Does 4x4 mode tear up the ground more?

[AKC]

Even though I got my truck this past summer, I'm still slowly learning what it can do. This week I've been experimenting with 4WD. Just 4 high. There's a place where I regularly drive over grassy ground. I drove over it in 4H a couple of days ago and left a muddy track. Usually when I drive over it, even when it's wet, I just press the grass down and then it pops back up. But this time I just left mud tracks. I'm wondering if that was a coincidence somehow, or if 4WD just naturally tears up the ground here.

What have everyone's experiences been here?

[W5CRE]

Yes, it's been my experience running in 4WD does tend to tear up the ground.

[Oaklevel]

Four Wheel drive depending on tires can and does tear up ground. If you need it, use it........ if you visit me you may need it............ nothing flat here...


but if your tires spin in 2 wheel drive you will tear up ground too.

[AlaskaErik]

Put it in Auto 4WD and the front wheels won't engage unless slippage is detected at the rear wheels. Putting it in 4HI locks the front and rear axles together, which can tear up a grassy area, especially during a turn.

[Thomas ho]

in 4x4 and dry ground/ asphalt etc. you will experience a jerking feel in truck. normal when in 4x4 mode ,just pop it out of 4x4 ,finish turn in 2x if you can and pop it back in 4x4. the jerking wont hurt anything. it just feels like the wheels are dragging and they are in a- way.

[ppine]

Applying power to drive wheels and having them spin is what tears up the country. It does not really matter which axle they are on. Your skill at driving has a lot to do with it. Many trucks have positraction in the rear, but most seem to have only one drive wheel on the front axle. All of the Jeep people can join in and talk about lockers.

[BarabooBob]

My F150 has a limited slip rear end which is helpful when driving in 2 wheel drive on gravel and grass. I do not have a 4auto setting. It is 2, 4H or 4 L. When I am in either 4 wheel drive and turn sharply, I will tear the heck out of my lawn. The front tires want to turn at the same rate and one of them is going to slip.

[ARhappycamper]

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

Put it in Auto 4WD and the front wheels won't engage unless slippage is detected at the rear wheels. Putting it in 4HI locks the front and rear axles together, which can tear up a grassy area, especially during a turn.

Not all trucks have 4A.

[ARhappycamper]

Originally Posted by BarabooBob

My F150 has a limited slip rear end which is helpful when driving in 2 wheel drive on gravel and grass. I do not have a 4auto setting. It is 2, 4H or 4 L. When I am in either 4 wheel drive and turn sharply, I will tear the heck out of my lawn. The front tires want to turn at the same rate and one of them is going to slip.

Are you sure it is a limited slip ? Must be an older model. Did you install the LS ? Newer F150's might have a locking diff as an option like mine does.

[mnoland30]

That jerking when turning on hard packed roads or pavement is called wheel hop or crabbing. When turning, the outside tire is traveling a longer distance than the inside tire and both are different from the distance the rear tires are going. Someting has to give. Usually just the rubber on your tires, but sometimes your drivetrain.

On loose soiil or gravel going up a steep hill, you rear tires will spin in 2WD, which is hard on the tires and the road. In 4WD, you get much less slip. If you needed 4WD on the grass, then you probably would have torn it up in 2WD also.

[wildmanabe]

What i have been told many times. Driving w/ 4x4 on an not in snow,ice ect can actually do damage to transfer case.

[AKC]

Originally Posted by BarabooBob

My F150 has a limited slip rear end which is helpful when driving in 2 wheel drive on gravel and grass. I do not have a 4auto setting. It is 2, 4H or 4 L. When I am in either 4 wheel drive and turn sharply, I will tear the heck out of my lawn. The front tires want to turn at the same rate and one of them is going to slip.

Yes, mine is a 250 and I also don't have 4-auto. That's interesting that you and someone else mentioned about turning -- it WAS on a turn that I really tore up the ground.

I'm glad I'm able to experiment now, in small doses, before I'm in a situation where I have to tow my trailer across such ground.

[AKC]

Originally Posted by mnoland30

That jerking when turning on hard packed roads or pavement is called wheel hop or crabbing. When turning, the outside tire is traveling a longer distance than the inside tire and both are different from the distance the rear tires are going. Someting has to give. Usually just the rubber on your tires, but sometimes your drivetrain.

Wow, this is a super explanation of why I don't want to use 4WD on hard surfaces. I had read that I shouldn't, but the explanations tended to be very generic ("tire wear") or just that it wasn't necessary. I really like understanding WHY. This is great. This is why I love this forum.

[awellis3]

Originally Posted by wildmanabe

What i have been told many times. Driving w/ 4x4 on an not in snow,ice ect can actually do damage to transfer case.

Not so much these days. Back in the day, all that 4WD/transfer case drivetrain was linked by solid gearing. Nowadays, you're more likely to find fluid couplings that compensate for all the minor variances that occur while in 4WD Hi. Low range is another story and old-school rules still apply.

[Palinduff]

Originally Posted by ARhappycamper

Are you sure it is a limited slip ? Must be an older model. Did you install the LS ? Newer F150's might have a locking diff as an option like mine does.

You probably have limited slip also. Most Fords do. Mine has both limited slip and the electronic locking, and it’s a 2017.

[jsalbre]

Originally Posted by awellis3

Not so much these days. Back in the day, all that 4WD/transfer case drivetrain was linked by solid gearing. Nowadays, you're more likely to find fluid couplings that compensate for all the minor variances that occur while in 4WD Hi. Low range is another story and old-school rules still apply.

If it’s a straight “4 wheel drive” then it’s all solid mechanical linkages and should definitely not be used on dry pavement. The only systems that are safe for use on dry pavement are ones labeled “full time”, “auto”, or “all wheel drive”.

[aircommuter]

Originally Posted by awellis3

Not so much these days. Back in the day, all that 4WD/transfer case drivetrain was linked by solid gearing. Nowadays, you're more likely to find fluid couplings that compensate for all the minor variances that occur while in 4WD Hi. Low range is another story and old-school rules still apply.

What vehicle has a fluid coupling between front a rear wheels? A fluid coupling requires a big difference in rpm to to work.
Full time four wheel drive, sometimes referred to as all wheel drive have a differential in the transfer case, and to keep them from just being one wheel drive they use the wheel sensors and the computer to detect a wheel spinning faster than another, then the computer applies the brake to that wheel to force the other one to drive. Back in the 60s we use to put individual rear brake levers on off-road vehicles so we could do that. I believe the first to have it fully automated was Mercedes ML in 1998.
Limited slip differential has been an option on cars and trucks for over 50 years. If one buys off the dealer inventory then it is just a matter of what they ordered. There isn’t any most brands that do have it.

[Lincman983]

4WD will definitely make some ruts, especially in loose, muddy terrain. I do the same even in 2WD when I have E-Locker engaged.

[Jim34RL]

Originally Posted by awellis3

Not so much these days. Back in the day, all that 4WD/transfer case drivetrain was linked by solid gearing. Nowadays, you're more likely to find fluid couplings that compensate for all the minor variances that occur while in 4WD Hi. Low range is another story and old-school rules still apply.

I would read your owner manual to find out what type of 4X4 system the vehicle has. General statements can get you into trouble sometimes.

Such as with real trucks that rattle you will destroy the 4X4 HI or Low if driven on concrete/asphalt roadways. With my truck and my sons three other diesel truck which we all have the same electronic transfer cases with sold axles. These are all Dodges/Ram trucks.

Now my older 1979, Jeep Grand Cherokee with full time 4WD did have a fluid coupling to allow slippage on solid payment.

Cars and light duty pick-up trucks that are trying to achieve the corporate fuel mileage rating and what the feds have mandate for fuel economy will use what I call part time 4X4. Advertised as full time 4X4 or all-wheel drive. This only engages when the electronic controllers sense wheel slippage and then softly engage the 4X4 system. My pervious Chevy Blazer, Ford Explore and my wife's Escape all had this feature.

[Lincman983]

Originally Posted by awellis3

Not so much these days. Back in the day, all that 4WD/transfer case drivetrain was linked by solid gearing. Nowadays, you're more likely to find fluid couplings that compensate for all the minor variances that occur while in 4WD Hi. Low range is another story and old-school rules still apply.

This is true and most modern 4WD drive systems have electric clutches that allow some slippage. Not the case in a '77 F-250 HiBoy those DANA 60 will tear up some ground and will hop around like a old fashioned sack race