Anything I should know about the 4 wheel drive?

Hi all

I have a 2.8 auto 4x4 campervan. Have never used the 4x4 and most of the instructions I have are in japanese. I know about the locking wheel hubs and to engage them for time to time to move everything. I have a 4x4 switch on the dash and a low range lever down in front of the centre console. I also know not to operate the 4x4 when you have good grip as this will wind up the axles or something.

My questions are do I need to be stationary and in neutral before I operate the 4x4 switch and/or low range lever, on can it be done on the move in drive? Is there anything else I need to know or be careful of? How does the low range lever work? Does it just have two positions; i.e. high to low?

Going to the British GP in a few weeks which has been a washout at times. I've got 4x4 so want to make sure I know how to use it! Sorry if they are stupid questions!

Cheers

You can only move the hi/lo lever when the 4x4 button is illuminated and the autobox in N. it moves in 2 positions although a false neutral can occur between hi and lo.
When you lock the front hubs the the front wheels are driving the driveshafts/front diff and the front propshaft - you can select 4WD by pushing the dash button and the front will engage seemlessly assuming the front and rear tyres are simmilar depth of tread, otherwise there may be slight baulking as the speeds synchronise.

What I'm stil uncertain about is whether or not there's a viscous coupling in the transfer box to allow driving on dry roads without wind up - I suspect not .....

good to know. Thanks

bring on the muddy fields !

Do exercise the button periodically....or it will seize....

If you think you might need to use 4WD during a journey then engage the hubs before setting off and engage 4WD when required by pressing the button. The only downside to doing this is a slight increase in fuel consumption due to dragging the driveshafts and diff around.........

Towed a friends car up a gravel lane on a hill and for about 500 yards on road, by then it was starting to bind up make wheels make a cherping noise when I truned.

Had read that reversing would fix it, seamed to work was able to get out of 4wd after reversing 20 or so feet. But I guess that stopping and releasing the hubs should also do the same?

He'd driven into a puddle that truned out to be a few foot deep.

This system is called part time 4wd. Should only drive on slippery surfaces when in 4wd and hubs locked, or risk braking somthing. This system gives better capability in slippery terrain as it takes two wheels to loose grip before you stop going forward. In the later model SC's with full time 4wd it only takes 1 wheel to loose grip and your stuck