I have a some quick question about 4x4

I have a 2001 Ford Ranger xlt SOHC 4.0 4x4 (off road according to the decal on the side of the truck)

I read the how to use the 4x4 in my Ford Ranger user book, so I got all that information down, but still have some question.

This deals with driving in snow, maybe sand on fire lanes in the summer.


Is it ok to turn the 4x4 high on when you are driving?

Lets say you get stuck driving in 4x2, you tires are slipping ( I know you cant turn the 4x4 on when your tires are slipping) if come to a complete stop can you turn the 4x4 high on and then try to get out, will that be ok for the truck?

Is it ok to turn the 4x4 on and then try to back out of a parking space?

If I pull into the parking space, should I turn the 4x4 high as a pull into the parking space or should I or can I turn the 4x4 off when the vehicle is stopped and will it go off?

Is it ok for the tires to slip while in 4x4 if your stuck or going up a hill?

If there is anything else I should know let me know, I have no idea what I'm doing

Thanks for all your help

 

yes it is fine on everything you asked.

When I shift into 4x4 while driving I always take my foot off the gas until it engages. Just remember don't be going over 45 when you shift into 4 high.

 

Just like Camodown said, I usually let it coast a little when i put it in 4x4. But i've also done it on the interstate going 70. Never had any problems. But with 4x4 low, I cant tell if mine ingages or not.

 

the only time you should not uses your 4x4 is when your on dry pavment, but yes you can turn it on when your driving but only if you have shift on the fly 4x4. yes if you get stuck then you turn it on that is ok but make shure you are stoped. yes if you realy have to turn it on to get out of your parking spot, it is best to turn it on when you are stoped but enorter to have it fully out of 4x4 you need to back up 10' or so. yes it is ok for your tires to slip when you are going up a hill in 4x4. i would only say to hae your 4x4 on when you are on snow or mud or some type of dirt but not dry or wet streets. i hope this answered all your Q.

 

Also, for what you asked, ONLY use 4Hi. 4Lo is your Low range gear. For that you need to be completely stopped and in neutral or have the clutch engaged if it's a manual transmission to get it in there. The fastest you can really go in 4Low is 15 or so. I only use 4Low when I'm 4 wheeling.

I never take my trucks over 45 in 4Hi though.

One reminder to EVERYONE... just because you have 4wd doesn't mean you are unstopable on ice or have to go around driving like a bat outta hell in the snow. 4wd is really 2 more driving tires to get you further into trouble.

 

can u guys tell if 4Hi engages or not? i dont hear anything or feel anything. only thing is the 4Hi light that lights up in the dash.

 

you can feel it in the front tires. i almost feel the front of the truck get heavier.

 

why do you have to be under 45mph to engage 4wd high? I have done it a few times going over 50

 

Transfer case isn't built to go over 45. The stress can cause it to grenade. It's cool to see, but a pain when it grenades

One way to test the 4wd to see if it's working is in a parking lot on dry pavement, put it into 4wd, and make a tight circle. It you feel the front end hopping or hear the inner front tire breaking free, the 4wd is in working order. the cause of this is the fact that the inner tire makes a faster rotation while turning, but since the 2 front tires are now connected with the 4wd, something has to give in the longer arc.

From a stop, you can also feel the front pulling upon acceleration in 4wd.

 

I would test it in a field rather then dry pavement.

 

one circle on dry pavement won't hurt it.... unless you're name is Matt, you have a retrofitted RCD and you like to break CV's!!!

 

1 more driving tire...

(assuming an open front diff)

 

i was backing out of a parking spot and the wheel got jerked to full lock thank you very much

oh yea, guess who got MORE snow last night, and guess who STILL has SNOW ON THE GROUND!! oh yea, read it and weep, im goin driving and i'll slide allllll over the place.

my truck drives differently, starting off and when i hit the gas, the tires dont spin or anything unless i try pretty hard

i top out at about 30 i think

 

I was trying to keep it simple and summerized... LOL


I haven't tried to top out 4Lo in the Ranger, the Bronco though is 15-20mph.

 

yea i hear ya.

but my line only builds on your point - power to just one more wheel doesnt make you invincible.

 

Ford recommends not going over 45 in high and 20 in low so that is what I go by.

And to tell if you are disengaged. Go out and get in your truck. Put it in 4 high and try and turn then take it out and turn. Then you will be able to tell everytime.

I usually just jerk mine left and right like to rock the truck and can tell right away if for some reason I feel it might not have disengaged.


Oh and somebody mentioned going in reverse, that is old school, you shouldn't have to do that with your truck, but if it doesn't disengage that is a good trick to try and see if it helps

 

I hear that! I drive about 5mph under the speed limit in the snow, and while it's always unpredictable when you hit ice or slush, I know my truck to the point I know where every corner is at all times and where I want it to be when I need it there.


Thats what I got by as well.


Old school. Gotta love em. Lucky for me I have Warn hubs on the ol Bronc and no longer need to do that. Just throw her into neutral, pull it outta 4wd, and away I go. I always leave the hubs locked in as well. Started last winter, then got the Ranger and haven't pulled the hubs outta the Bronc. I see maybe a 2mpg gain with them out, nothing big to me.

 

You can usually feel the truck grip the road better when you switch it into 4x4 hi. I was using mine in the snow today and once I turned it off I started to slip and slide, so I guess thats how I know that mine is working.

 

just go drive.. thats all i can say

drive in 2wd, then drive in 4wd, get on the gas pretty hard you will def. be able to tell a difference then just by the way the truck pulls...

 

Last night I had to use 4wd for the first time in my ranger since I've had it. It worked great in the driveway so I just left it in to drive on the snow covered roads. I was the only tracks on the road, and it was a road I didn't know very good. Anyhow, I was going up a hill and didn't spin once, I was like huh, works pretty good. Then, I started going up another hill, slightly steeper, and I started spinning. I've driven in snow a lot living in PA, and when your spinning up hill, in 4wd, its not good. I made it up eventually but thought, wow, my 4wd must really suck to spin on that hill. Then I got to a stop sign and pulled out real slow but still spun like crazy (as I watch a tarus drive past) And I'm like, hey, I have studded 33 12.5 ats and he has a tarus, why am I spining, I'm in 4wd. So I stop, put it in 2wd and pull out again, did the same, as expected, I then put it back in 4wd, pulled out without a tires spinning. So, my 4wd **** was turned to 4wd and my 4wd light was on, but I was in 2wd... explaining why I spun up the hill. But after I turned it in the second time, it stayed in till I got home and took it out. So I don't know what to think. If I'm out in the woods, climbing a long steep snow covered hill, I don't really want it to "jump" out of 4wd. Other than that, 4wd worked good...

 

^ I think you have a vacuum hub problem. It sounds like their not engaging.

 

^^ yeah since you have a 2000 it is probably what swamper said and that probably was the first time it has been engaged.

You need to engage 4wd randomly so it gets used.

 

Well, I did put in it once when I was out mudding, didn't need it though, so I couldn't tell if it worked or not. I'd like to do a manual hub conversion but I'm not real sure how to do it or what I need, I'm sure there is a write up on here if I look.

 

sometimes, it's real handy having vacuum hubs. last year, we got a lot of snow and i was parked by the road and a plow went by, another truck (an older toyota was also parked along the roadway. we both climbed in and i found that i needed the 4x4 to get through the excess snow by the truck. the toyota guy did also. except, he had to climb out to lock his hubs, slipped, fell on his *** into the slushy roadway, while i just smiled and clicked 'er over to 4H. life is good.

 

Hey, you could always keep you manual hubs locked in from December-April.