Four Wheel Drive – Everything You Need to Know

Four-wheel drive ownership is the dream of many drivers. For some, they may start out with a 4×4, for others, it may take them years to upgrade to one. Regardless, keeping your 4×4 in tip-top shape is essential. With that in mind, it is important to know what to use and when to keep repair costs down, safety up, and the car performing at its fullest. Car Wreckers Adelaide offers the following information.

• Four High (4H)

  The 4H setting for your 4wheel drive is to be used when you are travelling on roads that are wet, or snowy, as well as when you are travelling on the motorway/ freeway. This is a setting that also comes in handy when you are driving in mud, packed sand, or loose gravel roads. Basically, the setting is for normal speeds when you need additional traction.

• Four Low (4L)

  The 4L setting for your 4×4 is a setting for the serious 4 wheeling, such as mud, snow, sand, rock climbing, crossing water, and hill climbing and descending. When the 4L is engaged you need to keep the speeds of your 4×4 under 40 mph. The setting is designed to provide drivers with maximum traction and power.

• Automatic Four Wheel Drive (AWD)

  The automatic four-wheel drive setting is one that allows drivers to “set it and forget it.” The setting is one that automatically shifts from two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive when needed. This is a good setting when driving on roads with variable conditions, like wet or patches of snow, etc. The setting helps reduce the risk of slipping due to unexpected road conditions. Four-wheel drives are equipped with two types of the automatic four-wheel drive. One is a full time AWD which supplies power to all four of the 4x4s wheels, but lacks in the low range torque of the four low setting. The second is a part-time AWD.

When driving on dry, smooth, or flat roads, keep the car or truck out of the 4 wheel drive setting as driving on these types of road surfaces in the 4wheel drive setting can damage your drivetrain. The four-wheel drive setting is to provide the vehicle more torque, and all tyres are engaged for movement; so, it will not help you stop. It is essential to drive at speeds that allow you to safely stop, regardless of the drive.

When you are shifting from 2wheel drive to automatic 4wheel drive or 4H, you can shift while driving at normal speeds. When you shift in or out of 4wheel drive low, it is necessary to bring the vehicle to a complete stop and not shift until the indicator light has stopped flashing. Four-wheel drive vehicles are not the standard sedan. There is a great deal of information to familiarise yourself with. Reading the owner’s manual from cover to cover is essential, and should be done before you start to drive the 4×4.

Car or truck, 4x4s are built differently, and being familiar with the vehicle is essential. If you have not read your owner’s manual for the car, do so. It provides a great deal of information on the vehicle that each 4×4 owner should be aware of, so they can properly care for their cars.

To get your car or 4×4 sold, contact Car Wreckers Adelaide. We provide quotes over the phone and online. Call us at the number below or visit our homepage to fill out our online form. Call us at 0477 413 136.