x2 on not really needing in on DRY pavement. However, once pavement becomes covered in ice or snow it is no longer "dry", so your wheels can slip, just like they do on dirt. Thus, no harm in using 4WD.

ALSO, with the JK, ***DO NOT FORGET TO TURN OFF YOUR ESP*** before taking it off the road. I made this mistake on my first trip to the trails, and ended up frying my wiring harness. Since the ESP was left on, it kept trying to correct for unstable conditions on the trail (when it's on it assumes your driving on pavement) and basically ended up getting way over-worked, resulting in some really weird engine issues...

 

bigdeenus do you have an auto or manual jk...if i remember correctly when i engage my 4wd it turns the esp off automatically...i know it does in 4 lo pretty sure in 4 hi too... just curious

 

You shouldn't ever really need 4WD Low unless you're towing something big... like a boat... in reverse... into a lake. I would recommend never using 4WD on icy roads unless you see a fair amount of snow on the roads as well. The general rule is that if you think you can traverse a road WITHOUT 4WD, then you probably can. Your tires should provide you enough traction to maneuver. However, if it's snowing and sticking to the road, 4WD could help. Just try to use as much common sense as you can and things should be fine. I've driven in the Tahoe area many winters, through blizzards & rain, and done some light off-roading in desert and mud and have never had to use 4WD-Low.

 

only use 4wd low when pushing a boat into a lake in reverse? 4wd low actually should also be used on trails where speed is not necessary. low gives you a better crawl ratio which will help you idle over obstacles. when i climb steep hills with lose rocks 4 lo keeps the jeep moving without spinning the tires too much. and the best thing about 4 lo is that you can engage it while going down a steep hill (offroad) and then put it in first gear, and the engine will actually slow you down. this way you dont have to keep pushing on your brakes to keep your speed down.

To Engage 4wd:
if you have the automatic 4wd high can be engaged in drive at under 55 mph by simply pulling back on the transfer case lever. to engage 4wd low, have the jeep rolling at under 5mph and put the tranny in neutral. then pull back hard on the t-case lever until it is in the 4 lo position them put your jeep in 1st or 2nd gear.

 

You seem to be convinced somehow that engaging 4wd on the street is ok. We're trying pretty hard to tell you how to use what YOU asked us about, and you seem to be arguing about it. All I can say now is go read the owner's manual.

 

It seems like some folk confuse 4wd with Awd. If he wants to use it on the street, think about the jobs he's protecting in the service industry. Tow truck drivers, mechanics, parts men, etc... Our economy needs folks to hit their JK's into 4wd on the pavement.

 

I think I've written the same post about three times in the last month. Here we go again... It's really not that complicated.

--4-HI for high-speed situations
--4-LO for low-speed situations

--4-HI when you need more traction (snow, mud, sand, loose surfaces, etc.)
--4-LO when you need more traction and torque (moderate off-roading/trail running, rock crawling, steep hills, boat ramps, any time you're stuck, etc.)

--You can shift into 4-HI on the fly at speeds up to 55 mph.
--The best way to engage 4-LO is to put the transmission in Neutral, let the Jeep roll forward at about 2 mph, and then firmly pull the 4WD lever all the way towards you.

Okay, now you're all experts. Don't make 4-wheeling harder than it really is.

 

there ya go ryno. i think that covers it all! so no more questions right?

 

It should be alright to use 4hi in icy situations I thought.

My ESP stays on for 4hi, but shuts off for 4Lo and you cant turn it back on.

4Lo is for slow speeds.

Don't use either on the pavement...seems simple enough for me.

I avoid 4 in general even when off road..waste gas...dont need it for most situations

 

For now, at least. Sooner or later someone's going to ask if they can use 4-LO on the highway if it's raining, or if they need to engage 4-HI to drive over a curb, or something stupid like that. It's okay--everyone is a newb at some point in their life.

Yup. Ice + 4-HI = Just fine. If the icy conditions are intermittent then just be careful not to make any quick and/or sharp turns with 4-HI engaged.

Another good point. Out here in Moab you can drive around all day in 2-HI on a lot of the trails, and then when you come to an obstacle just slide her into 4-LO. I was surprised how little gas a Rubicon used in Moab though. We wheeled from 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon, had it in 4-LO pretty much the entire time, and only used four gallons of gas ($15 very well spent). When you're out on the trail, gas seems really cheap when you consider how much fun you can have per gallon.