Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

[kozman01]

OK, after having a crappy day at the lake yesterday and dragging my brand new skeg up the ramp, I get everything loaded up and pull away. My additional problem starts there. WHile pulling the boat out of the water, I switch my 1996 GMC Yukon into 4WD Hi. After I pull it out, I switch to 2WD. Well, my wife did the actual pulling of the boat out of the water. I was distracted by many other things once I got back to the truck and forgot to switch it out of 4WD Hi. I drove approximately 40 miles home and didn't realize the frickin' switch said 4WD Hi until about 20 feet from my driveway. What damage did I possibly due to my drivetrain doing this foolish thing? I can't believe I did this and never have done it in the past. The truck has 80K on it. I just bought this boat. If I broke the truck, the wife is going to make me make the boat the most expensive lawn decoration in my subdivision. Thanks for any input you guys might have!!

 

[Mark42]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

I doubt you did any damage. When in 4wd and making a tight turn on dry pavement, does it buck and chirp the tires like the posi is heavily pre-loaded? If not, you're fine. Even if it does, you're probably ok, just short a little more rubber than if you were in 2wd.

 

[kozman01]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

That's exactly why I looked down at the dash to see what drive it was in. I was pulling onto my street and noticed that it felt like it was in 4WD because of that little skipping you feel while turning while in 4WD. I have driven it since then and everything appears to be normal. I just hope I didn't speed-up any future failures in the drivetrain. That transmission used in the Yukon/Tahoe sucks and I really don't want to buy a replacement anytime soon. Thanks for your help!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

You just gave it a bit more wear and tear then normal. It certainly attests to the value of the u-joints on a 9 year old SUV. You seem to be doing low miles at only 80K.<br /><br />Funny you don't hear good news when people push 200K w/o a transmission problem but you certainly hear the critics when they break.<br /><br />Bob

 

[kozman01]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

I bought it a few years back with low miles and 90% of its use is only for pulling the boat. I'm just a little more worried b/c of the famous trans that's in that thing. Thanks guys, I'm worried just a little less now, not much, but some

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

Well, to ease to worry a bit more... I see it all the time up here in VT and I work at a Chevrolet Dealership. My transmission opinions come from my GM mechanics.<br /><br />Bob

 

[gstanton]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

I did a similar thing with my F-150 about 2 years ago. In cleaning the truck interior (Yeah, I cleaned it once!) I accidently turned the dial to 4 Hi. Then we drove off to the mall - about 20 miles - before I felt something strange and realized it was in 4 Hi. There hasn't been any problems and that was approx. 25K ago and a lot of towing.

 

[kozman01]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

Bob, where is Castleton in relation to Jeffersonville? The reason I'm asking is the wife and I are coming to VT in early July. We're going to be doing some non-boating activity. We're goinf to ride the bike through the area north of Jeffersonville and then into Quebec and then over to the Newport area. We got married in VT and we love it there. Were also going to look for some property for a retirement home(years and years from now). Thanks again everyone on the input. I feel a little better for doing such a nit-wit thing.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

kozman, if you had hurt it, it would've broke on you that day.<br />In the future, to avoid that, if you need 4 wheel drive at the ramp, put it LOW range. That way, you'll never forget to stop & put it back into 2wd HIGH, cause you'll notice it immediately. Just a thought

 

[kozman01]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

Excellent tip! I'll do that. Thanks TW.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

Kozman- I am about 100 miles from there about SSW. Castleton is near Rutland and Killington Ski Area. e-mail rpf924 @ Hotmail.com (just remove the spaces).<br /><br />Bob

 

[Nos4r2]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

It's a whole load easier to reverse in low range too, and a lot easier on your drivetrain when pulling up the ramp anyway. If you've got a stick-shift and you have to slip the clutch with a trailer on for 3 seconds to pull off then the clutch plate temperature can exceed 800degrees Farenheight. It's not good for a torque converter to overload it like that either,and neither are cheap to fix...

 

[JRJ]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

IMO, it is good to use the 4-WD as it lubricates the diff., at least and turns the drive lines.<br />(straight line) once in awhile, pavement or not.

 

[TELMANMN]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

I would spend a few bucks and have fluids changed. Just a precaution. Peace of mind.

 

[gss036]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

I made the same mistake w/ my 99 Silverado, auto trans, w/full time 4X4, drove 75 miles at 60 MPH. I had the dealer check it since it was under warranty and there was no problem. That was 4 years ago. With the new electronic switches, on demand 4X4, w/o hubs I think they are made to have a lot more slip and leeway than the older type 4X4s. I have owned 4X4s since 1964 and have never damaged one because of something like this. Sleep easy and enjoy.

 

[BF]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

I don't have one of those in particular, but I have had 4x4's in the past. I don't see why you're concerned. Sure being in 4 wheel drive and doing lots of tight turns on pavement is not a good thing, (driveshaft chatter already discussed above) but they're made for driving in 4x4 "hi" for extended periods! I know folks up here who leave 'em in 4x4 Hi for weeks at a time in the winter, including highway driving (that's why they bought them).<br /><br />The reason they're called "part time" is not because they should only be used in 4x4 for short periods, but so that you can switch to 2WD and save some gas and wear and tear when 4x4 is not needed. (Unlike my old jeep that was "full time", meaning it burnt maximum amounts of gas at all times). <br /><br />Don't sweat it!

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

Originally posted by BF:<br />The reason they're called "part time" is not because they should only be used in 4x4 for short periods, but so that you can switch to 2WD and save some gas and wear and tear when 4x4 is not needed.

The reason it's called part time is because it should never be used on non slipery surfaces, ever. Sure, some people do it, that doesn't make it a good idea or even non damaging. Some people smoke and never get cancer...does that make smoking healthy?<br /><br />I agree with what someone said above, you should change the transfer case fluid...

 

[JRJ]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

Right on BF. After 40 years and thousands of miles and hours of 4X4 time from CJ3A's to loaders,dozers,graders, and scrapers on highway and off without any drive-train damage, I'm sure kozman01 is good to go.

 

[kozman01]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

Well gentlemen, since I have synthetic fluid in everything in my truck, including the transfer case and transmission, I'm going to rest easy. The trucks driving perfect since then and with your inputs, I feel better about it, but I will be using the 4WD Lo tip addressed above, won't forget if I'm in that gear now will I Thanks again and happy boating on Saturday and Sunday, at least in Ohio, we're looking at days in the 90's again!!!

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: Drove full-time with part-time 4X4!!!

Originally posted by TilliamWe:<br /> kozman, if you had hurt it, it would've broke on you that day.<br />In the future, to avoid that, if you need 4 wheel drive at the ramp, put it LOW range. That way, you'll never forget to stop & put it back into 2wd HIGH, cause you'll notice it immediately. Just a thought

Agreed. If you didn't break anything, your fine. I wouldn't bother with a fluid change at all. If your u-joints survived, your fine.