4wd
Thread Starter
JK Jedi
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4,470
Likes: 1
From: Westchester, NY
4wd
Forgive the noob question but this is my first Jeep or any off road vehicle for that matter.
My question is related to 4HI and 4LO. Is it okay to engage 4HI while stopped and in drive? And if so is it okay to use 4HI to get out of mud, dirt or going over large dirt mounds at very low speeds up 10MPH or is it only ok for use while at speed in snow and such?
The reason I ask is because I would rather use that than 4LO. The two times I have tried to use 4LO (in mud at a standstill) did not go so well. The first time I put the vehicle in N and engaged 4 LO and then had problems getting it out of 4LO and had to stop and wait because I could hear the tranny grinding. Finally I was able to get it out of 4LO by putting the tranny in N and pushing back up to 2HI. The second occasion I tried to engage it I was pulling back hard on the shifter almost to the point where I thought I was gunna break it and it didn't go into 4LO so I stopped.
Id rather use 4HI for these situations if it wont mess up the Jeep as I really feel I don't know what I am doing yet with 4LO and don't want to break the transmission.
Oh by the way, I have an auto.
Any help is appreciated.
My question is related to 4HI and 4LO. Is it okay to engage 4HI while stopped and in drive? And if so is it okay to use 4HI to get out of mud, dirt or going over large dirt mounds at very low speeds up 10MPH or is it only ok for use while at speed in snow and such?
The reason I ask is because I would rather use that than 4LO. The two times I have tried to use 4LO (in mud at a standstill) did not go so well. The first time I put the vehicle in N and engaged 4 LO and then had problems getting it out of 4LO and had to stop and wait because I could hear the tranny grinding. Finally I was able to get it out of 4LO by putting the tranny in N and pushing back up to 2HI. The second occasion I tried to engage it I was pulling back hard on the shifter almost to the point where I thought I was gunna break it and it didn't go into 4LO so I stopped.
Id rather use 4HI for these situations if it wont mess up the Jeep as I really feel I don't know what I am doing yet with 4LO and don't want to break the transmission.
Oh by the way, I have an auto.
Any help is appreciated.
JK Newbie
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento/Denver
4hi is generally ok under 50mph and on any NON-dry pavement surface. Snow covered roads, dirt, mud, etc. are all fine. 4lo is only for going very SLOW, when 4hi is not enough, think crawling over rocks or up steep slopes.
4hi you can shift into while in motion (i think slower is better...) and for 4lo you want to be stopped in neutral to shift into or out of.
4hi you can shift into while in motion (i think slower is better...) and for 4lo you want to be stopped in neutral to shift into or out of.
Thread Starter
JK Jedi
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4,470
Likes: 1
From: Westchester, NY
4hi is generally ok under 50mph and on any NON-dry pavement surface. Snow covered roads, dirt, mud, etc. are all fine. 4lo is only for going very SLOW, when 4hi is not enough, think crawling over rocks or up steep slopes.
4hi you can shift into while in motion (i think slower is better...) and for 4lo you want to be stopped in neutral to shift into or out of.
4hi you can shift into while in motion (i think slower is better...) and for 4lo you want to be stopped in neutral to shift into or out of.
JK Freak
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 732
Likes: 0
From: Provo, UT
You can shift into 4-HI in whatever gear you want, stopped or in motion. Some people like to shift into 4-HI and then shift the transmission from Drive to Reverse and then back to Drive, just to make sure all the gears are meshed.
Thread Starter
JK Jedi
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 4,470
Likes: 1
From: Westchester, NY
JK Freak
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 732
Likes: 0
From: Provo, UT
No problem. Just to clarify...
I use 4-HI in any situation where I think I'll need extra traction, e.g., snow, ice, mud, loose surfaces, moderate hills, etc. It's better to put it in 4WD before you get stuck--let the Jeep do the dirty work for you.
You can shift into 4-HI on the fly at speeds up to 55 mph.
I use 4-LO when the going gets really tough, e.g., steep inclines, rock climbing, or any situation where you think you'll need extra torque. I got my front tires stuck in a ditch one time and couldn't get out in 4-HI, but in 4-LO I backed right out of it. Basically, when 4-HI fails to get you out, shift into 4-LO, but only in low speed situations. I don't think you can go over 25 mph in 4-LO anyways. 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.
You can read about 4-wheeling all day long, but the best way to learn is through trial and error. Experience is the best teacher. Anyways... now that you're an expert in the art of 4x4 I expect to see some pics of your Jeep in action!
I use 4-HI in any situation where I think I'll need extra traction, e.g., snow, ice, mud, loose surfaces, moderate hills, etc. It's better to put it in 4WD before you get stuck--let the Jeep do the dirty work for you.
You can shift into 4-HI on the fly at speeds up to 55 mph.I use 4-LO when the going gets really tough, e.g., steep inclines, rock climbing, or any situation where you think you'll need extra torque. I got my front tires stuck in a ditch one time and couldn't get out in 4-HI, but in 4-LO I backed right out of it. Basically, when 4-HI fails to get you out, shift into 4-LO, but only in low speed situations. I don't think you can go over 25 mph in 4-LO anyways. 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.
You can read about 4-wheeling all day long, but the best way to learn is through trial and error. Experience is the best teacher. Anyways... now that you're an expert in the art of 4x4 I expect to see some pics of your Jeep in action!