Push button 4WD for the Wrangler

[Deleted member 74991]

I got into this debate with someone who was going on and on about push button 4WD functionality appearing in more true off-road capable SUVs, and I thought I'd check with all of you on your thoughts....

I LOVE that I have a lever I can pull back into 4HI or 4LO.

Others I've talked to claim I'm just old, living in the past, and should adopt the new way of the 4WD world.

Would Jeep ever change from a lever to a button in a Wrangler? I really hope they don't.

Thoughts?

Have a manual JLUR and Push Button in the Silverado. I don’t mind the push button in the Silverado but in a Wrangler it would be always wrong to me.

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[Headbarcode]

Plainly put, the bronco was specifically designed to cater to those who see a perceived ease of use for a button over a lever. Jeep would only be shitting the bed by copying such a thing. Same goes for a number of other watered down features.

The Wrangler was designed with offroad capability as it's #1 priority, with on road comfort as a close enough 2nd without taking away from the 1st. The Bronco reversed those first two priorities. Smart move, as something was needed to fill the gap between Jeep and everything else. Whether that was Fords intention or just the way that cookie crumbled, is for another thread.

Getting back to the topic of lever vs button, I've found the extended t-case lever from B&M Racing to provide a great middle ground. It raises the shift knob to a far more ergonomic position, while not impeding use of other functions or being in the way during fair weather daily driving. It also adds leverage for shuttling through the drive modes. A worn in and smooth shifting t-case doesn't need the strength of leverage to simply move the lever, so that leverage advantage turns into a more definitive and controlled movement.

Hands down, it's one of my favorite of many modifications made to my Jeep, as it's one of the connection points between me and it.

 

[benny_rt2]

My only complaint about the transfer case lever is that it is so perfectly positioned that I sometimes find myself grabbing that instead of the shift lever.

Anyone else sometimes wish that the automatic had a steering column mounted shift lever?

column shifter would be a departure from wrangler tradition, but I like the idea. Some early jeeps (talking about 1945s) came with column shifters. Check the old army movies or M.A.S.H. series. I'm not against the idea, would be cool to have manual shift on the column too. Some older cars had push button shift too. We're just reverting back to the original designs.

regarding levers vs buttons. I do miss the crank lever windows. Sports keeping the scene alive.

*regarding tcase shifter. I like the shift handle. But I did have an 90s s10 blazer with push button tcase 4hi-lo, was pretty nice, but I prefer lever.

 

[Shibadog]

I like that the T case shifter is “ direct action”- you move it and youre in the selected range. Years ago had a 4x4 Suburban. It used a “silicon clutch” thing where you moved a lever, a heater came on, the fluid then “locked in 4wd. Problem was, esp in cold weather, it took a while to engage. Out deer hunting on a very cold day in Iowa. Going through some nasty stuff and realized I needed 4 WD “right now.“. Didn’t happen -I was stuck befor it ever started pulling with all 4. Had been in far worse places in traditional 4 WD rigs and never had a problem, but the new Subbie let me down.

 

[Heimkehr]

Years ago had a 4x4 Suburban. It used a “silicon clutch” thing where you moved a lever, a heater came on, the fluid then “locked in 4wd. Problem was, esp in cold weather, it took a while to engage.

Out deer hunting on a very cold day in Iowa. Going through some nasty stuff and realized I needed 4 WD “right now.“. Didn’t happen -I was stuck befor it ever started pulling with all 4.

Ah, yes. The old thermal actuator. The one on my K1500 was particularly sensitive to cold, with some winter days rendering it functionally non-functional. It was eventually removed and replaced with an analog, cable-operated replacement. This made engaging 4WD a two-step process, but also one that always worked.

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