4x4 shifting question

I have a 95 z-71 ext. cab. 350tbi Auto trans.(dont know which tranny it is, maybe somone here does.)Manual 4x4 selector. I was doing a little off-roading this past weekend and got stuck in 2wd. My friend was with me and said I needed to leave the truck in drive and shift into 4hi. I told him he was nuts. You should always go to neutral, right?

This is the way I do it: In 2wd and need 4hi, stop if not already, shit trans to neutral, shift 4x4 selector to 4hi, wait for light showing hub engage, shift trans to drive, and go. (sometimes it does grind a little while going to and from 4hi and 4lo, is this normal?)

Thats the way I have always done it. If I am wrong please tell me the right way.

Also, is there any chance for the auto locking hubs to stay engaged? I remember hearing something about having to back up a certain distance to ensure disengagement.

TIA, C.B.

Btw, I didnt stay stuck :)

Reply to
C.B. Evans
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You are wrong. But it's not really a big deal. You can shift into 4hi "on the fly"...the truck is designed to be able to do it. When you shift into 4lo, you need to come to a complete stop, into neutral, make your shift, back into drive, and away you go.

Well, you don't have auto hubs on that truck. Your diff locks up internally, sometimes the front diff takes a while to come out of engagement, you can help it be steering straight, and coming off of the throttle.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Thanks Ian,

I dont have the owners manual, so I did not know that.

What would you say the max speed for 4hi is?

Reply to
C.B. Evans

If the road conditions are bad enough to need 4hi, how fast do you think you should be going?

Reply to
William

first off, its not on road conditions were talking about here. I am talking about strectching it out a litlle in flat sandy areas that can still get a little sticky(hence still the need for 4hi).

Second, it is just a damn question. I didnt ask for a safety lesson. So zip it.

TIA to every one except bill,

C.B.

Reply to
C.B. Evans

Reply to
DesertEd

Thanks Ed. but 20-30 bucks for an owners manual is crazy. Thanks for calling me stupid and lazy, though. Thats really going to help me.

I'll be thankful when I get more answers from people like Ian. Who, unlike you Ed, actually know what they are talking about, and are willing to help noobs.

Merry Christmas,

C.B.

Reply to
C.B. Evans

about 50 mph.

-Bret

Reply to
Bret Chase

Your Welcome. Go as fast as you want in 4hi, what do I care?

Reply to
William

What will it hurt to go faster than 50?

Reply to
William

I would think that you would put a lot of stress in the front drive axles. The IFS front end isn't as strong as solid differential unit like the older

4x4 trucks had. Also heavy duty models of today still use a solid axle I believe.

Brian

Reply to
el Diablo

I don't really know an actual limit, but I think I'd go with the number that another poster gave you, 50 mph. That is plenty fast. The fact is, the tranfer case uses a synchronizer to perform the 4hi shift, just like a standard transmission. Obviously, the faster you are going, the faster that you will have to spin up the front driveshaft and gearset inside the front diff to get it up to the same speed as the rear driveshaft. So the shift will be easier the lower the speed that you are going.

Again, come off the throttle when you make your shift, and don't worry too much about the front end engaging, by the very fact that both front wheels are turning at the same basic speed, there is/will be no difference in the speeds of the right axle and the right stub axle that is inserted into the gear set.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Thanks guys, thats what I needed to know. My max speed so far in 4hi has been about 35mph in the sand. Didnt know if that was too fast for the 4x4 system to handle.

Once again Ian, and Bret Thank you for a sensible answer to my question.

C.B.

Reply to
C.B. Evans

You are welcome....by the way....go easy on the other posters that might have made some "snide" comments. I often do the same if I'm in a particularly bad mood when I happen to post on the net. Or if I'm feeling like every question is a stupid one. You have to take the good with the bad on the newsgroups.....the last few days it just so happens that I've been "good".

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

I have had mine kicked into 4hi at 75mph.... Was not a fun ride. I very quickly moved the kid seat over to the door side ;)

Reply to
Kenner Costen

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