When to use 4x4 mode?

[Jm91rs]

Use 4wd when your factory 22" GoodYear Eagles Wear down to nothing after only 33k miles and you absolutely refuse to buy new tires so soon even though it's raining and you can barely pull away from the stop sign on the slight hill. Or is that just me?

 

[Skid51]

I am currently switching from a Denali (that has Auto AWD besides 4H and 4L) to a PW (that lacks the Auto). I think that’s one thing I’ll really miss. I basically put it in Auto AWD for the 6+ months of winter. It’s really handy on highways where say often one lane is hard-packed and one is dry, or the whole highway goes from dry to snow/ice due to mountain shade, or turning off dry roads up a hilly side road that’s icy. With the 2500 PW I’m instead going to be doing a lot of manual switching between 2H and 4H. Hopefully having summer fun with lockers and sway disconnect will more than compensate!

 

[turkeybird56]

Use 4wd when your factory 22" GoodYear Eagles Wear down to nothing after only 33k miles and you absolutely refuse to buy new tires so soon even though it's raining and you can barely pull away from the stop sign on the slight hill. Or is that just me?

Sounds like time for new shoes for you, lol.....

 

[Jm91rs]

Sounds like time for new shoes for you, lol.....

I got them awhile back. Oddly the Michelins in the EXACT same size as the GoodYears rub on hard backwards turns into my driveway. I'll live with it though to know I can get further than 33k miles on a set of tires. Much better ride too.

 

[DanAR]

Yes, my experiences with Michelins is that they never wear out to the thread bars - the rubber simply gets so hard they virtually stop wearing.

 

[TestPilot57]

I'd be hard pressed to say anything bad about Michelins. My very first car - '72 VW Beetle - had the factory installed XZZ on when I bought it with almost 100k on the odo. Unfortunately, by then they had stopped making the XZX and replaced it with the ZX. I guess they were on a path of planned obsolescence with the XZX...

 

[Ecosqueasl]

I find driving carefully in 2wd until the wheels begin to slip then reversing and putting it in 4H and taking a run at it can work wonders. I drove a 3500HD chev for three years in the Ag tire industry doing calls out in muddy fields and the like. It's amazing what 4wd and good tires can do to a truck.

 

[morewood]

So in the last month I purchased a 2023 Limited Longhorn Crew Cab 4x4 1500, with the Anti-spin Differential rear axle option. I've never owned a 4x4, but was convinced by a friend and my son that's what I should purchase.....not to mention the vast majority on the dealer lots here in TX are all 4x4. My question is when is it acceptable/advisable to use the 4x4(hi)? I've only put it in 4-wheel Hi once to check it out. It was on some grass, and I heard some popping sounds when I was turning. Is this normal? I read in the owner's manual that 4wd(Hi) mode should only be engaged in loose/slippery conditions. We plan to take it to NM skiing during the holidays, and I want to make sure I utilize the 4wd mode correctly!!
TIA for all your insights, thoughts, and recommendations!!

I have owned 4 x 4 trucks for 20+ years. I always have fun watching people with 4x4 who go into grass fields and them get stuck and then decide to put the truck into 4 wheel drive and still have problems. I found the when going off main roads or hard dirt roads it is best to USE THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE then you don't get stuck or tear up the ground as quick. You should definitely use the 4 wheel drive if you see the ground is muddy. Maybe you don't need the 4 wheel but it is a less of a chance of getting stuck.
The way they clean the snow in my area on the roads you usually don't need 4 wheel. If you have sever inches of snow covered road it may be better to use the 4 wheel and then drive slower. Don't drive like a nut going to a race trick because you now have 4 wheel drive and think you can go anywhere. Drive resealable.

 

[skates15]

So, basically:
- slick roads, loose gravel, light snow use 4wd auto
- heavy rain, ice, several inches of snow use 4H, but keep it under 50mph
- 4L when my wife gives me the stink-eye for doing something stupid (at which point 4L won't help).

 

[Hardracer]

I run 4auto sometimes in nasty rains down here,does help with crappy tires that are half worn and I mean half tread life left(Nitto Crosstecs are garbage halfway through their life in my opinion.great tire in the beginning).
Ask me how i know,been there done that.
I've only used 4low for a couple stump pullouts in the yard(very impressed with the grunt in that mode)and the occasional pull out of friend or 2 at the sippy/mud hole down the road(if I can).

 

[dputnam01]

I usually (manually) engage 4WD when I am climbing the snowy roads and I start feeling the truck steering start to go out or I start drifting. I usually slow down then as well

 

[Justin33]

Here in Syracuse, NY we average 114" of snowfall per year, I drive 52 miles round trip to work daily and if the roads are bad my truck is in 4x4 high from driveway to driveway. The auto is a nice feature but I feel when the roads are really bad sometimes driving in a straight line it has that "I dont know if im in 4wd or 2wd" in the back of my mind. I like the fact I know that its locked in 4wd. I just traded in my 4th gen with 93k on the clock and got into a 5th gen. My new Bridgestone Blizzak tires came today, interesting to see the difference between the 2 in the snow

I’m curious to as I’m in Maine and have duratracs on mine that like to shake the center console on the interstate.

 

[Rhett55]

Ive always had snow tires, The stock tires they come with arent very good in the sloppy stuff LOL

So true I had a TJ with 33 12.50 MTR's and a locker in the rear. I could go in two wheel drive were the stock jeeps could not go. Very bad original tires back then on the jeeps. This is my first time having 4wd and 4 wheel lock. In my Ram sport 2013. I do still perfer a mechanical transfercase this electric Rather just have posi in the back.