4 wheel low

[ALRedneck]

Just asking, is there ever an application where you need 4L at 40 MPH much less 55 MPH?

 

[JamesgPW]

The 2019+ PW has a 51:1 crawl ratio in first gear 4lo, that is massive with 429 lbft of torque. Jeeps have much higher at 73:1 but only 265 lbft of torque.

 

[Alloway]

Sure, thats normal. But can you stop it if you want?

Yep I can stop just fine, just a little extra foot than normal.

 

[ALRedneck]

Tested mine tonight. I have to push the brake all the way to the floor but it does it easily.

 

[Grand Mesa]

Just asking, is there ever an application where you need 4L at 40 MPH much less 55 MPH?

Yes.

Driving in heavy mud while going up some steep grades just out of Gateway, Colorado on the dirt road to Moab, Utah some 6 weeks ago I needed to have both the front and rear lockers engaged while running tire chains.

Per Mopar...

"To lock the rear axle, place the vehicle in 4LO. Refer to “Four Wheel Drive Operation” in “Starting And Operating” for further information. Move the axle locker switch position to REAR LOCK while traveling less than 3 mph (5 km/h)."

At some slippery mud sections of the Gateway to Moab road with its corners and steep drop offs (cliffs) I let the truck crawl along at 3 to 5 MPH to keep from sliding. However, there were some flat straight road sections with some 18" of deep snow of which I hit around 40 MPH to be the first vehicle to plow through it. Needed the higher speed momentum. Never made it through though due to the road at the higher elevations became too heavily snowbound. Photo below of tire tracks in the snow are all mine. Couldn't go any further. Backed up for about mile or more and turned around.

Took it out of 4 Low and put it in 4 High while nearing Gateway, and sure enough those lockers disengaged even with the switch still on.

Also yes, on these truck I have to put my foot heavily on the brake in 4 Low while shifting from Drive to Reverse.

 

[ALRedneck]

Yes.

Driving in heavy mud while going up some steep grades just out of Gateway, Colorado on the dirt road to Moab, Utah some 6 weeks ago I needed to have both the front and rear lockers engaged while running tire chains.

Per Mopar...

"To lock the rear axle, place the vehicle in 4LO. Refer to “Four Wheel Drive Operation” in “Starting And Operating” for further information. Move the axle locker switch position to REAR LOCK while traveling less than 3 mph (5 km/h)."

At some slippery mud sections of the Gateway to Moab road with its corners and steep drop offs (cliffs) I let the truck crawl along at 3 to 5 MPH to keep from sliding. However, there were some flat straight road sections with some 18" of deep snow of which I hit around 40 MPH to be the first vehicle to plow through it. Needed the higher speed momentum. Never made it through though due to the road at the higher elevations became too heavily snowbound. Photo below of tire tracks in the snow are all mine. Couldn't go any further. Backed up for about mile or more and turned around.

Took it out of 4 Low and put it in 4 High while nearing Gateway, and sure enough those lockers disengaged even with the switch still on.

Also yes, on these truck I have to put my foot heavily on the brake in 4 Low while shifting from Drive to Reverse.

View attachment 201691

I had a feeling that If there was an application to go that fast in 4L it would be snow. So, if south AL ever gets a blizzard, I’ll have the truck for it!! We can get a dusting down here and it locks the State up tighter than a virus. You need the Abel locker bypass.

 

[Grand Mesa]

I had a feeling that If there was an application to go that fast in 4L it would be snow. So, if south AL ever gets a blizzard, I’ll have the truck for it!! We can get a dusting down here and it locks the State up tighter than a virus. You need the Abel locker bypass.

Snow still in the forecast around here and the Colorado mountains are deeply snow packed which still requires a snowmobile to access. This ain't Kansas or Alabama. Unfortunately, crossing our Mesa County line the Gunnison County has a slight fee of $5,000 and 18 months in jail for just not passing through fast enough. Ain't anything tighter than that. I would hate having to use 4 Low under those restrictions. Yes, it rural here and in Gunnison County. Their laws don't scare me, it's the locals who are armed and ready to welcome visitors for an unplanned permanent stay.

https://kdvr.com/news/gunnison-coun...est-covid-19-regulations-no-visitors-allowed/

 

[ALRedneck]

Snow still in the forecast around here and the Colorado mountains are deeply snow packed which still requires a snowmobile to access. This ain't Kansas or Alabama. Unfortunately, crossing our Mesa County line the Gunnison County has a slight fee of $5,000 and 18 months in jail for just not passing through fast enough. Ain't anything tighter than that. I would hate to having to using 4 Low under those restrictions.

https://kdvr.com/news/gunnison-coun...est-covid-19-regulations-no-visitors-allowed/

It’s basically summer down here! All trees are green, cutting grass and running A/C!! Fish are on the bed and gobblers are gobbling for hens! Oh yeah, rattlesnakes are out of their holes. Build a snowman for me!!

 

[Ram Wagon]

Sorry for the ambiguity. I have no problem with shifting into 4Lo. Once there, it requires a good deal of brake pedal pressure to hold the truck in the stopped position. The first time I did it it surprised me! However, it looks like this is normal based on the comments. Thanks.

Change the factory brake pads to something like powerstop pads, my truck did the same thing the first time i put it into 4-lo. my pedal went to the floor and i could barely get it to stop in idle. The new brakes helped it a lot, i have also heard about guys pulling the abs fuse and that make a huge difference in how the brake pedal feels, also i have read about doing an abs brake bleed using an alfaobd unit (that's my next step to try, i installed the abel nanny bypass switch which works great.)

 

[Breaker Alex]

It’s basically summer down here! All trees are green, cutting grass and running A/C!! Fish are on the bed and gobblers are gobbling for hens! Oh yeah, rattlesnakes are out of their holes. Build a snowman for me!!

We got snow all day but no time for a snowman.

Edit: going downhill while rock crawling, it's almost impossible to stop that truck.
Like standing both foots on the brake.

 

[Buttyman]

Change the factory brake pads to something like powerstop pads, my truck did the same thing the first time i put it into 4-lo. my pedal went to the floor and i could barely get it to stop in idle. The new brakes helped it a lot, i have also heard about guys pulling the abs fuse and that make a huge difference in how the brake pedal feels, also i have read about doing an abs brake bleed using an alfaobd unit (that's my next step to try, i installed the abel nanny bypass switch which works great.)

Thank you. I will try upgrading the brake pads. Does the ABEL Nanny make holding the truck in 4Low easier? I just ordered the Locker bypass, Swaybar bypass, and Nanny Kill switch from ABEL.

 

[Breaker Alex]

For my friend @ALRedneck



Edit:

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[demonram]

Yes his question is vague. But, I have read MANY threads and posts of people complaining that they cant hardly stop the truck in 4 low. Literally, as in STANDING on the brakes and it barely stops. I do not have this issue, but many do.

As far as shifting into 4low, my truck has to be rolling. If its stopped, it will not switch from neutral to low.

Just wondering, could it be a vacuum problem? I don't own a Power Wagon or 4 wheel drive Ram, so don't know anything about the setup, but if the transfer case is vacuum operated and has vacuum applied while in 4 wheel drive, it may be pulling too much vacuum thus having less vacuum to the power brakes.

 

[ALRedneck]

For my friend @ALRedneck

View attachment 201856 View attachment 201857

Edit:

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That’s AWESOME!!!

 

[Trailmaker]

Yes.

Driving in heavy mud while going up some steep grades just out of Gateway, Colorado on the dirt road to Moab, Utah some 6 weeks ago I needed to have both the front and rear lockers engaged while running tire chains.

Per Mopar...

"To lock the rear axle, place the vehicle in 4LO. Refer to “Four Wheel Drive Operation” in “Starting And Operating” for further information. Move the axle locker switch position to REAR LOCK while traveling less than 3 mph (5 km/h)."

At some slippery mud sections of the Gateway to Moab road with its corners and steep drop offs (cliffs) I let the truck crawl along at 3 to 5 MPH to keep from sliding. However, there were some flat straight road sections with some 18" of deep snow of which I hit around 40 MPH to be the first vehicle to plow through it. Needed the higher speed momentum. Never made it through though due to the road at the higher elevations became too heavily snowbound. Photo below of tire tracks in the snow are all mine. Couldn't go any further. Backed up for about mile or more and turned around.

Took it out of 4 Low and put it in 4 High while nearing Gateway, and sure enough those lockers disengaged even with the switch still on.

Also yes, on these truck I have to put my foot heavily on the brake in 4 Low while shifting from Drive to Reverse.

View attachment 201691

You just needed the right tools to get the job done.

 

[olyelr]

You just needed the right tools to get the job done.

View attachment 201876

Now theres a REAL power wagon!

 

[Ram Wagon]

Thank you. I will try upgrading the brake pads. Does the ABEL Nanny make holding the truck in 4Low easier? I just ordered the Locker bypass, Swaybar bypass, and Nanny Kill switch from ABEL.

Running around town, the nanny kill switch for me seems to make the brakes feel firmer, i haven't had a chance to take the truck up in the hills to try out the stuff the nanny kill switch affects. I have the locker bypass setup as well but i haven't had the time to install it yet, everyone who has one seems to like it, the swaybar bypass is next on the list. Good luck.

 

[62Blazer]

Back to the original question, 4 low adds around 2.7 times the torque to the tires. I've been into off-road trucks and rock crawlers for 20+ years and it requiring more brake pressure to stop the trucks is common when in 4 low. I will say that I think the comments about having to stand on the brakes are a little exaggerated. At my previous job in automotive testing we had a group that did performance driving instruction. One of the lessons/tests they had were cars with the ABS disabled and they wanted people to go 50-60 mph and lock up the tires with the brakes so they learned how it felt. One of the biggest issues they had were getting people to simply hit the brake pedal hard enough to lock up the tires. The average person is so use to new cars that will stop in a regular distance with very little pedal pressure they have a hard time pushing the pedal hard enough.

 

[1pieceatatime]

I’ve had my truck on declines where I had to put the truck in neutral because even with brake pedal to the floor the truck was still creeping forward.

 

[Ram Wagon]

Back to the original question, 4 low adds around 2.7 times the torque to the tires. I've been into off-road trucks and rock crawlers for 20+ years and it requiring more brake pressure to stop the trucks is common when in 4 low. I will say that I think the comments about having to stand on the brakes are a little exaggerated. At my previous job in automotive testing we had a group that did performance driving instruction. One of the lessons/tests they had were cars with the ABS disabled and they wanted people to go 50-60 mph and lock up the tires with the brakes so they learned how it felt. One of the biggest issues they had were getting people to simply hit the brake pedal hard enough to lock up the tires. The average person is so use to new cars that will stop in a regular distance with very little pedal pressure they have a hard time pushing the pedal hard enough.

Not exaggerated on my truck, the first time in 4-LOW (with factory 33's) the pedal literally went to the floor and the truck was still moving forward. that is definitely not "normal" pumping the brakes helped a little bit. What made the biggest difference and helped the most was changing out the brake pads with the powerstop brand. Bypassing the abs also makes a difference in how much better the pedal feels and brakes while in 4-Lo. Others may have had different experiences with their trucks but this is how mine was. 2018 bought new.