Popping out of 4 low

[irishtim7]

Off topic question that I hope ya'll can answer real quick. Im new to Jeep/4x4

I havent hit any trails yet but plan to. If I want to practice shifting from 2h > 4h > 4l...where is best to do this? Ive seem some light bird trails around where I live that I could safely drive through in a corolla. But the trails are dirt and lime rock type. Would that surface be good for practicing between the gears or am I going to break something?

An empty parking lot is fine. You don't need to be on dirt to go into 4WD.

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[noloc45]

An empty parking lot is fine. You don't need to be on dirt to go into 4WD.

I thought ive read numerous times that running 4L on pavement is bad for the gears/transfer case?

 

[KDB]

I thought ive read numerous times that running 4L on pavement is bad for the gears/transfer case?

You can as long as you don't turn, turning the wheels when in 4 wheel (hi or lo) will cause the wheels to bind up as they will want to keep turning at the same speed. Keep the wheel straight and it wont bind up on you so a paved parking lot will work for that. If possible try and find a gravel/dirt road to play on

 

[HealthRebel]

You can as long as you don't turn, turning the wheels when in 4 wheel (hi or lo) will cause the wheels to bind up as they will want to keep turning at the same speed. Keep the wheel straight and it wont bind up on you so a paved parking lot will work for that. If possible try and find a gravel/dirt road to play on

I totally agree. With my previous 2 Jeeps, I practiced shifting in the parking lot. Just drive straight and don't turn the steering wheel, which will cause the wheels/tires to "hop".

 

[irishtim7]

You can as long as you don't turn, turning the wheels when in 4 wheel (hi or lo) will cause the wheels to bind up as they will want to keep turning at the same speed. Keep the wheel straight and it wont bind up on you so a paved parking lot will work for that. If possible try and find a gravel/dirt road to play on

This is only true if you have lockers on.

 

[DanW]

An empty parking lot is fine. You don't need to be on dirt to go into 4WD.

Wrong, unless you are going straight, and even then, you can still have some issues. You need a slippery or loose surface. If you do it on dry pavement, if you turn much, you can cause binding which will at a minimum lead to abnormal tire wear, but can also easily cause damage to the driveline. My wife damaged the transfer case on a 93 Blazer by running 4wd on dry pavement. Back then, it resulted in a $400 repair. Today, that same repair would be much more expensive. The owner's manual clearly states not to do this.

The reason is that the front and rear work like an axle. AWD SUV's have a center differential that allows the front to move at a different speed than the back, so there's no binding. On the Jeep's 4wd system (with the exception of the JL Sahara's Selectrac), the transfer case locks the front to the rear, so something has to slip when you turn to allow for differentiation between the front and rear axles, just like an axle needs differentiation from one side to the other.

To properly engage 4 Low, the slippery or loose surface can help line up the gears and effectively engage. Dry pavement might make this slightly more difficult, and thus increase the chances of it popping out.

Again, if you do it on dry pavement, don't move very far and certainly don't turn even slightly. You probably won't hurt anything. I won't do it with mine, though.

I did forget to put mine in 2wd in Moab and drove a few miles down a paved road. I figured it out when I felt the binding on a gentle curve. Fortunately, I was on a road that had some dust/sand on it and I didn't make any turns. It didn't appear to do any damage, but I can tell you it very well could have. I think I got lucky.

 

[DanW]

This is only true if you have lockers on.

Wrong again. The lockers make it worse, but read my previous post. The JL transfer case does NOT allow for differentiation and is locked. Think of the front and rear axles like each is a wheel on an axle and the transfer case is a differential. On the Sahara's Selectrac, in full time awd setting, the transfer case unlocks, turning it into a differential and allowing different turn rates for the front/rear drive shafts.

 

[irishtim7]

Wrong, unless you are going straight, and even then, you can still have some issues. You need a slippery or loose surface. If you do it on dry pavement, if you turn much, you can cause binding which will at a minimum lead to abnormal tire wear, but can also easily cause damage to the driveline. My wife damaged the transfer case on a 93 Blazer by running 4wd on dry pavement. Back then, it resulted in a $400 repair. Today, that same repair would be much more expensive. The owner's manual clearly states not to do this.

The reason is that the front and rear work like an axle. AWD SUV's have a center differential that allows the front to move at a different speed than the back, so there's no binding. On the Jeep's 4wd system (with the exception of the JL Sahara's Selectrac), the transfer case locks the front to the rear, so something has to slip when you turn to allow for differentiation between the front and rear axles, just like an axle needs differentiation from one side to the other.

To properly engage 4 Low, the slippery or loose surface can help line up the gears and effectively engage. Dry pavement might make this slightly more difficult, and thus increase the chances of it popping out.

Again, if you do it on dry pavement, don't move very far and certainly don't turn even slightly. You probably won't hurt anything. I won't do it with mine, though.

I did forget to put mine in 2wd in Moab and drove a few miles down a paved road. I figured it out when I felt the binding on a gentle curve. Fortunately, I was on a road that had some dust/sand on it and I didn't make any turns. It didn't appear to do any damage, but I can tell you it very well could have. I think I got lucky.

thanks for the info. I stand corrected.

 

[DanW]

thanks for the info. I stand corrected.

No problem. I learned this the hard way with that old Blazer.

 

[noloc45]

I dont want to quote everyone, but thank you for the info! I will take it to one of those dirt/lime rock roads and practice there.

Just to confirm, if on slippery surface and 4l is engage, I CAN turn the wheel? I would assume so as I can hardly imagine every trail being a straight line lol

 

[KDB]

I dont want to quote everyone, but thank you for the info! I will take it to one of those dirty/lime rock roads and practice there.

Just to confirm, if on slippery surface and 4l is engage, I CAN turn the wheel? I would assume so as I can hardly imagine every trail being a straight line lol

Yes, gravel, snow, dirt, sand...all you should be able to turn without causing issues/damage for both 4L and 4H

 

[dczarster]

Used 4 low a lot on a trail today. Once (with a pretty rough shift into 4 low) after a few minutes it popped into neutral. I’m guessing cause maybe it never fully shifted into 4 low? Anyone else had this happen?

I have a 2019 JLUR 3.6L 8 speed auto now with 9,000 miles on the clock and I've ALWAYS had it jumping out of 4L into neutral on the transfer case OR from 4H into 2H. I've been four wheel driving for ~20 years and had several vehicles with the stubby lever to shit to 4x4.

My first service at Auto Nation I asked about this and I was told the same thing, maybe I didn't shift properly into 4x4. Since then I've paid attention to shifting, put the transmission into neutral, come to a complete stop or even roll at a snails Pace as I shift. Every time there's some load on the driveline, UP or DOWN hill, she pops out. I'll be asking a lot of questions at my next service, this isn't ok for a brand new car.

Now I find myself holding the stubby lever in LOW up or down hills. I don't drive aggressively but it would be nice to have 2 hands on the steering wheel.

 

[word302]

I have a 2019 JLUR 3.6L 8 speed auto now with 9,000 miles on the clock and I've ALWAYS had it jumping out of 4L into neutral on the transfer case OR from 4H into 2H. I've been four wheel driving for ~20 years and had several vehicles with the stubby lever to shit to 4x4.

My first service at Auto Nation I asked about this and I was told the same thing, maybe I didn't shift properly into 4x4. Since then I've paid attention to shifting, put the transmission into neutral, come to a complete stop or even roll at a snails Pace as I shift. Every time there's some load on the driveline, UP or DOWN hill, she pops out. I'll be asking a lot of questions at my next service, this isn't ok for a brand new car.

Now I find myself holding the stubby lever in LOW up or down hills. I don't drive aggressively but it would be nice to have 2 hands on the steering wheel.

Sounds like your linkage needs to be adjusted.

 

[dczarster]

Sounds like your linkage needs to be adjusted.

Thanks for the tip, I'll certainly ask about this.

 

[Maverick909]

Thanks for the quick reply! I tried it when I got home just around my neighborhood and it seems to be fine and stays in

Yea, I think I just never really engaged it correctly on that last time on the trail. What’s funnny is that they say you should be rolling 1-5 mph - but on a trail (esp if you’re an incline) who has the time to
Do it!!?

Thanks for the info Dan! Hopefully nothing is wrong w it

i tend to let it roll back just a hair if im on an incline that i rather be in 4L for. works every time.

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