I know there are limits (as per the manual) as to when you shouldn't shift into 4X4 high... but is there a limit as to how fast can you drive while in 4X4?

We have had some really bad roads lately: close to -30 Celsius, windy, snowy. The highways may look fine but they are ridden by black ice and there have been several accidents in the past few days.

I need to drive these ways to get to work and have had the rear end slip out while doing 80 km/h at about 1500 rpm. I have new all terrain tires and keep weight in the box.

So leaving it in 4x4 would be nice for a little added protection but I am worried about damaging something. It would be nice if I could get up to 100 km/h (60 mph) in 4X4 without worrying about hurting the truck.

btw my truck is a 2003 F150 Lariat Supercrew, 5.4, 3.73, 265/70/17", 185 000 km on it.

Thanks in advance.

 

It isn't going to hurt the tuck but.... If it's that bad on the roads you don't need to be running 60 mph anyway. Your just asking for trouble. 4 wheel isn't going to help you stop whatsoever. Being in 4 wheel can actually make you slip worse on the ice. I'd leave a little early and slow down for the conditions. Of course this is just my opinion.

 

60mph is the upper limit of what I will drive with 4wd engaged and that is always on packed snow, not ice. Usually I figure at 55mph it is either dry enough to take 4wd out or slick enough to leave it in and not go any faster. When there are spots of ice I leave it out and just go slower since you are running on dry pavement more than ice.

As for slowing down it absolutely helps, there is more rotating mass and if you have a manual you can downshift and it will catch better than it would in 2wd.

 

I used to work with a guy that drove his truck in 4 wheel drive all winter long. As far as i can remember he didnt have problems with it either. He told me he shifted it in and out at high speeds too.

Wouldnt reccomend that, just saying

 

60MPH wont hurt anything in 4X4, I have ran mine 70+ before. But like the others said if your roads are bad there is no reason to drive that fast. IMO.

 

My rule of thumb ..if the roads are bad you should not be going over 40 mph to begin with..And that depending on the road is to begin with

Your not going to stop faster having a 4x4 or being in 4 wheel drive..

I get a kick out of people buying a 4x4 for the first time and they think that nothing will happen to them..
Well it catchs up with them real fast..

We all must use our heads out there and keep aware of what is going on around us

 

I strongly disagree.

When ya spin out and hit the ditch cause your driving too fast for road conditions(in 4x4), you can stop pretty damn fast!!

 

LMAO...I just spit my coffee all over my cat

 

I do agree with the speed issue on bad roads and bad driving conditions. Problem for me is that I need to take this way to get to work and to get home. It is a bridge as well going over a river. Just to keep up with traffic and the big trucks at times it is between 80 and 100 km/hr. That said there has been at least 5 accidents over my last 3 work days that I saw. The road is so slick in spots (black ice) that any throttle will kick the rear end out.

Like I said - I did this at 1500 rpm with very little throttle.

I wish I had another alternative route that was feasible... But I am just looking for a safer way to get home without wrecking my beloved truck. Maybe I will just leave it in 4 high from now on. It is not that long of a stretch and the added traction would be welcome.

 

The best way to get your beloved truck home is to go slow enough so you can act and keep things in control in an emergency..

There is no way clearer then that..

We all have to get there and at times we might think we should have gotten there yesterday..But the fact of the matter is.

You will not do anyone any justice if you wreck,injure or kill someone in the process..

Do not take it like I am chewing you out because I am not..I am just saying how I feel about what I see on the roads when I am traveling out there

 

I've heard 55 is the max you can shift between 4x4 and 2wd. I'm not sure what the max is, but if everything works right I wouldn't see why you can't go as fast as you want.

Mike

 

FWIW just after getting my 2000 F150 4X4 (new in 2000), I came off of back roads and ran 40 miles on the highway at 55-60mph before realizing I was till in 4 high. It didnt hurt anything and I kept the truck for another 160K miles before getting another.

 

Who in there right mind would want to travel that fast in four wheel drive.....that is one of the most stupid question I have seen here. Crash your vechicle thinking you can go that fast in 4x4 and then report back to us how it did on black ice!@!!!



Dummmyyyyy

 

Besides if you can go fast in the first place you would not need to be locked in 4 wheel drive....

 

I had to go back and read the original post for the Black Ice comments. That is a good question. If there is black ice, why would you want to go that fast?