Let's be serious- how often do you really NEED 4LO?

[03Limited]

After hanging around here for a while, it seems like everybody wants to use 4LO any time they have a couple inches of snow. I have to say that, in my lifetime I've only actually NEEDED 4LO on a few occasions. In fact, the only time I really remember was one time I was helping to pull on a tree that was being cut down and needed to fall in the right direction. That was long before my T4R days, but in another vehicle with a similar drivetrain layout.

I don't have my manual in front of me to quote from, but here's what I think and my experience has led me to practice. There are only two situations where you need to use 4LO. One, where your driving is very slow and you have traction- i.e. rock crawling. Two, where you absolutely need the torque multiplication and ideally where you also have good traction.

IMO, using 4LO in low-traction situations can cause more problems than it solves. For one, the torque multiplication makes it more likely you will break traction when accelerating. Conversely, when letting off the gas, it will increase the engine braking, perhaps leading to a skid or spin if it's snowy or icy (the effect of electronic nannies notwithstanding, of course). Secondly, it can make it more difficult to get the wheels to spin fast enough on the occasions when you need to do so.

My advice? If you need 4WD, 99.9% of the time just leave it in 4HI and forget about it. Thoughts?

 

[Jed]

After hanging around here for a while, it seems like everybody wants to use 4LO any time they have a couple inches of snow. I have to say that, in my lifetime I've only actually NEEDED 4LO on a few occasions. In fact, the only time I really remember was one time I was helping to pull on a tree that was being cut down and needed to fall in the right direction. That was long before my T4R days, but in another vehicle with a similar drivetrain layout.

I don't have my manual in front of me to quote from, but here's what I think and my experience has led me to practice. There are only two situations where you need to use 4LO. One, where your driving is very slow and you have traction- i.e. rock crawling. Two, where you absolutely need the torque multiplication and ideally where you also have good traction.

IMO, using 4LO in low-traction situations can cause more problems than it solves. For one, the torque multiplication makes it more likely you will break traction when accelerating. Conversely, when letting off the gas, it will increase the engine braking, perhaps leading to a skid or spin if it's snowy or icy (the effect of electronic nannies notwithstanding, of course). Secondly, it can make it more difficult to get the wheels to spin fast enough on the occasions when you need to do so.

My advice? If you need 4WD, 99.9% of the time just leave it in 4HI and forget about it. Thoughts?

Yeah, 4LO doesn't do anything to help in snow. You don't normally want or need that kind of torque multiplication. That's exactly why some cars have a snow mode that starts the transmission off in 2nd gear.

 

[techno]

If you need it, use it. If you don't, don't.

I used 4Lo in the snow on the weekend when I was pulling a car out of a snowdrift. In 4Hi I was spinning too easily, but in 4Lo I wasn't because the wheels didn't want to spin so fast.
Low range is also helpful in really deep packed snow, just like when driving in loose sand.

 

[offshorebear]

There is no need for low range on the street.

I've used it for pulling things, like stumps or a boat up a ramp.

I've also used it when offroading.

 

[JB.]

Thoughts?

No argument. Speed control and max torque. Pretty much the only two reasons other than some nuances.

For 4th gen, ATRAC is a little more aggressive in low range. With the 5-speed transmission, 1st high is the equivalent of 3rd low so the need for low range in light/moderate off-roading is fairly infrequent, as well.

Another nuance would be if 4th low (falling between 1st and 2nd high) was the perfect gear for a certain stretch of terrain.

 

[Pikeman]

On the street there is no need for 4LO. However when off-roading I sue 4LO 75% of the time even on the fireroads just to help control speed and will lock the auto into 1st for downhills in 4Lo. Do I need the torque multiplication for a fireroad? Not at all but since I am not out there racing around and just exploring it is a good way to help control speed and when I come to a rock step or steep uphill I am already in the right range to creep up it. For sand or Mud 4Hi is better since you need the wheel speed to stay above and on top. No matter what range though the key to succesfull driving is Throttle Modulation to avoid breaking stuff.

 

[Thai]

Yup, when off-roading, i am i 4-LO most of the time (probably all the time). On the streets, i have no needed it, but then again, i live in Texas.

 

[JB.]

Offroad, I'm in high range by default but, of course, it's all about the type of terrain. 1st high does a pretty good job of controlling speed for mildly bumpy moderate grade downhill situations. If it's a little steeper and bumpier, but short, I'll still try to stay in 1st high. Why? Because from there it's a quick shift to 2nd high to fly down short, smooth sections until needing to slow down again. The quick acceleration/deceleration in 2nd high is way fun. I resist going to low range until really necessary.

 

[MikesToy]

I use it when there's a foot of powdered snow on the road.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

I've used 4lo in the snow maybe a handful 20 but only in real deep snow but off road it's used almost all the time.

 

[tacundra]

Everytime I go off-road...otherwise, none.

 

[PlanetAlaska-]

I use 4LO only when I get stuck. But, I do understand why people want to use 4LO on any occasion. Imagine you have a great capable 4x4 truck and you live in town, and you don't get to go offroad too often. It really itches you to use your toy, don't you think? So, a couple inches of snow is a great excuse to finally use 4LO.

 

[96743runner]

I've only used it when in the mud and when climbing or descending the mountains.

 

[fourwd1]

I find Low range very useful, so much so that I changed the t-case ratio from 2.28:1 to 4.7:1, and then added a second t-case.

If you find you don't need 4LO, you probably should have bought a 2WD truck and saved yourself thousands of dollars.

 

[charlier180]

I don't use 4LO very often. When I have, the stuck Ford F250 Super Duties I was pulling out of the mud really appreciated it. :lol:

 

[swisscheeze29]

I use it when there's a foot of powdered snow on the road.

I agree. I wanted to get out of my unplowed neighborhood and there was 2 feet of snow. 4-Hi wouldn't do it. I had to put it in 4-Lo and push the lock differential button and gun it and I got through no problem.

 

[03Limited]

I find Low range very useful, so much so that I changed the t-case ratio from 2.28:1 to 4.7:1, and then added a second t-case.

If you find you don't need 4LO, you probably should have bought a 2WD truck and saved yourself thousands of dollars.

That's a bit extreme, don't you think?

 

[Jed]

I find Low range very useful, so much so that I changed the t-case ratio from 2.28:1 to 4.7:1, and then added a second t-case.

If you find you don't need 4LO, you probably should have bought a 2WD truck and saved yourself thousands of dollars.

LOL, that's a silly statement. The difference between 2wd and 4wd is much greater than the difference between 4hi and 4lo. BTW, the original question was the usefulness of 4lo in snow. I'm sure you know that torque multiplication on a low friction surface (like snow) is not desirable under most circumstances. Typically, it just leads to loss of available traction and wheel spin. That's not to say that there isn't any case where 4lo would be useful in snow, but for the most part it's just not necessary.

 

[kcnewf]

. . . . So, a couple inches of snow is a great excuse to finally use 4LO.

In the Midwest, using 4 LO with only a couple inches of snow is a great way to get a 1 finger salute :flipoff:

Seriously though, I use it when offroad to control speed and once a month for a few miles of driving in the neighborhood . . just to make sure it works and the actuator seals get lubed ( I read somewhere that periodic use lubes the actuator seals and that it the actuator seals are an expensive fix)

 

[rclangelan]

I rarely use 4Lo for snow, but I do use it for:

- Pulling out stuck vehicles

- Steep uphill climbs (offroad)

- Downhill speed control (offroad)

- Rocky terrain


Otherwise, 4Hi gets the job done fine.

~ Ryan