Newbie question about 4L
- Thread starter ralphsdad
- Start date
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First of all why would you want to unless your offroading? And yes on dry roads it will cause issues with you axles / transfer case because when you turn when the central diff is locked on dry roads it causes the axles to bind up and this can cause a failure and isn't good for your parts.
4L on dry roads is OK, but unpleasant. The engine will be turning ~2.4 times the normal rpms for a given speed, and your top speed will be like 50 mph with the engine at the redline. The powertrain will be prone to jerking and bucking and automatic shifts will be VERY harsh. I don't offroad much, but I try to engage 4L for a couple of miles every month or two, just to keep the mechanism from freezing up. Otherwise, there's no reason to use 4L on the road.
As noted above, DON'T lock the center diff on dry pavement if you plan on making any turns at all, even shallow ones. Locking the center diff forces the front and rear axles to run at the same speeds. This causes the tires to scrub and the steering to bind on dry pavement since the front and rear wheels travel different paths when turning. Dirt and other slippery surfaces will permit wheelslip to occur without putting undue stress on the drive line. But if you do it on dry pavement, your vehicle will let you know in no uncertain terms that it hates you for doing it!
As noted above, DON'T lock the center diff on dry pavement if you plan on making any turns at all, even shallow ones. Locking the center diff forces the front and rear axles to run at the same speeds. This causes the tires to scrub and the steering to bind on dry pavement since the front and rear wheels travel different paths when turning. Dirt and other slippery surfaces will permit wheelslip to occur without putting undue stress on the drive line. But if you do it on dry pavement, your vehicle will let you know in no uncertain terms that it hates you for doing it!
sharp4runr
New member
Top speed in 4L is 35MPH, just to clarify.
Otherwise, what the other guys said is true. No reason to drive in 4L on dry pavement...
Otherwise, what the other guys said is true. No reason to drive in 4L on dry pavement...
boston_kevin
New member
4L on pavement
The only time I use 4L is pulling the boat out of the water on a slippery boat ramp. The extra low gearing puts the torque exactly where I need it to pull out a 22' boat without slipping and without reving the engine beyond where I want it to be. I don't lock the diff because I don't want any binding issue when I hit the dry stuff (about 20 feet up). I do use 4L off road in tricky situations (not mud) with the diff locked because the dirt will allow the tires to slip and not bind the driveline.
Other than that, why use 4L? It's meant to put power to the ground and crawl.
The only time I use 4L is pulling the boat out of the water on a slippery boat ramp. The extra low gearing puts the torque exactly where I need it to pull out a 22' boat without slipping and without reving the engine beyond where I want it to be. I don't lock the diff because I don't want any binding issue when I hit the dry stuff (about 20 feet up). I do use 4L off road in tricky situations (not mud) with the diff locked because the dirt will allow the tires to slip and not bind the driveline.
Other than that, why use 4L? It's meant to put power to the ground and crawl.
some off-road...
you don't need 4L on offroad unles you are creeping up and over ruts and rocks. 4H is fine for most, but good 4x4 technique is to do it slow land easy. 4L allows you to ease up with the higher end of the power band to get the car up and over, up and over, up and over without jerking or jerking as the engine revs up.......
Don't lock the diffs on dry road. You'll get the "what a DUMB-ass" look from the dealer's service manager and a fat bill to fix your driveline cuz warranty does not cover your misuse.
you don't need 4L on offroad unles you are creeping up and over ruts and rocks. 4H is fine for most, but good 4x4 technique is to do it slow land easy. 4L allows you to ease up with the higher end of the power band to get the car up and over, up and over, up and over without jerking or jerking as the engine revs up.......
Don't lock the diffs on dry road. You'll get the "what a DUMB-ass" look from the dealer's service manager and a fat bill to fix your driveline cuz warranty does not cover your misuse.
