4H Sitting Still?

Hello!

I could find any info on this in the owners manual. I know you engage 4H under 62mph and just turn the dial. I know you engage 4L by stopping the truck, shifting to neutral, and the selecting 4L.

My question is this: Do I have to be moving to engage 4H? Let's say we got snow overnight and I am going to back out of my garage which immediately goes into a long downward slope the is covered, can I just engage 4H while in park?

 

You don’t have to be moving to engage 4H. If I get to a dodgy spot in the road after I get out and look at it, just put it in 4H and go through it.

 

Yes you can engage 4H before heading out of your garage, put the truck in drive or reverse and select 4H while you press the brake.

 

If I may chime in, this is my 1st 4x4, I understand the 4H, what is 4 L for!

Thanks and sorry for knob question!

 

4l is the same as 4h but with a large gearing reduction. In 4l you have lots of torque and it's good for slow offroad conditions. You would pretty much never use it on the street unless plowing through deep snow, slowly. Max speed in 4l is probably about 40mph

 

we have a lot of steep hills in the Puget sound area..
I use 4low to creep down in 1st or 2nd gear without touching the brakes.
at times.. once you touch the brakes its all over & sliding

 

It depends, it may engage while stopped and it make take a little movement to get it to engage. Either way, there's nothing wrong with turning the knob while sitting in your garage and if it can't engage immediately start backing up and it should engage relatively quickly.

But bear in mind, 4WD isn't likely to help you much if you're backing out of your driveway into a steep downward slope. 4WD will help you move when you can't, but it's not likely to keep you from sliding downhill, especially backwards.

 

Thanks,

I'll keep that in my brain box!

 

That makes sense!

 

I sure did like the 1st gen with 4wd low engaged and the "L" gear. That thing was basically crawl mode. While I don't disagree completely with

I will say that using 4wd lowers your gear reduction, therefore holding you back more. And everybody should know that hitting your brakes is one of the last things you want to do on ice. Use that motor/transmission!

To answer the original question yeah, you can engage 4hi from a standstill. Sometimes it takes slight movement to engage is all .

 

Only 4LO will increase your gear reduction, 4HI does not. However I do agree and I've made the same argument before when people have said "4WD helps you go, it doesn't help you stop". Not having to use the brakes so much is absolutely a perk in snow and ice. It may not help you stop completely, but it may allow you to maintain a more controlled speed and avoid using the brakes and/or going into a skid.

However I guess I was more focused on the OP's particular scenario in this case. Backing down a steep slope, I wouldn't expect a lot of help from going into a skid by using 4WD, mainly just because if his rear wheels are leading down a steep hill, weight is transferred to those wheels as he tries to resist gravity. That said, you're right, it may still be beneficial.

 

just lock up the brakes and throw in reverse. When you let foot off the brake you will stop quick

 

Using 4Low on a street in slippery conditions is not a great idea.

With ABS, using the brakes will give you maximum braking ability, even if you can't stop. In addition, you retain whatever steering capacity you have under the traction conditions.

Shifting into 4Low will give maximum engine braking. But if the roads are slick, you'll end up spinning your tires--the truck will slide faster that the tires are turning, and you will NOT have control. With brakes, you can modulate pressure and retain control (along with having the ABS). With 4Low engine braking on a slick surface, you're going for a slide, and not in a good way.

 

what ever... works for me
keyword here .. is creep down & sill have full steering capacity

 

4 LO should never be used anywhere near a hard surface unless getting a super heavy load started then switch back to 4HI asap. I've had my 07 for 4 years and never have had to use 4 LO off road.

 

Anybody that is using 4LO in slick conditions has no idea how or when to use a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Using 4 hi on snow and ice, mud or out for the weekend running trails that do not entail heavy climbing would be the correct way to use 4 HI. Using 4LO would be for climbing steep grades or having to climb over large boulders that you would want to take your vehicle slowly over or have maximum traction and want to keep wheel speeds very low. Creeping down hills in Seattle in 4L on ice and snow is suicide. I have spent 35 years behind the wheel of a 4x4 pretty much every day, snow, ice, mudd, hill climbs, sand and I feel very comfortable driving in anything. People that have purchasing 4x4’s just to say they own one and that have zero idea on how to use the vehicle as a tool and not as a trophy should probably do some reading on how to use it and not be telling others when they themselves are in the dark

 

Oh and one other thing, using 4LO because of the “maximum engine brake” feature as stated on snow, ice or even rain soaked streets like we have here in Seattle would also be suicide because you would be in a complete unknown world and the vehicle would be in total control. Learn how to use your brakes before you make statements like that. The wonder of anti lock brakes and being able to steer at the same time. (That’s what they are designed to do).