Noob question: Towing in 4L

[maxm]

Hi all,

I bought a 2004 4x4 manual D22 STR about 2 weeks ago. It's a great truck and I'm really enjoying it. It replaced a Landrover Discovery that I used mostly for towing duties rather than offroad and I think the Navara will be similar. I tow a 22' trailer yacht weighing in at a bit under 2 tonne (boat+trailer).

Now the Disco was constant 4WD and could engage low range separately to locking the transfer gear and I used to take advantage of this when pulling the boat up the ramp. It really made life a snap putting it in low range and crawling up the ramp to a parking spot and because the transfer case wasn't locked, there was no risk of damage on the bitumen.

Question is, can I do this on the Navara? From what I can make out, if I engage 4WD (low or high) the transfer case is locked. Do I risk damage driving in 4L a couple hundred metres on the bitumen?

 

[Bosshog]

With the manual hubs unlocked you'll be OK.

 

[ants_oz]

Even with the hubs engaged you will be fine.

 

[Old.Tony]

I'd imagine getting it up the ramp itself would be perfectly fine, but try to keep the vehicle in a straight line. Once you turn the steering wheels so that some wheels are following a longer path than others, you're tensioning the transfer chain and placing stress on the diffs, axles & tyres.

I would suggest 4L engaged on the ramp itself is fine, and once at the top, drop it straight into 2H before turning the steering. The front hubs can be left engaged, there's no impact at low speed with the hubs engaged and the transfer case in 2WD mode. Some people even drive on the highway like that - there's a little extra engine effort required to turn over the front diff, so economy will have a very slight negative impact, but there's no danger from it.

 

[maxm]

Thanks for the responses guys. Hadn't thought to unlock the hubs - the Disco didn't have that option!!