70MPH/70 Miles/4WD

[EXPSD]

I left hunting camp tonite and forgot to take it out of 4wd when I hit the interstate so I drove 70 miles at 70mph on dry pavement. Did I do any damage??

[More Power]

I did that once for about 35 miles. Didn't seem to affect anything.

You could check the color and condition of the fluids in the front differential and transfer case.

MP

[motovet]

I towed my 10,000# trailer over a mountain pass and traveled about 200 miles with it in 4wd. Nothing more happened than spewing a bit of trans. fluid. Could not believe I had gone that far and not even noticed.

[letsgo]

Like wise, I towed in 4 wheel drive for about 3 hr in a snow storm, heading south in the mountains, but at 30mph, It's the turns that will stress the front end not straight line driving.

good luck

[rjschoolcraft]

Probably didn't hurt anything. The reason for the recommendation to not run on dry pavement in four wheel drive is because of the binding that can occur in the transfer case due to slightly different tire sizes. This increases the load on the gears and chain in the case and can cause premature failure.

However, even several hundred miles of this type of driving shouldn't appreciably shorten the life of the transfer case.

I've driven over 300 miles in snow at 60+ mph in four wheel drive before while towing... even use four wheel drive in heavy rain at interstate speeds while towing... no problems because no binding.

[dmaxalliTech]

ditto with what ronniejoe said..

I wouldnt loose any sleep over it.

[mark45678]

you will be fine! I pull a 6500# trailer at high way speed on my way snowmobileing most of the winter some time each week end its snowing! I would sugest changeing the Tcase oil its only 3 qts , I have found mine to have a lot of fine metal in the fluid....

[4diesels]

Well, You already know that you really shouldn't have done it so I bet it doesn't happen again ;) Like the other guys said, most likely no problem. If it was a curvy road you most likely would have felt the binding in the steering but on a straight road, I doubt you hurt it. The speed isn't so much an issue either as I have run mine at speed even towing when the roads are crummy.

[CODMAX]

About a year ago I did this too - while towing a 5th wheel. I changed the xfer case fluid and diff lubes but saw no evidence of wear particles. This happened with about 18k on the odometer and I had changed those fluids with about 5k on the odometer.

That little light at the switch was mostly hidden by the steering wheel and is so close the one that is always on, that I just never noticed it until I pulled in for a fuel stop.

To help prevent this, I now have another 4X4 HIGH indicator - the "4WD" indicator in the upper left instrument panel (thanks to DMAXTER and JF).

I found the info on this forum (March 2002) about adding a wire from the 4HI switch to a resistor on the back side of the IP board so that the IP indicator turns on whenever the 4HI button is pressed.

I cannot locate that info on this forum - the following link does NOT work: http://forum.thedieselpage.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=0028250

The wire I added attached to the brown/black wire in the very bottom plug in the 4x4 switch control and went to R30. When the 4HI switch is pressed, the yellow light at the switch still comes on and the red "4WD" also lights in the IP.

This is much more visible and gets my attention.

[Jimamatic]

Hey Guys.
On the subject of 4x4, What does the 4 wheel high light tell you has engaged? Is it at the transfer case, the hubs or both? Can you have the light on but not be all the way engaged?
Just curious....

[MaxACL]

When the Mid West to North East US was covered in snow a year or two ago, I made two trips from the Elkhart IN area to NJ in 4x4, both times pulling a heavy trailer. Had to! At one point I droped into 2 wheel and never moved more than a mile.

Except for running the transfer case dry and spent $3200 to replace it... no problems. But that's another story.

Mike