Engaging 4WD

[cp1969]

That is close to the method I've always used on manual transfer case trucks.

What I do is drive with the wheels hard left (or right), then reverse direction and keep just a little pressure on the transfer case lever. When the driveline unwinds, at some point it is no longer in a bind and the pressure on the lever is enough that it will click right out of 4WD. I've yet to have this method fail.

 

[Boondox]

Wow, Mark! That works really well! I used the turning the wheel back and forth method in the past, but your way works much better.

On the other hand, with my land the only time I ever leave 4WD is to see if the lever still works! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[MChalkley]

Pete - I know what you mean about needing 4WD pretty much all the time up where you are. Beautiful country, too.

With my new buggy, 4WD is all there is. Don't have to worry about taking it in and out, though.

MarkC

 

[Bird]

I'm probably just about the opposite, Pete; only use 4WD maybe 20-25% of the time, but if the lever doesn't slip in or out easily, the first thing I do is move the tractor forward or backward just barely enough to tell it moved (never measured the distance, so I'll take Mark's word for it that it's maybe a quarter of an inch/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif). That's usually all it takes.

 

[cisco]

Well, I've a L3410 with 45 hours - should run about the same. To get into 4WD can be a bit tough, but not much. I can usually, when driving along (not with wheels spinning at different speeds while stuck in a ditch, etc) , just give the lever a good yank - if that doesn't work, stop, start to inch forward & yank again (if you're stuck, just about the time the wheels start to turn as you engage forward/reverse is a good time to yank the lever). Getting it out of 4WD is easy, just step on the lever, whenever. What I don't like, as far as ergonomics, is the rear differential lock-up lever. Dumb place. You can't stomp on it easily if you're using your right foot to control the gas (must switch to throttle lever) , or if you might need to brake shortly after coming free. Why couldn't that lever be easily accessible with the left foot?

 

[Bird]

Wow, Cisco, sure hope you're kiddin'./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Boondox]

It's funny how different our respective parcels of land can be, isn't it? Some of us have perfectly flat land with great, fertile soil where every single seed germinates and grows like gangbusters! Others, myself included, live on steep hillsides where the only flat ground is taken up by the house, and the 'soil' barely covers granite ledge. And how about the variance in growing seasons!?! Here, it snows from October till May, sometimes June. And the first frost sometimes hits in early September, with the last one in June. Try growing veggies in this sort of weather!

And yet, the wonderful thing is we all love our land just the way it is! /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com