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Old 12-05-2017, 08:26 AM
 
11,550 posts, read 52,959,916 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SoHoVe View Post
4wd simply engages the front drive shaft.

Did someone mention engaging lockers and I missed it?
IIRC, the Ram 1500 is a "shift on the fly" 4x4 set-up ...

so when you shift into 4x4 hi-range, the transfer case and front axle components are all engaged; mechanically via the shifter for the transfer case and a vacuum solenoid on the front axle to lock that up.

there's a "4x4" light on the dash that verifies that the front axle has engaged the 4x4 mode.
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Old 12-05-2017, 08:39 AM
 
11,550 posts, read 52,959,916 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by branDcalf View Post
I've recently had to start driving 40 miles on an interstate highway several times a week. With snow and ice it would be handy to use the 4WD. Not sure about leaving it engaged for several miles. Used to on dirt and off road (when covered in snow and ice), but now I'm going about 40-45 mph. That's new for me. I drive a Ram 1500 and my winter tires are Blizzaks.

I would appreciate opinions.
Having driven the road you're driving many times on winter days with a Ram 2500 4x4 and a Ramvan 3500 Class B RV ... both do well with RWD only for those conditions.

if road conditions present that you are comfortable (and feel reasonably "in control" for direction and braking as needed) driving 40-45 mph on the "snow and ice" ... then you don't need to engage the 4x4 on your Ram 1500. In fact, you probably shouldn't be in 4x4 mode then, you'll get better steering feedback to alert you to the road surface conditions.

You and I both know that the surfaces can be highly variable in that stretch of interstate and there's places where the black ice will typically form and last longer than the rest of the road due to low sun angles/shading and prevailing winds of the area. As we get deeper into the winter months and your daily commute, you'll remember where those likely places are and anticipate looking for the conditions to be slower driving for a mile or two.

With the quality winter tires and weight you have in the bed, you're on the right track.

If anything, a bit more weight would be beneficial to balance out the truck handling. I'd consider doubling the number of tubes of sand, if not more.
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Old 12-05-2017, 09:15 AM
 
3,634 posts, read 3,754,463 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sunsprit View Post
Having driven the road you're driving many times on winter days with a Ram 2500 4x4 and a Ramvan 3500 Class B RV ... both do well with RWD only for those conditions.

...

If anything, a bit more weight would be beneficial to balance out the truck handling. I'd consider doubling the number of tubes of sand, if not more.
Always a good time out there. I haven't used the 4WD on the interstate yet. Used it once last year to buck some drifts north of that one drainage. Think I was the second to last before it closed that day.

Had some fellows recommending it. They drive company rigs.

I have four more sand tubes in the barn. I'll probably throw them in tonight.
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Old 12-05-2017, 09:15 AM
 
2,094 posts, read 1,914,680 times
Reputation: 3639
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoHoVe View Post
4wd simply engages the front drive shaft.

Did someone mention engaging lockers and I missed it?

If so, then yes you are correct and it would also a be quick
way to destroy some very pricey components.
No one mentioned engaging lockers......
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Old 12-05-2017, 10:02 AM
 
Location: Raleigh
13,639 posts, read 12,281,692 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by earthisle View Post
I have no idea why people go on forums and give false information. 4WD with the axles locked together is DANGEROUS on ice and snow. It's ONLY to be used to get unstuck. The lack of ability for the axles to spin at different speeds causes traction to be lost
You're confusing 4 High and 4 Low. The below is right from the owners manual.

Quote:
2WD Rear-Wheel Drive High Range — This range is for normal street and highway driving on dry hard surfaced roads.

4WD LOCK Four-Wheel Drive Lock High Range — This range maximizes torque to the front driveshaft, forcing the front and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed. Additional traction for loose, slippery road surfaces only.

4WD LOW Four-Wheel Drive Low Range — This range provides low speed four-wheel drive. It maximizes torque to the front driveshaft, forcing the front and rear wheels to rotate at the same speed. This range provides additional traction and maximum pulling power for loose, slippery road surfaces only. Do not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h).
Having four wheels pulling, even if one doesn't have traction, means the car will track straighter in the slick/snow.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Coldjensens View Post
With a ram on Blizzaks and weight in the bed you will almost never have any need for 4x4. Heavy snow, ice and slush. It is rare that any of these are on the freeway. However if does not hurt anything. I have diven from Allendale to Grosse Ile in 4x4 when it was needed and not had any problems. Just gets terrible MPG. Also if the pavement is dry, turning in 4x4 can be bad. You have 4 wheel auto also do you not?

If you need 4x4 you are not going to be driving very fast. 45 to 50 tops. If it is safe to drive fast, you do not need 4x4.
Blizzaks do amazing things. My Dad's done a few years in Chicago winters with a RWD sedan and swears by them.
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Old 12-05-2017, 10:12 AM
 
Location: Austin
1,062 posts, read 967,602 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SoHoVe View Post
4wd simply engages the front drive shaft.

Did someone mention engaging lockers and I missed it?

If so, then yes you are correct and it would also a be quick
way to destroy some very pricey components.
It's a transfer case without a differential built in. When you engage the front axle it's locked to the rear axle. As far as I know, no truck currently sold has a "full time" 4WD system
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Old 12-05-2017, 10:15 AM
 
Location: Austin
1,062 posts, read 967,602 times
Reputation: 1439
Quote:
Originally Posted by JONOV View Post
You're confusing 4 High and 4 Low. The below is right from the owners manual.



Having four wheels pulling, even if one doesn't have traction, means the car will track straighter in the slick/snow.



Blizzaks do amazing things. My Dad's done a few years in Chicago winters with a RWD sedan and swears by them.
Hi vs Lo range have nothing to do with this. On modern trucks, the 4WD systems are all part time as far as I know, meaning you should only use them when needed to get unstuck. The transfer case engages the front axle and there's no differential or planetary gear between front and rear axles.

I had a Cherokee that was part time 4WD through an NV231 transfer case. They also made models with the NP242 transfer case which allowed full time operation as power was split with a planetary gearset, but those kinds of systems went out of style for some reason.
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Old 12-05-2017, 10:26 AM
 
Location: NE Mississippi
25,364 posts, read 17,024,330 times
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Lots of good comments in this thread, but I have a question:

Can someone explain how the actuator in the front differential works? I know it engages the axles to the front differential, but my question is, "How does it do this?"

I have a 90 GMC 4X4 so my actuator is a thermal device. A generic answer or reference to a drawing somewhere would be nice.
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Old 12-05-2017, 11:10 AM
 
Location: MD's Eastern Shore
3,653 posts, read 4,784,182 times
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I have an 07 ram 1500 4x. I have driven from Charlottsville, VA to Ocean City, MD (about 10 hours) with the front axle engaged during a blizzard. By the time I got to MD's eastern shore there were some paved patches. It didn't matter as I was going straight and they were only short distances. After a snow storm, mainly in DE and Jersey I drove, again from Ocean City, MD but this time to Newark, NJ. Had 4x4 engaged the whole time. Never an issue.

Truck has shift on the fly but I am one of those who much prefers having it engaged so it's there when I need it instead of being one of those who slid off the road because they didn't want to use the system the truck was designed for.

A couple of times I had my 4x engaged while hunting (didn't quite need it on those dirt roads but again, better to have it when hitting soft stuff then waiting till after your stuck to engage it) and I'd forget to shift back into 2hi when getting on the highway. 30 some miles at 60 mph and I didn't notice I forgot until backing in the driveway and having that "push/pull feeling. Didn't hurt a thing, though I don't recomend that. Just bringing it up to point out that it isn't the end of the world using it.

Had an older Bronco which went many a mile in front wheel drive as it liked to eat rear u-joints with the lift and I didn't have the money to fix so no rear drive shaft.

If these trucks weren't made to have that front pumpkin engaged and able to help drive the truck they really wouldn't be worth anything.
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Old 12-05-2017, 11:13 AM
 
Location: Raleigh
13,639 posts, read 12,281,692 times
Reputation: 20058
Quote:
Originally Posted by earthisle View Post
Hi vs Lo range have nothing to do with this. On modern trucks, the 4WD systems are all part time as far as I know, meaning you should only use them when needed to get unstuck. The transfer case engages the front axle and there's no differential or planetary gear between front and rear axles.

I had a Cherokee that was part time 4WD through an NV231 transfer case. They also made models with the NP242 transfer case which allowed full time operation as power was split with a planetary gearset, but those kinds of systems went out of style for some reason.
If that were the case, why would they make it with a 4 High? I acknowledge that it isn't to be used on dry pavement, like the 4A settings you see on some trucks (4 Automatic.)

The purpose of the 4 Hi is to let you travel at speed with subpar road conditions, be it mud, snow, ice, etc...
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