Question on using 4wd on automatic
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JK Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 298
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From: Hilton Head, SC
Question on using 4wd on automatic
I know this may sound like an idiotic question 
but this is my first automatic Wrangler. I have had four manuals TJ and have wheeled a lot with them. So last night I was bored and started reading the owner's manual. It talked about putting the JK in lower gears when using 4 wd. Does this mean I should slide the transmission to 2 or 1 gear out of drive before putting it in 4 HI or 4 LO? 
When driving on snow covered roads, do you usually drop it to 2 or 1 then put in 4HI if needed? Be easy on me. 
but this is my first automatic Wrangler. I have had four manuals TJ and have wheeled a lot with them. So last night I was bored and started reading the owner's manual. It talked about putting the JK in lower gears when using 4 wd. Does this mean I should slide the transmission to 2 or 1 gear out of drive before putting it in 4 HI or 4 LO? When driving on snow covered roads, do you usually drop it to 2 or 1 then put in 4HI if needed? Be easy on me.
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 298
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From: Hilton Head, SC
JK Freak
Joined: Feb 2009
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4w high you can shift into and out of at any speed up to 55 mph, I use 45mph as a cut off point when doing this and you can't tell or hear it, steering gets tighter is about it, as for 4lo I have the rubicon and everyone says and the manual states to put it in neutral while driving right at 2-3 mph pull it back into 4lo and it slips right in, minds out of the gutter, lol...
everyone says the trick is the 2-3 mph and it is much slower than you think so that makes it difficult sometimes and I agree, its hard to do all of it going slow enough to pull it back without stopping.
everyone says the trick is the 2-3 mph and it is much slower than you think so that makes it difficult sometimes and I agree, its hard to do all of it going slow enough to pull it back without stopping.
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Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 298
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From: Hilton Head, SC
My question for 4 lo is after you get it in on an auto when in neutral running 2-3mph, should you shift ot 2 or 1 gear from drive? Also in 4 hi, should you shift to 2 or 1 from D then shift to 4HI on the fly?
JK Junkie
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,710
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From: Kennesaw, GA
mines an auto... shift to 4 hi on the fly... pick your gear 1, 2, d, n, r ... anytime
for shifting into 4 lo... i bring the jeep almost to a stop, shift to N, and while slighty rolling (1-2 mph) shift into 4 low and then into 1 or 2.
always smooth... never crunching or banging
for shifting into 4 lo... i bring the jeep almost to a stop, shift to N, and while slighty rolling (1-2 mph) shift into 4 low and then into 1 or 2.
always smooth... never crunching or banging
Last edited by 07JKX; May 15, 2009 at 06:32 AM.