4x4 engagement

[danf1973]

God I feel like a idiot for asking this, lol. So all my trucks have either been "locking hubs" or turning off a dial to go into either 4L/4H etc. I just purchased a 2017 2500 tradesman and I just have a "separate" shifter on the raised floorboard. I have tried looking it up but everything that I have found online shows engagement with a dial, etc.

Thanks in advance,
Dan

 

[turkeybird56]

What are you asking?

The 4WD is mechanical with that lever. Now whether U have locking hubs or not, got no clue. Last thing I drove with Locking Hubs was a 1972 Ford 250 with 4WD.

 

[turkeybird56]

HERE U go OP, right outta 2017 Manual:

 

[Burla]

Thats how they all used to be, what is at the wheel? just stop maybe go into neutral and use shifter to what mode you want. If it is warn style turn at wheel you need to manually do it, if not then it is autohub. If you want a locker, pm Brandon w ram forum.

 

[Burla]

many guys like this style, it is more durable and more reliable. Don't feel dumb for something like this, ram forum is the place to learn.

 

[Jeepwalker]

I wish my Ram had a lever. You pull it back and it's 'in'. Plus it 'feels' cooler! Going to the dial or a dash switch was the beginning of 'nanny-creep'.

 

[Ken226]

You'll probably never know what it feels like to turn the dial knob, see a continuously flashing light, and get a message on the instrument cluster that says, "Service 4wd System". You'll miss out on then being stuck in snow for 3 hours waiting for a wrecker, because a mouse chewed through a wire.

 

[Burla]

I don't know what you have at the wheel, this is how hubs are locked, if you cant do anything nothing to turn, then it is auto locked when you engage any 4x4 mode, of note if it is auto hub, when you go back to 2wd you should reverse until you hear a click that is auto hub dis-engaging. If it is manual, it is self explanatory, if the hubs are locked and hard to spin, try a little reverse here and there.

 

[huntergreen]

If you don’t have manual locking hubs, you can shift into 4H at speeds up to 50 mph. Same with going back to 2Wd. You need to be stopped put truck in neutral to shift into 4L . Same to shift out 4L.

 

[RamDiver]

Or, if your truck is like my '21 Warlock, it has live 1/2 shafts and the hubs are always locked.

The transfer case just engages the 1/2 shaft. No locking/unlocking of hubs required.

I can back into the ditch in 2wd, push the silly 4wd button and crawl out with no effort.

Auto-locking hubs are not preferred for any offroading activities or deep snow when you have to change direction.

.

 

[RamDiver]

If you don’t have manual locking hubs, you can shift into 4H at speeds up to 50 mph. Same with going back to 2Wd. You need to be stopped put truck in neutral to shift into 4L . Same to shift out 4L.

I had an old beater, an '87 Toyota extended cab 4x4 that I used for offroading and winter fun.

I replaced the Auto-locking hubs with Warn manual locking hubs and kept them locked on snowy days. I shifted into 4wd on the fly at any speed under 70mph.

.

 

[62Blazer]

A Ram truck hasn't come from the factory with locking hubs since maybe the early 1990's, so surprised anybody is even mentioning them. There are retrofit kits out there for manual locking hubs but they are very pricey ($2,500ish) and very rare anybody has instlalled them. Speaking locking hubs on older trucks, you still had some sort of shift lever in the cab that went from 2wd to 4wd. I've never seen one where ALL you had to do was engage the locking hubs (I learned how to drive on a '72 model Toyota with locking hubs, and have owned several trucks with locking hubs back in the day).
Back to the original post. You simply move the lever to the position you want. There should be distinct detents as you move the shifter. If you are in 2HI and want 4HI, just reach down and pull the shifter back to the 4Hi position. This can be done "on the fly". I've done it lots of times at probably up to 40+ mph. Just let off the gas for a second while moving the shifter back. The only reason I haven't done it at faster speeds......usually if the you need 4wd you probably aren't going that fast. Now if you want to go to 4low you do need to stop as this drastically changes the overall gear ratio. If the shifter fights you going into 4low get let off the brake or maybe a real small/slight bump on the gas pedal to let the truck roll. If you try to shift into 4 low while traveling at high speeds the shifter will usually really fight you when you try to move it.

 

[Jeepwalker]

I remember one particular trip home about 25yrs ago, I was towing a vehicle back home on the interstate. Old-school 4x4. Mid morning, clear skies, light traffic. Wife was with me. I forget what led up to it but I had to slam on the brakes & make a sudden evasive maneuver into the median to avoid an accident.

Well, apparently it had rained sometime earlier in the day, or the night before. Quite a bit it seemed, because I suddenly found I was in pretty muddy grass down in the median. I still had a fair amount of speed, I reached down and pulled the lever into 4x and kept my speed up till I was able to work myself out of the bottom and up to the shoulder. It all happened and was over in an instant. I'm not sure this would have worked as well on some of the newer trucks where engagement can take a few seconds. Maybe?? (of course many 4x4's now are now kind of an AWD system).

I've had a few emergency needs like that in the past. But not with my Ram.

 

[danf1973]

Thanks for all the team put and information spent. I just got this truck and unfortunately no owners manual and seems the information on it is hidden deep dark place on the web, lol. I wasn't sure if I had to be sitting still and then place the truck into N and then make the selection, etc. I might also just buy an owners manual .

Thanks
Dan

 

[turkeybird56]

Thanks for all the team put and information spent. I just got this truck and unfortunately no owners manual and seems the information on it is hidden deep dark place on the web, lol. I wasn't sure if I had to be sitting still and then place the truck into N and then make the selection, etc. I might also just buy an owners manual .

Thanks
Dan

Download the manual either to yer pc andr wateva devices You use.

That’s how I got the info to post. Have various years d/l on my pc to help folks.

 

[Wild one]

Thanks for all the team put and information spent. I just got this truck and unfortunately no owners manual and seems the information on it is hidden deep dark place on the web, lol. I wasn't sure if I had to be sitting still and then place the truck into N and then make the selection, etc. I might also just buy an owners manual .

Thanks
Dan

Try phoning this number,it used to be the one to phone to get the optional bigger paper manuals "free",but i'm not sure it still works now that Stellantis is running the operation.
If it does work,have the last 8 digits of your VIN handy,and if they ask,tell them you're the original/first owner of the truck.
It's worth a try before you hunt one up to buy

Canucks phone this number 1-800-387-1143

US guys phone this number 1-866-726-4636

 

[turkeybird56]

Try phoning this number,it used to be the one to phone to get the optional bigger paper manuals "free",but i'm not sure it still works now that Stellantis is running the operation.
If it does work,have the last 8 digits of your VIN handy,and if they ask,tell them you're the original/first owner of the truck.
It's worth a try before you hunt one up to buy

Canucks phone this number 1-800-387-1143

US guys phone this number 1-866-726-4636

I got a manual when I bought my 5th Gen. But since he (OP) is not 1st owner, you know. I do not get it tho., Seems everytime I bought something like a vehicle if used PPL always had the manual and even sometimes the Original Moroney sticker. I still have the Moroney to my 5th Gen actually in the vehicle and the manuals I got. Maybe I am both a Turkey and a Unicorn, roflmao.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Thanks for all the team put and information spent. I just got this truck and unfortunately no owners manual and seems the information on it is hidden deep dark place on the web, lol. I wasn't sure if I had to be sitting still and then place the truck into N and then make the selection, etc. I might also just buy an owners manual .

Thanks
Dan

Googling "2017 Ram 2500 owners manual" give you a .pdf version from both the US and Canada as the first two hits...

https://cdn.dealereprocess.org/cdn/servicemanuals/ram/2017-1500.pdf

https://owners.mopar.ca/en/manuals/2017/2017E-RAM-15_25_35-OM-4th.pdf

 

[Docwagon1776]

A Ram truck hasn't come from the factory with locking hubs since maybe the early 1990's, so surprised anybody is even mentioning them.

Maybe the 3/4 ton and up kept them later, I don't know, but my '87 1/2 ton just had a vacuum system. No manual hubs to lock.

 

[Wild one]

I got a manual when I bought my 5th Gen. But since he (OP) is not 1st owner, you know. I do not get it tho., Seems everytime I bought something like a vehicle if used PPL always had the manual and even sometimes the Original Moroney sticker. I still have the Moroney to my 5th Gen actually in the vehicle and the manuals I got. Maybe I am both a Turkey and a Unicorn, roflmao.

View attachment 561349

You used to be able to get the bigger 700 page printed manuals through those numbers,but i'm not sure it even works anymore,as the last time i used it was to get the big manuals for the wifes 2019 Challenger