Hey all,
can I sift my '83 bronco from 2WD into 4WD while I am moving,.....say at 30MPH? Its at the time in the year where it does not seem like I need 4WD but when I hit a icy patch I need it.
Also, I know I can not use low at over 15MPH but is there a speed limit for high FWD?


Thanks!

RYan

 

You can use Low range at any speed you can get the truck up to, but you have to be almost stopped to shift INTO Low.

You can shift between 2H & 4H at any speed IF AND ONLY IF your hubs are ALREADY locked (meaning the front driveline is already spinning at vehicle speed). Just don't use 4H on high-traction surfaces - shift back to 2 as SOON as the road gets good enough.

 

So if the roads are icy but not snow covered I should not use FWD? I notice I have great traction when I use FWD, but it is still on pavment.


Ryan

 

Shifting into FWD on dry pavement can ruin tires, wheel bearngs, and even axles. Only shift into FWD if you are loosing traction. It is okay to shift into FWD Low but make sure you have stopped the truck and NEVER exceed 25-30 MPH. Have fun and be safe!!

 

>You can shift between 2H & 4H at any speed IF AND ONLY IF
>your hubs are ALREADY locked (meaning the front driveline is
>already spinning at vehicle speed).

This is the best info you'll get, and it's the truth!

You can use 4hi on anything but dry pavement. Wet, slick, dirt, gravel all fine.

If you have short bursts of dry pavement followed by more ice this is fine. No need to constantly shift back and forth.

Make sure all your tires are the same size and properly/equally inflated.

 

If you have auto hubs you can shift into 4HI at pretty much any speed. Like was said before, manual hubs have to be locked in already. I lock in my hubs before I start out when I think I might use FWD. Don't worry so much about using FWD on pavement. I have used it on wet roads where there just might be ice and have done no damage. Better to use it than get into a wreck because you didn't. The 4x4 supplement to the owners manual does NOT prohibit useage on paved roads.

Jim

 

>If you have auto hubs you can shift into 4HI at pretty much
>any speed.

Not true.
* If you have auto hubs and a manual transfer case, shifting into 4 at speed will SLAM the front driveline up to vehicle speed, unless you've already had it in 4 since you last changed direction, in which case the hubs are still locked & the driveline is already spinning as I said before.
* If you have auto hubs AND an electronic t-case, you can shift into 4 at 0-55mph (according to Ford, but below freezing reduce to 0-45mph) since the t-case has an automatic clutch that spins the driveline up without damage.

>Better to use it than
>get into a wreck because you didn't.

Better to use it properly than to use it when it's not needed & NOT have it when it IS needed. If you're driving on dry or slightly wet pavement, you don't NEED 4WD, and you'll damage the t-case, the hubs, the tires, &/or the suspension. If you're only hitting patchy ice, you still don't need 4WD - you just need to slow down & drive carefully. Even 4WD won't help if you lose control on ice.

>The 4x4 supplement to
>the owners manual does NOT prohibit useage on paved roads.

I don't know which supplement you're looking at, but the owner's manual DOES advise against it, and so does the brochure "4-Wheeling with Ford".
-From p.122 of FPS-12152-92 "92 Bronco Owner Guide"-
"Four-wheel drive operation (4H or 4L) on dry pavement is not recommended. Operating the vehicle in four-wheel drive on dry pavement will increase tire wear, decrease fuel economy, and make four-wheel drive disengagement difficult for the transfer case."
-The same statement appears on p.129-

-From p.4 of FPS-12025-83 "4-Wheeling with Ford"-
"Do not use four-wheel drive on dry, hard-surfaced roads. This may damage the drivelines and axles."

NEITHER mentions a maximum safe OR recommended speed for low range.