4wd nervous, jittery and jumpy, especially on turns

[entropy]

How fast are you driving? 4WD is generally used on a jeep for slow driving off-road conditions. Also, I know you can switch to 4WD on the go, but it is better to do so at low speeds and if you can switch transmission to neutral before switching to 4WD, helps to smooth the switch. This is not that crucial for 4HI, but for 4LO it definitely helps a lot to do the switch on neutral and while the car is moving really slowly. 4LO is designed for VERY low speeds.

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[jdubya421]

Your axles have differentials which allow the two wheels on the same axle to spin at different speeds. When you engage 4WD you are locking your front and rear wheels together to spin at the same speed. There is not a differential in your transfer case which means that the front and rear wheels are always going to spin at the same speed. Lock your diffs and try to turn, your vehicle is going to hop and jump because both wheels in the back are locked to the same speed. When your diff is open the outside wheel can spin faster. Your Jeep is jumping in 4WD because the transfer case doesn't have a diff and the front and rear wheels are trying to be at the same speed all the time. This is why everyone keeps saying you should be on a loose driving surface, because it lessens the impact and allows some slipping.

 

[baz]

After reading everyone's comments and filming today I have the feeling that everything is normal and due to my noobness, but here is the video as promised:

 

[mwilk012]

Yea dude you need to stop doing that, you're gonna break something. Go find some loose sand, like a beach or some dunes.

 

[FitBliss]

K just jumping on here, 4-lo no go on pavement, This jeep is beast you will not need your lockers or sway bar unless you are off roading like this beast was made to do! Go find some sand and or mud etc. and then go straight while in 4-lo, will blow your mind!! When the front lockers are on I try to have no turning required or if I have to, I switch to just the rear locker. I recently when to an off-road park, and it was the first time I actually needed the lockers 4 lo etc, it's absolutely magic my friend!! Go find some off road fun!! and let us know how sweet that stuff works on the trails!!

 

[baz]

K just jumping on here, 4-lo no go on pavement, This jeep is beast you will not need your lockers or sway bar unless you are off roading like this beast was made to do! Go find some sand and or mud etc. and then go straight while in 4-lo, will blow your mind!! When the front lockers are on I try to have no turning required or if I have to, I switch to just the rear locker. I recently when to an off-road park, and it was the first time I actually needed the lockers 4 lo etc, it's absolutely magic my friend!! Go find some off road fun!! and let us know how sweet that stuff works on the trails!!

Hehe love the photo. But for the love of all things sacred, I DO NOT 4WD ON PAVEMENT! I was doing science! I needed to separate terrain jumpiness from the 4WD jumpiness. I've been proper wheeling.

But this 4L talk doesn't seem right. It's primarily for control, not just being stuck. Yes being stuck is a valid use-case, but using it for tricky, technical, lines is as well. Maybe it's more of a thing with a manual car since there are less gears and it's trickier clutching mid line, but without 4L the minimum speed you need to maintain is often too high. Thank you.

 

[mwilk012]

4 wheel drive is literally just about traction. When a rear wheel is off the ground, it has no traction. When in loose sand, you need more traction.

 

[Wabujitsu]

After reading everyone's comments and filming today I have the feeling that everything is normal and due to my noobness, but here is the video as promised:

I’m glad you worked it out! But I am doubting your Canadian-ness too. Did you at least name your rig Zed? Could you not have said in the video that you were on your way to get a pop and a box of Timbuts? Or exclaimed while your Jeep was crow-hopping, “Shit’s hot up in the six now!”? Or at least muttered a curse in French?

 

[Roky]

After reading everyone's comments and filming today I have the feeling that everything is normal and due to my noobness, but here is the video as promised:

Just checked out your video, that’s perfectly normal dude, you’re good, just don’t do that ever again......

 

[Wabujitsu]

By the way Baz, during tourist season Sarasota seems to be 50% Canadian. Heck, there are so many Québécois here that by the time tourist season is over I am craving snails, I am “péter le feu,” and I have to resist yelling “Je me souvienes!” while driving down the road!

 

[Ma$$iveDebtAche]

 

[swozey]

I had this same reaction when I went offroad for the first time, also first 4wd/Jeep. I thought everything was broken. Turns out it just drives like that in 4wd.

 

[word302]

After reading everyone's comments and filming today I have the feeling that everything is normal and due to my noobness, but here is the video as promised:

You are gonna break stuff.

 

[baz]

I’m glad you worked it out! But I am doubting your Canadian-ness too. Did you at least name your rig Zed? Could you not have said in the video that you were on your way to get a pop and a box of Timbuts? Or exclaimed while your Jeep was crow-hopping, “Shit’s hot up in the six now!”? Or at least muttered a curse in French?

haha

Did you at least name your rig Zed?

Even better my friend, even better:

 

[GreyFox]

Is that horse sleeping?

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