4H Usage Restrictions

[furrymurray]

I have used 4H in heavy rain as well. The road are horrible and fill with water so I use 4H to help keep from hydroplaning. I do not use 4 wheel drive if the road are just wet from a sprinkle. The roads in Louisiana are ruined from heavy trucks making tracks which is where the water collects during a heavy rain. I have used 4H only in those cases in every 4 wheel drive I have owned and it helps greatly. I never had any issues with my transfer cases or any other part of 4 wheel drive from doing so. We don't get much snow down here but I would think 4H would be useful the same way. Just like everyone else has said, never use 4 wheel drive when traction is not a problem.

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[ShadowsPapa]

As a side note, get great tires, and you won't need 4H as much. We got about 2" of snow/sleet a couple of weeks ago. It was pretty slippery. When in 4H, I could not get my Cooper STT tires to break loose when hitting the gas hard at 20 mph. I could get the tires to break loose under the same conditions in 2H. But I never lost traction when driving normally in 2H.

That's exactly along why I mentioned "the right tires for your area/driving conditions" = or words to that effect.
We get a lot of freezing rain, freezing drizzle, then snow on top of that, or at times, massive ice storms that leave a half inch of ice on things - and ice chunks blow off the car ahead of you and bust a windshield, take out power lines so bad neighboring state electric company crews come in to help clean up and it still takes 2 weeks.......
Get the tires rated for what you drive in and you'll be better off with any vehicle, 4 wheel drive, all wheel drive, 2 wheel drive, whatever.

Next week I hope the weather breaks enough for me to go over and pick up some Rubicon take-offs I bought for my truck - they'll be better than the stock Overland tires in the mess we get in winter. Not a perfect "this will solve everything", but they'll be a better match, and next trip out to the store, I pick up 3 or 4 sand bags for the back. That with the TRACTION CONTROL these babies have, I should be doing 0k (as long as I can control my ADHD FASTER IS ALWAYS BETTER issues)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I have used 4H in heavy rain as well. The road are horrible and fill with water so I use 4H to help keep from hydroplaning. I do not use 4 wheel drive if the road are just wet from a sprinkle. The roads in Louisiana are ruined from heavy trucks making tracks which is where the water collects during a heavy rain. I have used 4H only in those cases in every 4 wheel drive I have owned and it helps greatly. I never had any issues with my transfer cases or any other part of 4 wheel drive from doing so. We don't get much snow down here but I would think 4H would be useful the same way. Just like everyone else has said, never use 4 wheel drive when traction is not a problem.

That's exactly what I was referring to - the blacktop eventually settles in the wheel tracks and water - not just wet, but water puddles, sometimes I'd bet it was a good half inch deep or more - 4H is ok there as you are hydroplaning anyway and that means you don't have to worry about things not slipping - you worry about things slipping.
That's been my experience with every 4 wheel drive I've had, and those I drove for the shops I worked in, Scouts, Broncos, whatever they were.

 

[SD Gladiator]

Well said. If you only use 4wd when you need it you will prolong the life of the system. Experience will teach you when you need it. If you feel you are losing traction that is the time to use it. Eventually you will know by looking at the trail when you will need 4wd. It is important to occasionally find somewhere to put your vehicle into 4wd to keep the system lubed.

 

[Artsifrtsi]

Thanks everyone, this is great information on 4H usage and precautions.

Regarding traction control- My current mid-size truck is a "2WD" Colorado with no limited slip differential. I often end up spinning the right rear wheel mildly when accelerating from a stop, making a right turn on an incline. That's part of my daily commute and parking in a multi level garage. My truck has traction control but I don't get the sense that the left rear is pushing, I think the system is only applying the right rear brake. I have no evidence of this, only a "seat of the pants" analysis.
If this happens in the Gladiator, will the same scenario play out or will power be sent to the left rear wheel? Assume there's no limited slip differential in the rear, in 2H and the model is the Overland.

I traded in my 2017 Canyon for my JTO, and I can tell you the difference is night and day! The Canyon when it rained was like trying to drive on black ice, too much throttle, and the rear would want to pass the front, either straight or especially turning. The Jeep on the other hand always feels glued down... only time I spin tires in the wet is when I’m on the paint.

The ride is much better in the Jeep as well.

 

[BAT]

That's exactly along why I mentioned "the right tires for your area/driving conditions" = or words to that effect.
We get a lot of freezing rain, freezing drizzle, then snow on top of that, or at times, massive ice storms that leave a half inch of ice on things - and ice chunks blow off the car ahead of you and bust a windshield, take out power lines so bad neighboring state electric company crews come in to help clean up and it still takes 2 weeks.......
Get the tires rated for what you drive in and you'll be better off with any vehicle, 4 wheel drive, all wheel drive, 2 wheel drive, whatever.

Next week I hope the weather breaks enough for me to go over and pick up some Rubicon take-offs I bought for my truck - they'll be better than the stock Overland tires in the mess we get in winter. Not a perfect "this will solve everything", but they'll be a better match, and next trip out to the store, I pick up 3 or 4 sand bags for the back. That with the TRACTION CONTROL these babies have, I should be doing 0k (as long as I can control my ADHD FASTER IS ALWAYS BETTER issues)

I just put a set of Rubicon take offs on my JT. They are the Wildpeak tires. They seem to be pretty good to me and quite a difference from the stock tires.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I just put a set of Rubicon take offs on my JT. They are the Wildpeak tires. They seem to be pretty good to me and quite a difference from the stock tires.

I noticed a difference on my Overland when I put Rubicon JT A/Ts on right as a snow/ice storm hit. Felt a lot better in the snow and on slick surfaces. Back to the stock tires for summer, but come winter, will put the other tires back on.
Frankly, I think the ATs were better just on rainy roads, too.

 

[Sazabi19]

I've shifted into 4H and 4L on the streets several times to get used to it help break it in a little bit. I suggest doing that as well on straightaways. Getting into 4L is tricky, even now. I've yet to use it at all but want to make sure I can when/if I ever need. I did use 4H while wheeling last week, 20 degree inclines don't look impressive in pictures but feel really steep when you're going up them. Maybe I could have done it in 2H but didn't want to keep transferring all day between the small puddles mud, sand/dirt and loose gravel. It was all off road so I figured it would be ok to stay in 4H.

 

[BAT]

I've been going to the local school parking lot while they are closed up and shifting into 4H a few times here and there on the straight way hoping to loosen it up and don't want to screw anything up either since I am not that familiar to 4x4 and breaking in slowly. Haven't shifted into 4L yet but may try it a few times in the lot where I can just kind of barely move forward and shift into it. I am assuming that won't hurt anything

 

[Rubicon6MT]

It is important to occasionally find somewhere to put your vehicle into 4wd to keep the system lubed.

Old post, but did not know this. How often should 4WD be engaged to keep the system properly lubricated?

 

[Stuntman Mike]

In my opinion "keep the system lubricated" is the wrong term.

It should be shifted from 2H down to 4L once in a while to prevent sticking.

I think 2-3 times per year should be ok.

I bought a TJ 2 years ago which hasn't been put in 2L for several years, nevertheless it was no problem to shift into 2L.

 

[NC_Overland]

Thanks everyone, this is great information on 4H usage and precautions.

Regarding traction control- My current mid-size truck is a "2WD" Colorado with no limited slip differential. I often end up spinning the right rear wheel mildly when accelerating from a stop, making a right turn on an incline. That's part of my daily commute and parking in a multi level garage. My truck has traction control but I don't get the sense that the left rear is pushing, I think the system is only applying the right rear brake. I have no evidence of this, only a "seat of the pants" analysis.
If this happens in the Gladiator, will the same scenario play out or will power be sent to the left rear wheel? Assume there's no limited slip differential in the rear, in 2H and the model is the Overland.

Granted my Canyon had a limited slip rear end, but you’ll find that the Gladiator’s weight distribution is way better a you’ll need 4wd less. I used auto 4wd a lot in my Canyon and don’t really need it in my gladiator because the weight distribution is so much better.

 

[NC_Overland]

I traded in my 2017 Canyon for my JTO, and I can tell you the difference is night and day! The Canyon when it rained was like trying to drive on black ice, too much throttle, and the rear would want to pass the front, either straight or especially turning. The Jeep on the other hand always feels glued down... only time I spin tires in the wet is when I’m on the paint.

The ride is much better in the Jeep as well.

I had a 2017 Cayon before also. I do miss that acceleration and handling though. It was night and day better. I wouldn’t have liked that truck if it didn’t have the auto 4wd option. Huge difference in weight distribution.

 

[Stuntman Mike]

My JT has a limited slip, but on wet curvy steep roads I always have to put in 4Hauto to prevent spinning wheels.

Maybe that's due to the diesel engine.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

In my opinion "keep the system lubricated" is the wrong term.

It should be shifted from 2H down to 4L once in a while to prevent sticking.

I think 2-3 times per year should be ok.

I bought a TJ 2 years ago which hasn't been put in 2L for several years, nevertheless it was no problem to shift into 2L.

Go back to older owners manuals, it says to keep the carrier gears lubricated occasionally shift into 4 for a while. It's in older owners manuals.

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