4x4 PSA: Use it or lose it monthly reminder

[Syr4RinNC]

+1 for putting it in neutral and letting it roll down a hill a few times if it wont engage.

I hadnt used my 4 low in a while and wouldnt shift into 4lo. I was able to get it to engage by putting it in neutral and rolling backwards for about 100 feet before shifting from 4hi to 4lo. Had to do this 3 times, but it did eventually engage

phew!

 

[andynj]

Mine wouldnt shift into 4lo. I was able to get it to engage by putting it in neutral and rolling backwards for about 100 feet before shifting from 4hi to 4lo. Had to do this 3 times, but it did eventually engage

phew!

The instructions on my visor say to stop vehicle and apply brake before shifting into neutral, the first time I did this without using the Ebrake it would not got into 4lo. Using the Ebrake it worked first time and has ever since.

 

[kcdehart]

The instructions on my visor say to stop vehicle and apply brake before shifting into neutral, the first time I did this without using the Ebrake it would not got into 4lo. Using the Ebrake it worked first time and has ever since.

Pretty sure that means the foot brake. I don't think I've ever used my ebrake when going into 4 lo and it's gone right in every time.

 

[hinmo24t]

the e brake idea seems like a good idea for people trying to get their 4x4 engaged

 

[patkelly4370]

I should be able to run through the 4x4 system regularly.
Our (unincorporated) town covers 79 square miles. 3% of the "streets" are paved.
I bought the T4r on 11/18/19 and have driven it two days. It was detailed at the dealer before I left (a futile gesture). It was dirty when I got it home. Driving around the "neighborhood" (found a trailhead into the mountains) I got covered in dirt.
Second night it rained. Next morning the truck was clean from the rain, but i had to go to work [emoji16]. Our dirt road has a wash at either end that had washed out. So day two the truck was covered in mud [emoji106].
So regularly exercising the 4wd systems (whether needed or not) shouldn't be a problem.
I'll tell my Wife... I mean.... suggest to my Wife to do the same with her Ram.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Bluesky 07]

just asking, since the manual recommends driving 10miles or more per month on unpaved roads, could one switch to 4hi/4lo and drive 1/4 mile everyday for 1 month?. am asking cos driving 10miles on unpaved road every mont is near impossible for me, but i have a short stretch of unpaved road, i could exercise the system on, while going and coming back from work

Are you sure about this? I don’t have the manual in front of me but IIRC it’s just 10 miles in 4WD & doesn’t specify the surface.

 

[SummitRunner]

I the center diff lock doesn't engage right away, I've had luck stopping, shifting into neutral, and trying again.

 

[ran]

Blowing snow here, good thing I test it monthly.
_____________________
2007 SE V6, Cooper AT3-S4

 

[blackjackck]

This last tank of gas was on 4H. Use it or lose it

 

[wcellison]

Did this today. In 4lo it doesn't want to shift into 4th gear. Runs up to almost 4K RPM but doesn't shift to 4th gear. In 4hi everything shift super smooth. Any advice on what is causing 4lo to not shift gears properly?

 

[Trumpet]

Did this today. In 4lo it doesn't want to shift into 4th gear. Runs up to almost 4K RPM but doesn't shift to 4th gear. In 4hi everything shift super smooth. Any advice on what is causing 4lo to not shift gears properly?

4lo is all torque all the time. Only runs up to maybe 45mph and she'll be screaming as the revs increase.

4Hi for regular driving, 4lo to crawl.

 

[wcellison]

Thanks. I didn’t realize that was the case. Puts my mind at ease.

 

[Kmvreter]

Belated December reminder.

Enjoy the upcoming holidays!

 

[Berty_K]

First reminder of the decade

 

[gimlithepirate]

Adding on to this reminder: if you live somewhere cold, do your exercise AFTER driving for a bit. I did mine when it was 20 degrees outside, and it shifted in, but was NOT happy about it.

 

[Kmvreter]

First reminder of the decade

Beat me to my own thread (that's a good thing because I'm usually late with my reminders.)

 

[ran]

Rain and chance of snow soon. happy
_________________
2007 SE V6 titanium

 

[xtremewlr]

Think I got lucky with my recent purchase. PO had never done any offroading and I highly doubt he ever put the truck in 4Lo. I tested it out last weekend and both 4Lo and the center diff lock worked. This is on my 2003 Limited V8 with almost 281k on it now. I do have some seepage on the t-case but need to clean that up and see if manipulating 4Lo and the Center lock might have helped as I have read. T-case has been resealed before for leaks.

 

[sloscheider]

Think I got lucky with my recent purchase. PO had never done any offroading and I highly doubt he ever put the truck in 4Lo. I tested it out last weekend and both 4Lo and the center diff lock worked. This is on my 2003 Limited V8 with almost 281k on it now. I do have some seepage on the t-case but need to clean that up and see if manipulating 4Lo and the Center lock might have helped as I have read. T-case has been resealed before for leaks.

I got lucky as well, thanks to this thread I went out on a snowy back road and after flipping from 4Hi to 4Low about 15 times it started shifting properly.

 

[xtremewlr]

I got lucky as well, thanks to this thread I went out on a snowy back road and after flipping from 4Hi to 4Low about 15 times it started shifting properly.

I just did it in my driveway. There's not a need to be in the dirt generally to put it in 4Lo. I did see the post about soft sand but again, there usually isn't a need for that.