Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

[JoLin]

Re: Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

4 wheel low to pull up a ramp is extreme. If it has 12 inches of snow on it maybe but just wet come on use 4 wheel high. Thats all that should be needed. I tow with the two vehicles in my signature. neither have been in 4x4 at all at any ramp. Tires are a real key to tire slippage at the ramps. IMHO!

Okay, that makes no sense. Extreme? Why? The truck comes with a 'low' range, easily goes into 'low' range, is built to operate in 'low' range, so what makes it 'extreme'? Why would I want to use high range to go up the ramp when I have low range available?

 

[prelude219]

Re: Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

its not really extreme..just not needed. Its like using a bazooka for hunting deer when all you really need is 30-06. Both will get it done i guess

 

[45Auto]

Re: Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

Okay, that makes no sense. Extreme? Why? The truck comes with a 'low' range, easily goes into 'low' range, is built to operate in 'low' range, so what makes it 'extreme'? Why would I want to use high range to go up the ramp when I have low range available?

I would consider it "extreme" for the same reason you don't shift to 4WD any time that you're going straight on a paved road. It comes with the truck, it easily goes into 4WD, it's built to operate in 4WD, so why wouldn't you put it into 4WD anytime that you're going straight?

The answer to both is that "it's not necessary". But if it makes you feel like you're getting some use out of your 4WD, go for it, it won't hurt anything.

I've been trailering my 30' Searay Sundancer (9500 lb dry) for over a year now with my 4WD 3/4 ton Suburban. Never have had it in 4WD.

 

[skargo]

Re: Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

I use 4 high all the time at the ramp, never had to use 4 low. My truck is a hopped up diesel with 550hp/1100ft/lbs at the rear wheels, so it will just about idle up a steep ramp with my 5K lb or so boat on it.

One time, I was pulling my rock crawler on my flatbed trailer(about 7K lbs or so) and where I was rock crawling, the staging area was a mess and I had to use 4x4. My 4x4 indicator light is hidden by my fuel pressure gauge that I added.
Of course, I drove the whole 150 miles or so home in 4x4, including a 100mph blast(not recommended) to get around some flippin bonehead doing 50 in the hammer lane.
Got home, and turned at the sharp part of my driveway and was like "uh oh".
No harm done!

 

[JoLin]

Re: Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

Okay, 45Auto, given that logic, I get it. Thanks for clarifying

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

OK the first order of Business is to Read the Manual before American CrapIdol tonight.

TyeeMan thank you the detail information. Now I'm anxious to get back to the Ramp this Weekend and see what shakes. I have 4 total ramp retrieval's to date and the last one the tire slipage. Each time I was either in 4wd Hi or Low. I cannot remember. I may have not been in 4wd mode at all because I didn't go into N first. My V10 should pull the Largest Boats out of the Water without any problems with good traction.

 

[TyeeMan]

Re: Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

Why wouldn't you put your truck in four wheel drive on drive pavement? Actually I do it about 3 or 4 times a summer. It's not a bad practice, if you have a good 3 or 4 miles of straight road or even with a slight curve, flip it in 4wd, it keeps things good and lube up in the off season.

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

Why wouldn't you put your truck in four wheel drive on drive pavement? Actually I do it about 3 or 4 times a summer. It's not a bad practice, if you have a good 3 or 4 miles of straight road or even with a slight curve, flip it in 4wd, it keeps things good and lube up in the off season.

Good Idea. I still do not know what is the off season in AZ.

 

[JaseBosto]

Re: Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

Got home, and turned at the sharp part of my driveway and was like "uh oh".
No harm done!

Just cause you CAN do damage to your driveline in 4x4 on dry pavement, doesnt mean you will. Weather or not you are in 4x4 only matters on turns, you could be doing 100mph or 20mph and it won't matter on the highway.
Not sure what year dodge you have, but older ones didn't even have hubs really, the front end was always spinning, all the transfer case did was lock the front and rear driveshaft together and select high or low. Thats what I hated most about my dodge.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

Actually it does matter. Feel free to put it in (D) or (1). Not (2)...

Not sure what this has to do with my comment regarding it being a non-issue starting up the ramp with overdrive selected. Using 2nd gear is....well...using 2nd gear. Overdrive is something else entirely and no vehicle I've eve heard of would shift into overdrive during the kind of use we're talking here - even if overdrive mode was selected.

 

[skargo]

Re: Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

Just cause you CAN do damage to your driveline in 4x4 on dry pavement, doesnt mean you will. Weather or not you are in 4x4 only matters on turns, you could be doing 100mph or 20mph and it won't matter on the highway.
Not sure what year dodge you have, but older ones didn't even have hubs really, the front end was always spinning, all the transfer case did was lock the front and rear driveshaft together and select high or low. Thats what I hated most about my dodge.

I know that, I have a LOT of experience with 4wd

My Dodge has auto hubs, big deal, so do a lot of other manufacturers.

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Tow Vehicle. What Gear Should I be in.

Ok to come to a conclusion to this thread I read my Manual.

Per manual I have two Wheel Hub Options Auto or Manual. Auto will lock the Front transfer case when I move the Selector Switch to 4Hi or 4Low. Turn the Hubs to Manual and that will Lock the transfer case full time. I chose to leave it in Auto.

So when I went to pulled the boat out of the Water Saturday I press on the Brake first, select Neutrual and Selected 4wd low per manual. I felt a slight bump when the transfer case locked in. Now I know I'm in 4wd. This time I didn't spin the tires and I just gently pressed the gas. It didn't take much effort.

Thanks All.