why cant i go over 80 with 4wd?
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KB,
The Nitro 4WD is s true locking 4WD, which means that it has no differential action between the front and the back. This gives better traction in the snow and mud but it can't be driven on dry pavement like an AWD vehicle.
In theory you could go fast if you were in a straight line and nver turned.
Basically don't use 4WD unless you are stuck and need it.
Ken
The Nitro 4WD is s true locking 4WD, which means that it has no differential action between the front and the back. This gives better traction in the snow and mud but it can't be driven on dry pavement like an AWD vehicle.
In theory you could go fast if you were in a straight line and nver turned.
Basically don't use 4WD unless you are stuck and need it.
Ken
If you find yourslef going that fast with 4 wheel drive on, then maybe you don't need 4 wheel drive on, it not made for that unlike AWD. I only use my 4x4 when I get stuck in the snow and have never gone that fast. The fastest I have gone is 25mph with 4x4 on. But like KenCary said it is a true locking 4x4 so it is creat when you get stuck, but not so great when you need to turn on dry pavement going that fast. It causes a lot of stress on those parts.
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There is no reason you can't go that fast in 4WD. That is old thinking, and is no longer true.
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I'm thinking you're right. When I went for my test drive, I specifically asked the rep about this. He said, "don't worry about it, any speed". I flipped back and forth at all speeds. I really put it through the paces, no noise or problems whatsoever. I haven't read every word yet, but I can't find a reference to this in my manual. I'll probably be careful, but I'm not that worried either.
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The manual says two things. First, that you can drive pretty much any speed:
Since 4 wheel drive provides improved traction, there is
a tendency to exceed safe turning and stopping speeds.
Do not go faster than road conditions permit.
Second, that the transfer case (4WD) is engaged electronically, and that it will not engage if there is cause for it not to (like you try to engage it while you're spinning wheels):
If any of the requirements to select a new
transfer case position have not been met, the transfer case
will not shift. The “4WD” Indicator Light (located in the
display under the tachometer) will flash until all the
requirements for the selected position have been met.
Since 4 wheel drive provides improved traction, there is
a tendency to exceed safe turning and stopping speeds.
Do not go faster than road conditions permit.
Second, that the transfer case (4WD) is engaged electronically, and that it will not engage if there is cause for it not to (like you try to engage it while you're spinning wheels):
If any of the requirements to select a new
transfer case position have not been met, the transfer case
will not shift. The “4WD” Indicator Light (located in the
display under the tachometer) will flash until all the
requirements for the selected position have been met.
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This sums it up well...if you think you need 4WD over 80 then your going way too fast for the conditions...slow down and take a moment to consider the safety of others on the road..
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4WD should only be used when traction is needed ie snow, mud, ice. Using this system on dry pavement can seriously damage your transfer case. If you feel anything unusual, turn it off.
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With 4WD on, it will feel like your turning radius is reduced. But it's not some smart design, it's just the way 4WD works. It is locked so that the speed of the front axle matches the rear axle. The open differential on the front axle can accommodate a difference in speed between the front wheels, but only to a point. You will end up with some slippage on one or both front wheels, and due to that, they won't pull the front end around as sharply as normal.
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Just to be clear, he's only talking about 80 km/h or 50 mph. There are times when that is not too fast for 4WD conditions. There are other times when driving that speed will cause more danger than driving a bit faster (like when everyone is passing you on a very snowy highway with no visible lane lines).
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Im sorry, but if conditions call for 4wd even 50 mph is pretty fast to be driving. I live near an interstate & have a police scanner & most of the accidents in poor weather conditions are caused by people driving too fast. To each there own, but I would rather drive safe for my own protection & my families & hopefully not harm anyone else. If you kill someone you have to live with that on your conscience the rest of your life, for what. just to get somewhere 5 minutes faster? Its like the guys that tailgate & pass you only to meet them at the next stoplite or in a ditch. Slow down enjoy life, smell the roses as they say.
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We don't get snow very often in Seattle, and in bad weather with slippery roads (snowy or icy), there are a lot of 4x4 vehicles in the ditch. Seems they don't realize that simply having 4-wheel-drive doesn't mean you can automatically go faster. It takes a 4wd vehicle just as long to STOP as it does a non-4wd vehicle.
The first thing I did with my new Nitro was upgrade the tires (tyres for some) to Toyo All-Terrain tires ... much better traction in the snow. I feel much more confident in the snow knowing the traction is good. I'm a reasonably capable driver in those conditions ... I head up to the Pass during the winter just to practice!
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Agreed, but what do you do when you have a LOT of transports passing you at 55 mph where no one can see the lanes? That's a LOT scarier than driving 55 mph. You know THEY can't stop as fast as you. You must assess the situation and hopefully do the least risky thing. I know, I wrote off a Jeep at 55 mph once, although it didn't even have ABS, and that alone would probably have been enough to save me. I was driving too fast for conditions (it was icy, not snowy and way too much traffic), and I have a lot more respect for inertia now.
Maybe, but while I would go 60 mph in snow, I definitely wouldn't tailgate... that's the most idiotic, most useless, dangerous act in driving, IMO.
But really, the question was about the Nitros 4WD, not ethics.
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You should be fine, but it is a no-no to drive on dry pavement in 4WD.
There are 2 issues here.
1. Safety
2. Locking 4WD
ON item 2 you are dead wrong about going as fast as you want. The Nitro is a locking 4WD system NOT a full time 4WD system. This provides great traction but has no differential action when turning.
So yes you can go fast in a 4WD Nitro, but ONLY if is in a perfectly straight line or if you are offroad on loose dirt, gravel, mud etc that can provide slippage for the tires.
This is why the Nitro 4WD is called part-time 4WD.
Go fast on dry pavement in 4WD and you will tear up your tires, transfer case and U-joints.
Ken
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We're beating a dead horse here, but he is not wrong... he didn't say you could drive as fast as you want in 4WD on dry pavement. In fact, speed is irrelevant in your argument, as you shouldn't drive ANY speed in 4WD on dry pavement.
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