4 wheel drive health

[B'ham Jeeper]

I have a question please...I was reading on another forum that you should engage your 4 wheel drive at least once a month. First is this true and if it is is 4 high good enough or should it go into 4 low?

Thanks,
Susan

 

[jps4jeep]

Never heard that. I don't see a benefit from it other than knowing it works.

 

[Utah_jeepster]

This is a misnomer, in some older 4x4's you had to do this because, the front locking hubs were disconnected from the drive axles, and the transfer case didn't spin the gears inside. This allowed the seals to dry up as it were., my 73 Int. Scout II had this warning label in the drivers visor. With the transfer case in 2 high, and the front hubs unlocked, the front diff and forward half of the transfer case wasn't spinning. This allowed the seals and bearing to not get any lubrication. It recommended that you drive at least mile a month with the transfer case and hubs locked in.

Since jeeps are a direct drive system along the front axle, it spins the drive line even though the drive gears are not engage to the torque gears in the transfer case. They do spin keeping the front seals lubricated when not engaged.

 

[xt master]

Never heard of it before,but how can some one with a jeep go a month with out having to use 4 wheel drive?

 

[B'ham Jeeper]

Never heard of it before,but how can some one with a jeep go a month with out having to use 4 wheel drive?

I know it hard to believe... :crazy: but it does happen.

And thanks Utah...

 

[SteelHeadz]

I find this somewhat true on the electronic transfer case. There are people out there who buy a 4wd just in case but not out of neccessity. Transfer cases equipped with an electronic shift encoder motor tends to seize up after a long use in 2wd and not see a shift into a 4wd mode. The grease in the encoder motor eventually ends up on the bottom and the gears only gets worse with the hot and cold temperatures under the vehicle and will only give a partial shift into an intended mode when commanded. I only say this from comparison on customer use and complaints of an inoperable 4wd. There's a higher rate of inoperable 4wd mode from those who rarely use them compared to the ones who use it often on and off.

 

[Utah_jeepster]

Mike is that also true on the newer grands as well? I thought some of them were electronic shift as well. I thought the 'live' axle would keep most of its internals spinning as well.

 

[SteelHeadz]

From what i've been seing , it's true on just the encoder motor but not on the function of the 4wd itself. The motor is the only thing that seems to fail more often than the internal components of the t.case. IMO, the t.case itself is sound, not much different from the non electronic models other than the shifter rod that attaches to the motor. I've also been hearing that this is also been the case with some GM models with an electronic shift motor encoder. I recently took one apart to see the difference from the Chrysler and GM. They have the same gearing and the same design. Different layout and the communications vary on the models.