New Gladiator Owner, Question Regarding 4H and 4Lo

[CerOf]

once the limited slip kicks in, if in 2wd, traction control can kick in and apply the brakes, cut power, further limiting your ability to go up a slippery hill.

If it’s a wet/grassy/slippery hill, muddy hill, sandy and/or rock hill; likely should use 4wd and possibly 4-lo.

I’ve seen several failed attempts on a slippery hill when it was in 2wd and traction control kicked in, cut power, and applied the brakes.

I recommend you find a local off-roadclub and join them on a run.

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[Trippin01]

Command-Trac is the standard 4wd system on Gladiators (and Wranglers). Do you have Selec-Trac (identifiable by a “4Auto” position on the transfer case shifter)?

nope, it definitely was not standard when I ordered mine.

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

Command trac is the sales name for standard part time 4wd.

 

[Trippin01]

Also not standard on my Max Tow was the LSD rear axel. Huge bummer. Mine was a late May 2019 build.

 

[Munkey Boy]

Adding to this, can someone tell me more about the LSD and when it 'kicks in'?
Does it only work in 4H or 4L? Do I have to have traction control off or on? Does it detect the spin nearly instantly, or do I need to let a tire spin for 2-3 seconds for it to "kick in"?

I can't find a spot in the manual that talks about the details. Only one tiny paragraph.

The context I am asking is just backing up a wet grass hill earlier this week in 2H I kept sliding with my back driver tire. I was expecting the LSD to "kick in" and let me keep going up but it never seemed to - I went into 4HI to keep going up.

But would I have needed to just turn Traction Control off to use the LSD?

I think Timothy Leary would have answered this entire statement differently.

Tune in, turn on, and drop it into 4H?

 

[DocMike]

This is sound, but it's all preference. Personally I would never drive front wheel drive anything in the snow. I hate how they behave. It's why I have had AWD or RWD in every vehicle i own. But again, not crapping on anyones preference.

I like my Jeep in 2WD with the traction control. When it gets deep, I go 4HI. Never needed 4Lo in snow on Colorado roads.

Best car I ever had in snow was my 1995 URS6 Audi. Mechanical AWD like God and Audi intended. Go watch Group B and you get it. It would get high centered fast, but would rip over mixed snow and ice or whatever. My VW Bugs were fun in the snow too. RWD and engine over the rear axle. Most interesting was the 53 Buick on bias ply white walls. Total lead sled. But when the rear would step, it was well balanced and easy to correct.

Practice is key. Every huge storm we get, I take my kid to the school and we run through 2wd no traction control, 2wd traction control, and 4hi.
We start, we stop, we drift a bit. He can feel the ABS and he can feel how the Jeep behaves. We even slam on the brakes and turn the wheel, then lift so he can feel when traction regains.

for mixed snow and pavement, personally I would recommend 2hi with traction control. 4 wheel drive in a JT has no computer monitoring traction control at every wheel like an All Wheel Drive. It is purely mechanical. Its a different monster in the snow. Go to a nice big parking lot and practice. Unless the snow is deep, I prefer my front wheel drive commuter car when there is just light or broken snow floor.

 

[DocMike]

It is almost bicycle day.

I think Timothy Leary would have answered this entire statement differently.

Tune in, turn on, and drop it into 4H?

 

[DailyMoparGuy]

This is sound, but it's all preference. Personally I would never drive front wheel drive anything in the snow. I hate how they behave. It's why I have had AWD or RWD in every vehicle i own. But again, not crapping on anyones preference.

I like my Jeep in 2WD with the traction control. When it gets deep, I go 4HI. Never needed 4Lo in snow on Colorado roads.

Best car I ever had in snow was my 1995 URS6 Audi. Mechanical AWD like God and Audi intended. Go watch Group B and you get it. It would get high centered fast, but would rip over mixed snow and ice or whatever. My VW Bugs were fun in the snow too. RWD and engine over the rear axle. Most interesting was the 53 Buick on bias ply white walls. Total lead sled. But when the rear would step, it was well balanced and easy to correct.

Practice is key. Every huge storm we get, I take my kid to the school and we run through 2wd no traction control, 2wd traction control, and 4hi.
We start, we stop, we drift a bit. He can feel the ABS and he can feel how the Jeep behaves. We even slam on the brakes and turn the wheel, then lift so he can feel when traction regains.

Tough to beat an Audi Torsen system in snow. It EATS in snow storms. I know that from experience in West Virginia mountain blizzards

 

[DocMike]

You are correct. My lowered 95.5 URS6 on bald tires did more than any Subaru I ever owned.

Tough to beat an Audi Torsen system in snow. It EATS in snow storms. I know that from experience in West Virginia mountain blizzards

 

[jsalbre]

nope, it definitely was not standard when I ordered mine.

Command-Trac has always been standard on the Gladiator, unless you got a Rubicon, which has Rock-Trac standard. In 2020 you could get Selec-Trac as an option on the Sahara, and in ‘21 it’s an option on everything.

If you have a 2020 Sport it has Command-Trac.

 

[Trippin01]

Command-Trac has always been standard on the Gladiator, unless you got a Rubicon, which has Rock-Trac standard. In 2020 you could get Selec-Trac as an option on the Sahara, and in ‘21 it’s an option on everything.

If you have a 2020 Sport it has Command-Trac.

my 2020 Max tow does not have command trac. I verified on the sticker, build sheet and transfer case stick knob. No LSD either. I have a 5" screen to, I don't have the disco-dash either. Its very basic. I can take a pic if you like.

 

[jsalbre]

my 2020 Max tow does not have command trac. I verified on the sticker, build sheet and transfer case stick knob. No LSD either. I have a 5" screen to, I don't have the disco-dash either. Its very basic. I can take a pic if you like.

Command-Trac is the basic, standard, no frills, part time transfer case. The only way you don’t have one is if you ripped it out.

Selec-Trac is the optional (depending on trim and model year) “4 Auto” transfer case. That’s the one you don’t have.

Theres also Rock-Trac, which is the heavier duty part time transfer case in the Rubicon that has a 4:1 low range. There’s also a “4 Auto“ transfer case with 4:1 available on ’21 Rubicons that is also marketed as ”Rock-Trac”, but it’s the exact same t-case as Selec-Trac (MP3022), just with a 4:1 low range. You don’t have these t-cases either.

 

[REDBEAST]

Thank you! I knew it was mechanically done but still incorrectly thought it had to somehow be 'turned on' like a full locker.

So in my case a few days ago, I am guessing I did not let it 'spin' long enough to fully engage. Maybe a wrong habit of once I feel spinning I instantly let off the gas. I was expecting the LSD to take affect basically instantly.

What you said reads to me that instead I should have held it just a second or two longer to let the brake locking and springs in the diff actually take affect.

OR! the passenger tire also spun on me once the LSD kicked in and I didn't not notice, which makes the LSD useless and why I needed 4HI. That is possible.
I have 2020 Launch Edition Rubicon and have verified it does NOT have a limited slip rear differential (LSD). The traction, without using the locker, is entirely through the brake system. When it senses lost traction in wheel the brakes momentarily engage that wheel thus transferring the energy to the wheel with traction and off you go. Hope this helps.

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