While crawling around on the poison spider trail in moab there's a few places where you're turning on pretty flat slick rock to follow the trail markings. I went through the whole trail in 4 low and a couple times on those flat slick rock spots I could feel the front diff start binding then get a chirp from my tires. thinking back I figure I probably get more traction on slick rock than I would on asphalt and should have shifted into 2wd. Is that what I should do in those cases? Could I end up breaking anything by keeping it in 4 low?

 

I always wondered the same thing watching the project jk videos. Seems like there is so much flat surface there that you wod have to keep switching between 2wd and 4wd unless youre the few who have an atlas or dana300 and you have 2wdlo

 

I also just got back from doing the poison spider trail. What I did was shift between 2hi, 4hi and 4lo when needed based on the trail conditions. I think I used 4lo on probably 60% to 70% of the trail. I don't like the binding you get when turning and would think that would wear parts and tires out faster???

 

I've been to Moab a bunch (going again in September). I always put the Jeep in whatever gear or 4WD configuration is need for the job. I prefer to run in 2WD as much as possible, switching to 4WD when needed and back. If I'm on dirt or a sandy trail, I'll tend to stay in 4WD longer.

 

So is using 2wd on flat-ish slick rock the best way to make sure you don't break anything?

 

A decent trail like Poison Spyder with an auto - 4low the whole trail unless there there is an area where you get over 15 mph - then go to 4high.

A manual is more forgiving of going up fairly steep grades out of 4low. The auto heats up real quick out of 4 low.

You're not going to wear out your jeep staying in 4wd on the trail! After all it's a Jeep.

 

On anything but asphalt or smooth rock, I am on 4wd Hi.
on sand, dirt, gravel ect', distribution of the pull to 4 wheels reduces the wear of the tires.
Besides, you can never know when you suddenly need the 4wd, so it's already there.

I use Low only when it's really needed, then I go back to Hi.
On anything that's not slippery, the Low pointlessly strains the system.

I also lock only when it's necessary (which is not often), and unlock the minute it's no longer required.