've never used the 4WD you probably just have a funky switch. I'd find a very straight road and try cycling it through 2H and 4H and back to work the switch back and forth a few times and possibly free it up. The reason I mention "straight" road is that problems can occur if all four wheels have a good grip on the road and you turn a little in either direction. The front and rear wheels will want to rotate at different speeds while in a turn and can't in 4WD. On a slick road they'll just slide but on a dry surface it will put more stress on the suspension and differentials than you want. I cycle my Jeep in and out of 4WD at least once a month - even in the summer - but only when I know I can go "zero she flies" until I'm back in 2WD.

Avoid 4L until you find your manual and know how to do it and what to expect. It's not a big deal, but you want to be barely moving when you engage 4L and not go very fast in 4L in any case, not that you really can.

Like nullptr mentioned, the switch only turns the light on and off. As long as you know where the lever is positioned you don't need to worry about. A quick search here will tell you how to replace it. It is an easy job and a fairly cheap part and would be worth it when you get around to it, if only as a reminder to disengage it when you hit dry road, for instance during a snowstorm where sections of road have been well plowed and others have not.

Thank you! I will def do the cycling of the shifter. Not a problem with a straight road. I don't live in Chicago but it's easier to just put that down. I live very rural, south of the city where they don't use salt on the roads and pray people will drive enough to melt the snow off the streets to save paying for fuel for the 1 snowplow we have, lol. Entire town is 7 by 10 blocks, all straight roads except for one.

That brings me to another question though. Earlier this winter I did have an occasion to drive to the store which is 7 miles away by backroads. The backroad is 55 mph. There isn't much traffic the first half so the roads leaving my town were slick with ice and maybe an inch or two of snow. I switched to 4H. Once I got closer to the next town the roads were clean because it gets heavier traffic. I would have had to pull off the road to switch out of 4H into 2H which I could have done but continued to town in 4H and then switched when I got to a stop sign . So I may have driven several miles in 4H with clean roads. That wasn't good was it? Straight roads till I got near to the next town but then there's a a pretty sharp curve. What do you do in that situation?

 

[post]

Shift on the fly has always bothered me, For some reason I just get horrible visions of driving even at slow speeds, trying to engage the 4WD and the transfer case ending up on the road when it happens, though we had a Liberty that a couple had bought which had Command-Trac where the sensor was bad on it. Salesman brought it through wanting to know what the problem was the Part Time was lit up despite it not having that feature. I told him it was just the sensor so nothing to worry about. If they could live with the part time dash light despite it not having part time they would be fine. Which he said they were.

And then there's someone like me who thought the light saying part time was supposed to be on! Smacking my head now!

 

[post]

Yeah, my Colorado had supposed 'shift on the fly'. While the 4wd worked great, I hated the push-button actuator. Seemed like half the time you'd hit 4HI and it'd shift into neutral, then the lights would blink and nothing would happen until you put it in neutral or park. It was a very touchy system which made horrible, horrible, clunking noises whenever it changed modes.

I much prefer the mechanical linkage on my KJ, I guess I'm just old-school that way. :shrug:

Yeah so what exactly is the N on the 4WD shifter? I assume neutral but when does that come into play?

I'm wondering why my husband has never explained any of this to me as he has had 4WD trucks before. I think he's only driven my Jeep a few times though. I hate when people drive it and not put the seat and mirrors back where they were or just close even! Not sure how he drives almost laying down anyway!

 

[renegade 04]

The neutral is there because you need to disengage the transfer case if your are being towed because we are 4WD.

 

[Birdman330]

Yeah, my Colorado had supposed 'shift on the fly'. While the 4wd worked great, I hated the push-button actuator. Seemed like half the time you'd hit 4HI and it'd shift into neutral, then the lights would blink and nothing would happen until you put it in neutral or park. It was a very touchy system which made horrible, horrible, clunking noises whenever it changed modes.

I much prefer the mechanical linkage on my KJ, I guess I'm just old-school that way. :shrug:

My Explorer featured push button 4WD which you had to shift to neutral to engage the 4LO but 4HI if I recall was somewhat shift on the fly you had to slow down to ten or less to engage it. Same with my Grandparents S10's.

 

[profdlp]

...That brings me to another question though. Earlier this winter I did have an occasion to drive to the store which is 7 miles away by backroads. The backroad is 55 mph. There isn't much traffic the first half so the roads leaving my town were slick with ice and maybe an inch or two of snow. I switched to 4H. Once I got closer to the next town the roads were clean because it gets heavier traffic. I would have had to pull off the road to switch out of 4H into 2H which I could have done but continued to town in 4H and then switched when I got to a stop sign . So I may have driven several miles in 4H with clean roads. That wasn't good was it? Straight roads till I got near to the next town but then there's a a pretty sharp curve. What do you do in that situation?

Last question first, you can pop it out of 4H back to 2H just as easily as you engaged it. Get a little snow and drive a few miles to practice.

You will generally hear it or feel it when you are in 4WD and shouldn't be. Here are a couple very short videos which explain it:

[YT]yxHQeO-Y7GU[/YT]

[YT]zSfCIjO3FoY[/YT]

 

[post]

Last question first, you can pop it out of 4H back to 2H just as easily as you engaged it. Get a little snow and drive a few miles to practice.

You will generally hear it or feel it when you are in 4WD and shouldn't be. Here are a couple very short videos which explain it:

[YT]yxHQeO-Y7GU[/YT]

[YT]zSfCIjO3FoY[/YT]

Thank you! Brilliant information and videos.

 

[post]

The neutral is there because you need to disengage the transfer case if your are being towed because we are 4WD.

Got it. I was hoping that the N I went into to change to 4WD was the one on the gear shifter and not this shifter. Thanks! I can't wait for snow now!!!

 

[tjkj2002]

"Shift on the fly" just means that there is syncro's in the t-case to help prevent "grinding" going from 2wd to 4wd(high range only).




Think 2 shifters is confusing(1 t-case and 1 trans) try having 3!!!

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[TwoBobsKJ]

"Shift on the fly" just means that there is syncro's in the t-case to help prevent "grinding" going from 2wd to 4wd(high range only).




Think 2 shifters is confusing(1 t-case and 1 trans) try having 3!!!

One day when I grow up I want to ride in your KJ, Troy. Serious Jeep crush happening here...

:smoke2:

Bob

 

[post]

"Shift on the fly" just means that there is syncro's in the t-case to help prevent "grinding" going from 2wd to 4wd(high range only).




Think 2 shifters is confusing(1 t-case and 1 trans) try having 3!!!

You must be registered for see images attach

What is your third one for?

You just reminded me of something! About 30 years ago my husband had an old Ford pick up. It was a 3 speed that shifted on the steering wheel like older vehicles did except this was a manual shifter. Anyway the ****** went out and he wound up putting a 4 speed in it. Can't tell you the specifics except that you used both shifters when driving! One always had to be in N I think. I drove it twice and said "never again".