low range

[webby]

gedday everyone, just a quick one,
is it a problen using low range but in 2wd to climb a bank etc if high range in 2wd is to tall of a gear in first, or will it damage something down the road. Only used to climb bank for a minute then put into normal 2wd range. any thoughts appreciated

 

[Old.Tony]

It's not possible in a D40, but there are no issues with doing that with the D22. Engaging low range will just turn the front diff over but with the hubs unlocked, you won't engage the wheels - it shouldn't do any damage at all.

 

[webby]

thanks for the thoughts tony, didn't think it would but second opinion always re assuring as we don't know everything.

 

[case84]

yeah mate not guna do any damage ta all i lernt to drive in low range with no hubs in

 

[Dave]

You wont hurt it unless you rev the piss out of it and drive it very hard.

Dave.

 

[heata]

Yep I've done it from time to time. Never would have thought of it before reading it on this site though!

 

[webby]

thanks everyone. only use it to take off if parked on hill with tool trailer on. was out chinchilla qld on weekend and found great camp spot at archers crossing which is about 10 km east of chinchilla. huge water in condamine river sogreat for tinny or canoe with the kids. just letting you know if ever out that way.
am going down kempsey way over xmas to look around and do some exploring, so any tips on area would be great cheers

 

[UncySpam]

yup I do it when I'm getting the boat off the ramp if its a slippery, weedy or muddy ramp... as soon as I'm back on dry land (max 30 mtrs) I put it back again. No chance of wind up in that situation. The main thing to watch out for is keeping your wheels straight. The main cause of wind up is turning your wheels on hard surface with centre locked...

 

[will]

yup I do it when I'm getting the boat off the ramp if its a slippery, weedy or muddy ramp... as soon as I'm back on dry land (max 30 mtrs) I put it back again.

Yep, me too. low range makes for an easy pluck off the ramp with the boat.

a few weeks ago I saw a peanut in a D22 in 2wd high spin the rears all the way up the ramp with boat on trailer. left a pair of decent blackies, but what a knob!

 

[Old.Tony]

yup I do it when I'm getting the boat off the ramp if its a slippery, weedy or muddy ramp... as soon as I'm back on dry land (max 30 mtrs) I put it back again. No chance of wind up in that situation. The main thing to watch out for is keeping your wheels straight. The main cause of wind up is turning your wheels on hard surface with centre locked...

Just so it's clear for everyone:

The OP has a D22 which is MANUAL LOCKING HUBS. You have to get out to engage them. Engaging any 4WD mode without locking the hubs will cause the front diff and axles to be driven by the motor but the axles will not turn over the front wheels. There are two things the D22 has over the D40 here: better economy by not turning the front axle all the time, and more flexibility by allowing low range in 2WD mode. However, when stuck in mud, D22'ers have to wade out and find their hubs.

The D40 has no mechanism to manually choose whether the front wheels are driven or not apart from the 4WD shift inside. If you engage 4WD in the D40, it's going to drive all of the wheels.

Uncy's warning is a good and timely reminder to everyone - don't engage 4WD on any firm surface. As you make a left turn, your left rear wheel makes a tiny circle on the ground but your right front wheel has to make a great big circle. The drive shafts are all connected together, trying to force all the wheels to turn at the same rate - this is why they bind up, and if you do it on a hard surface too often you'll find your transfer chain will stretch and possibly break.

 

[Dave]

So what your saying Tony is that the D22 is better.

We all know that.

Dave.

 

[Old.Tony]

Both models fulfill a need and have their pluses and minuses.

 

[Dave]

^ Just kidding, I was hoping you would say something I could steal as a Sig.

Dave.

 

[tweak'e]

gedday everyone, just a quick one,
is it a problen using low range but in 2wd to climb a bank etc if high range in 2wd is to tall of a gear in first, or will it damage something down the road. Only used to climb bank for a minute then put into normal 2wd range. any thoughts appreciated

a little bit driving in 4x4 without hubs locked won't do any damage (ie 100meters) but constant driving does.

i understand the problem is without the hubs locked there is no resistance to hold the gears up against each other. so the driving gear fires the next gear forward and the tooth of that gear then hits the back of the driving gear. so the gear teeth bounce back and forth which can wear or even break them.

 

[Old.Tony]

^ Just kidding, I was hoping you would say something I could steal as a Sig.

Dave.

I did! LOL

 

[ben85]

a little bit driving in 4x4 without hubs locked won't do any damage (ie 100meters) but constant driving does.

i understand the problem is without the hubs locked there is no resistance to hold the gears up against each other. so the driving gear fires the next gear forward and the tooth of that gear then hits the back of the driving gear. so the gear teeth bounce back and forth which can wear or even break them.

Does anyone know if this is really the case?

Some are saying its ok and some say its not ok?

2wd low would come in very handy in few situations.

I was driving a pretty steep track a while back that was a bit rough here and there, I had to switch to 4L as 2H was either too fast and boucing everywhere or not enough revs and labouring too much and would have stalled.
I didnt need 4wd, just a lower gear, so it would have been good to goto 2L
The track went for a good few k's probably half and hour or more of driving, so a fair way to go if its going to do damage to something.

 

[sparra04]

Just so it's clear for everyone:

There are two things the D22 has over the D40 here: better economy by not turning the front axle all the time, and more flexibility by allowing low range in 2WD mode. However, when stuck in mud, D22'ers have to wade out and find their hubs.

cmon tony we all know there are more reasons why the 22 is better
while ime wading out to lock my hubs ill check the depth for you so you dont get stuck

 

[Old.Tony]

cmon tony we all know there are more reasons why the 22 is better
while ime wading out to lock my hubs ill check the depth for you so you dont get stuck

Haha! Well we also now know that the D40s have more ground clearance, so just check and make sure the D22 I'm towing out of the mud won't suffer too much for us, will ya?

(for those that might be shocked at two supposedly friendly people firing cheap shots at each other, this is friendly banter and not intended as a serious attack. My M82A3 is for serious stuff.)

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFr27rozuQc[/YT]

 

[Old.Tony]

Does anyone know if this is really the case?

Some are saying its ok and some say its not ok?

2wd low would come in very handy in few situations.

I was driving a pretty steep track a while back that was a bit rough here and there, I had to switch to 4L as 2H was either too fast and boucing everywhere or not enough revs and labouring too much and would have stalled.
I didnt need 4wd, just a lower gear, so it would have been good to goto 2L
The track went for a good few k's probably half and hour or more of driving, so a fair way to go if its going to do damage to something.

I have a lot of faith in the words from Tweak'e. If he says you can do it but don't tempt fate and do it for long periods, then that's good enough for me. The fact that he explains precisely why - and it all makes sense - just seals the deal for me.

 

[Leprechaun]

I would have thought the biggest danger of low range 2WD was the amount of multiplied torque going through one diff. Even if only driven a short distance, ie pulling a boat out of the water. The amount of extra strain could easily brake a diff our drive shaft.

Some misguided advice IMO.