Chevy suburban 4x4

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Messages
677
Location
USA
When it snows, and there is a need for 4x4, should the vehicle be put into 4-high or 4-low? It will only be driven on roads, not offroad.
 
4-high, and then only when 2wd won't suffice because of a lack of traction, and never at high speeds. Different manufacturers suggest a limit to the highest speed in 4wd. Go back into 2wd when you're past the bad stuff and don't need 4wd for traction.

4-low is for very slow driving under load; pulling your friend out of the ditch or the like.
 
Everyone has already said it, but 4-hi. What year is your suburban? Some had the Auto AWD option transfer case. That said, with decent tires I've never needed 4x4 on the road.

I recommend you find a slippery field and try out your vehicle in 2wd, 4hi, and 4 low. Practice shifting and see what each mode feels like. You'll find out on your own what works for what situation, and that 4-lo on the road is not appropriate.

Better to know now rather than try to figure it out later
 
In 4-low, probably the suburban couldn't do even 50mph?
We use 4 high for street driving in the snow, and 4 low for offroading, or logging roads and trails in the snow.
 
Only time I have had to use 4LO on the road is when I'm going through 100+ feet of reallllllllllllly deep snow and I want to just crawl, slowly.

Otherwise, if it's a few few long section of deep snow, I'll blast through in 4HI.
 
Originally Posted By: lawman1909
When it snows, and there is a need for 4x4, should the vehicle be put into 4-high or 4-low? It will only be driven on roads, not offroad.

You will almost never use 4 WD Low.
 
Originally Posted By: Bandito440
4-high, and then only when 2wd won't suffice because of a lack of traction, and never at high speeds. Different manufacturers suggest a limit to the highest speed in 4wd. Go back into 2wd when you're past the bad stuff and don't need 4wd for traction.


This. If you leave it in 4WD on dry pavement you could get some binding.
 
Could get binding? More like will, unless if there is a differential in the transfer case. I can notice binding on snow in my truck.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
Could get binding? More like will, unless if there is a differential in the transfer case. I can notice binding on snow in my truck.


Yes could. It's only likely to happen while turning. If you cruise down a straight road for a while in 4WD before kicking it back into 2WD I doubt it would bind up.

EDIT: Not that I would recommend it.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: lawman1909
When it snows, and there is a need for 4x4, should the vehicle be put into 4-high or 4-low? It will only be driven on roads, not offroad.

You will almost never use 4 WD Low.
i almost never use 4x4 high. if i need 4x4 its going to be slow like walking speeds
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: lawman1909
When it snows, and there is a need for 4x4, should the vehicle be put into 4-high or 4-low? It will only be driven on roads, not offroad.

You will almost never use 4 WD Low.
i almost never use 4x4 high. if i need 4x4 its going to be slow like walking speeds



Lots of snow in Apple valley?


I've always had a 4x4,and non of that push button garbage either. Lever on the floor.
Now over the years I might have used 4 low a handful of times. At most. Even in 4 high I get ample wheel spin in winter conditions and I'm not pulling a house.
This year I'll be driving my c3 all winter. Awd and no dumb buttons.
4 low does have it's uses,I just haven't found them yet. I'm not a rock crawler and 4high does everything I need it to do
 
4 low is a requirement for a manual trans off road vehicle for me atleast. I don't do anything crazy off road, but I don't want to break anything or get stuck either. So picking my lines at a constant walking pace is nice. I suppose with an automatic, I could do the same thing but it would be annoying to try to maintain a constant speed playing with the gas and brakes constantly.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top