4 X 4 question

vwsportbug · Dec 16, 2016

This has probably been asked before but I couldn't find it with a search so I'll ask away...

My daughter just recently bought her new 2016 Ram and it has only 4 settings for the 4 X 4 transmission: 2WD, Neutral, 4 Lock, 4 Low. We've recently been getting light snow and she doesn't know which 4 X 4 setting to use.

Any 4 X 4 I've ever had also had a 4 X 4 Auto setting that I would use in this situation but there is no such setting on hers and the manual doesn't really explain what to use (although it does say never to use 4X 4 Low over 25 MPH)

What should she be using when the roads are slick and slippery but not covered in deep snow? The 4 Lock setting just doesn't sound right but I don't know what else to use. Hope someone can offer some advice! Thanks....

2015HD · Dec 16, 2016

4WD Lock

Bigdaddycodes · Dec 16, 2016

I am personally not a fan of 4 auto, Ive seen too many transfercases get worn out from it, but she does not have it, In the case of just light snow, there is no reason that 2wd should not be good enough, especially with our traction control in these trucks, but if 4wd is really needed, 4 Lock is basically the same as 4 high, just labelled differently. So 4 lock would be the best option. 4 low is for when your just trying to slowly crawl out of somewhere, no need for it at all on the streets.

2015HD · Dec 16, 2016

fyi.. 4 low is for high torque 'oh ****' situations. You know, deep mud or pulling a GM truck out of the ditch :roflsquared:

The manual says you can switch to 4 low at very slow speeds but I roll old school, always put truck in neutral before going to 4 low. The neutral button disengages the transfer case, I can't think of any situation to use it unless you tow the truck. Also, if you put transfer case in neutral it will roll away in park (so I've been told).

Bigdaddycodes · Dec 16, 2016

yup the truck will roll away when the tcase is in neautral and the truck is in park. I have personally used 4 low once, found 4 lock to be better in deep mud as it gets the wheels spinning and cleans out the tires. My 13 wont even go into 4 low without it being in neutral, good safety feature in my opinion.

2015HD · Dec 16, 2016

One more thing... is she running any weight in the back? I run 600lbs of sand bags between my rear wheels and tailgate. I find I seldom need 4WD on the roads with that much weight.

baum · Dec 16, 2016

I have had 2 of this gen ram a '13 and '15. my '13 was a v6 and '15 v8, both the a$$ ends are extremely light. Both of my trucks the tires will spin freely on wet pavement if im crossing over a cross walk paint.

weight in the back will help alot and most of the times you will not even need 4wd

but yes for normal driving 4lock since you dont have 4 auto.

Bigdaddycodes · Dec 16, 2016

instead of sandbags, you could also get a big piece of steel plate and get it cut to the same size as your box and lay that down, adds a few hundred pounds and doesnt lose any box space or cause a mess if a sandbag breaks.

4auto is terrible.

MADDOG · Dec 16, 2016

4WD Lock for these conditions. A bit of a load in the back will help.

huntergreen · Dec 16, 2016

another 4wd lock answer.

BigRed4x4 · Dec 16, 2016

Bigdaddycodes said:
instead of sandbags, you could also get a big piece of steel plate and get it cut to the same size as your box and lay that down, adds a few hundred pounds and doesnt lose any box space or cause a mess if a sandbag breaks.

4auto is terrible.

I like that idea but am picturing how I would get a few hundred pounds of steel in an out of the truck bed by myself.

I use 6 70# bags of sand tubes. They're more manageable but do take up space and get in the way from time to time.

Bigdaddycodes · Dec 16, 2016

I did it on my old truck, basically I had 2 holes on each side drilled and then welded 2 bolts in, and stuck them facing up, when it came time to move it and take it out, I attached handles to the welded in bolts and grabbed a friend and took it out.

Rado · Dec 16, 2016

vwsportbug said:
This has probably been asked before but I couldn't find it with a search so I'll ask away...

My daughter just recently bought her new 2016 Ram and it has only 4 settings for the 4 X 4 transmission: 2WD, Neutral, 4 Lock, 4 Low. We've recently been getting light snow and she doesn't know which 4 X 4 setting to use.

Any 4 X 4 I've ever had also had a 4 X 4 Auto setting that I would use in this situation but there is no such setting on hers and the manual doesn't really explain what to use (although it does say never to use 4X 4 Low over 25 MPH)

What should she be using when the roads are slick and slippery but not covered in deep snow? The 4 Lock setting just doesn't sound right but I don't know what else to use. Hope someone can offer some advice! Thanks....

First welcome, second I had the same question with my 2015 RAM 4x4 that I just picked up.. You may want your daughter to check out the threads here , Tons of great info and good people willing to help. or just pop in anytime and ask! Good to see more ladies getting into trucks

My daughter is in a SUV

lol

clh1220 · Dec 16, 2016

She just needs to use 4 lock. That's what it is for. As for the 4 auto not being any good. That's bs I've 3 so far all have worked flawless. If you read these post ,it don't take long to figure out who is saying that there junk. 2 common denominator, they don't have a auto 4wd case and they haven't had that much experience with owning trucks.

VB712 · Dec 16, 2016

I have the auto option on mine. I never use 4wd unless I absolutely need too. That being said after this winter I probably should change my transfer case and differential fluids. I'm at 46k and not sure if they have ever been done.

Bigdaddycodes · Dec 16, 2016

clh1220 said:
She just needs to use 4 lock. That's what it is for. As for the 4 auto not being any good. That's bs I've 3 so far all have worked flawless. If you read these post ,it don't take long to figure out who is saying that there junk. 2 common denominator, they don't have a auto 4wd case and they haven't had that much experience with owning trucks.

2 common denominators? Well First of all, my truck does in fact have an auto tcase, so that one is out and second.. I do have experience with trucks, I am also in fact a licensed mechanic and spent quite a while working for dodge. Almost every tcase fault that I saw in the dealers I would ask the customer if he ran 2wd nd 4 lock or did he just leave it in 4 auto, and I would say a good 90% of the faults were they always left it in auto. It is all worked around clutches, think ofit this way, the rear tires slip which puts them spinning faster than the fronts, auto kicks in which engages the clutch, after a while of 2 different speed variables being activated by a clutch, they will wear out. Its not just dodge either, I also spent a year and a half with GM and their auto tcases were even worse. My thinking is that if you dont know whether you should be in 2wd or in 4wd then you probably shouldnt be driving, the trucks cant decide everything for you.

clh1220 · Dec 16, 2016

The auto case works just fine for normal use. If your going to put a cam in it and everything else ,it might not work for you. Most people don't buy a new truck to do serious off roading.ive drove over 200k miles on 3 different trucks with auto case. No problems, so I'll stick with they will be fine for most.
,

roadshow · Dec 16, 2016

clh1220 said:
She just needs to use 4 lock. That's what it is for. As for the 4 auto not being any good. That's bs I've 3 so far all have worked flawless. If you read these post ,it don't take long to figure out who is saying that there junk. 2 common denominator, they don't have a auto 4wd case and they haven't had that much experience with owning trucks.

Really? How are they any worse than all the misinformed people who claim you can't drive in 4WD lock if there are any dry patches on the road as well as slippery patches with the 44-45? Because there are easily as many people spreading this nonsense around as there are people saying the 44-44 isn't any good so let's be objective here.

WTF do you think everyone for about 80 years did before 4WD Auto was developed in recent history? Had their transfer case drop out of the truck, leaving thousands of broken ones scattered in the middle of the road everywhere like some scene out of mad max?

Eased · Dec 16, 2016

Sounds like a few people on here should read the owners manual.

Bigdaddycodes · Dec 16, 2016

This topic is just one of those things that you are never going to convince someone to change their mind, try coming up to Canada where we have winter 6 months of the year, it is way harder on your truck especially when you just leave it in 4 auto and those clutches are engaging and disengaging constantly, 4 lock and 2wd are just way better options

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