older 4x4 system on wet but stable surfaces

[Redlyne_mr2]

So I own a w460 chassis 1990 Mercedes G wagen. It's normally in rwd until I manually engage 4h. I've heard that driving in 4h for a long period of time can damage the transfer case. I'm trying to get a definitive answer as to whether or not this is true on these older 4x4 systems. Most say dry pavement is a definitive no but wet/snow covered pavement is a yes..

Can anyone offer some insight.

thanks

[Tik-Tok]

Older 4x4 systems usually had a very slightly different gear ratio between front and back because of the transfer case (like 0.01 difference). That's why you shouldn't drive them on dry pavement, because you'll be pushing the front wheels.

You can drive it on wet, but I wouldn't go highway speeds like that.

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
Older 4x4 systems usually had a very slightly different gear ratio between front and back because of the transfer case (like 0.01 difference). That's why you shouldn't drive them on dry pavement, because you'll be pushing the front wheels.

You can drive it on wet, but I wouldn't go highway speeds like that.

Ok that makes sense thanks for the input. I'm trying to find some definitive information as our highways in the winter go from dry to wet, to snow and with this being a short wheel based vehicle I don't want to be driving rwd on those types of roads.

[ExtraSlow]

Highway speeds are a definite no-no with this type of 4x4 system. The reccomendation I remember is to stay under about 80 km/h.

[Sugarphreak]

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[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
I used to run my Cherokee on the highway in 4H if it was slick out with no issues... drove to Vancouver and back probably at least 4 times with it fully engaged. Never had an issue with it, seemed fine to me even at speeds of 120km. This was on icy, snowy or wet roads mostly.

I've heard the stories that it reduces the life of the transfercase, but if I drove it around in 2wd it would have surely kicked the back end out at some point and killed me on the highway (and it did almost kill me a couple of times, first patch of ice it would hit and it would be ass first down the road)

I would imagine the G-wagon has a similar setup

Ya that's exactly what I'm worried about.. coming through a long sweeper exit onto Stoney today the truck went sideways, super tricky to correct because of it's wheelbase.

[r3ccOs]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2


Ya that's exactly what I'm worried about.. coming through a long sweeper exit onto Stoney today the truck went sideways, super tricky to correct because of it's wheelbase.

wow...

okay the R&P between the front and rear axel regardless of physical pumpkin size should be the SAME ratio

you cannot have different ring and pinion ratio's without detonating your transfer case at basically any speeds

YOUR system is no different than a new part-time system, which really is a true 4x4 system

the different may be whether you can shift on a fly or not...

Regardless no locking transfer case system is really designed for high-speed driving, though my rig pigs on their way up to the MAC would beg to differ

its designed to be engaged when slipping is engaged, and generally you probably shouldn't be going faster than 100k in such conditions regardless of the road

if its greasy out, engage it, if not, don't...
simple as that

AWD systems or 4wd systems with a AWD viscus transfer case (such as a Jeep Cherokee and 4runner) are ones that use a viscus fluid instead of physically locking the front and rear axel's together

this also means that power is mostly directed to one set of axels until there is excessive slip causing the fluid to turn fast enough to engage the other axel.

a transfercase splits the power physically 50/50 between the axels allowing the torque to be spread across 4 wheels, and giving you less of an ability to break traction