4WD experts needed!

[Prorider17]

Forgive my serious newby question here, but I've always owned 2WD vehicles until now. My Z71 Tahoe has 4WD with the auto 4WD button. What's the protocol for safe engagement at the boat ramp? When should I engage 4WD? The manual says one thing, but I would appreciate all the advice I can get.

 

[Scottydoggs]

id only be in 4wd if it is low tide and the ramp is wet and i had a large boat.

and id be in 4 wheel high, not auto.

 

[Shaw520]

And just to ad to what scottyd said,.. Using 4wd on pavement can be very binding on the drivetrain, especial while turning. I try to avoid using 4wd unless conditions are very slippery.

 

[Prorider17]

Thanks guys. Will it do any harm if I engaged 4WD while on the ramp (if I experienced traction loss) vs. engaging it while backing down the ramp?

 

[Shaw520]

No harm there,.especially while staying straight. But return to 2wd before make turns on dry pavement

 

[Doubeleive]

as long as your going straight in 4wd your generally fine (forward or reverse), it's when you are turning that it will bite/grab, mild turns are ok but you will see right away what happens on sharper turns on pavement. on these trucks you can safely switch back and forth to 4hi/auto4 at anytime, shift into 4 lo is done only when (fully stopped or 3mph max)

 

[Prorider17]

Thanks all. I'm just trying to figure out the best process for putting my truck into 4WD at the ramp. I figured I'd either engage as the trailer's going in the water, or when I go to pull the boat out and experience slippage. I don't like mashing gears or anything when engaging 4WD.

 

[Shaw520]

Understandably so,... I would engage it just as youre backing in,.. I know too well that dreaded feeling of spinning while a massive boat/trailer is attempting to drag you in the water. My particular ramp in the Hudson has a 10ft drop off at the end,... roll back to far and you risk loosing your entire rig into the murky depths of the Hudson River !

 

[Scottydoggs]

ive saved a few guys trucks at the ramp, dont forget the e brake. i ran and jumped in a few trucks to nail the brakes and stop them from sliding in the water. one guy was like f it, your in there, drive it out please!!!! lol

if your going in the ocean your dealing with tides, the ramps are deadly slick when wet at low tide.

when ever im on a hill or incline, especially like a boat ramp with the trailer loaded i always put the trans in neutral, set the e brake, let off the foot brake to let it roll and settle, then put it in park. this way your not sitting there with all that weight on the park pwal. and it will come out of park with ease vs pulling on it then hearing that ping sound.

remember to put it in gear first, then take off the e brake. or you just defeated the whole purpose of setting the e brake.

for the most part i maybe used 4wd once or twice with my 2500 hd and 4,000 boat. if i needed it i stopped and put it in 4wd. saw no need to put it in 4wd unless i was getting stuck, and that was a rare event for me.

i also had a locking rear, maybe the difference. if one wheel slips a 1/2 turn you got both back tires locked in fully, like a spool rear.

 

[Prorider17]

ive saved a few guys trucks at the ramp, dont forget the e brake. i ran and jumped in a few trucks to nail the brakes and stop them from sliding in the water. one guy was like f it, your in there, drive it out please!!!! lol

if your going in the ocean your dealing with tides, the ramps are deadly slick when wet at low tide.

when ever im on a hill or incline, especially like a boat ramp with the trailer loaded i always put the trans in neutral, set the e brake, let off the foot brake to let it roll and settle, then put it in park. this way your not sitting there with all that weight on the park pwal. and it will come out of park with ease vs pulling on it then hearing that ping sound.

remember to put it in gear first, then take off the e brake. or you just defeated the whole purpose of setting the e brake.

for the most part i maybe used 4wd once or twice with my 2500 hd and 4,000 boat. if i needed it i stopped and put it in 4wd. saw no need to put it in 4wd unless i was getting stuck, and that was a rare event for me.

i also had a locking rear, maybe the difference. if one wheel slips a 1/2 turn you got both back tires locked in fully, like a spool rear.

Is there any risk to putting it in 4WD while on the ramp if I experience slipping?

 

[Scottydoggs]

if your going slow, stop and then put it in 4 hi. id rather not be spinning the back wheels then make it go into 4wd. seems harsh.

if you go for 4 low you need to stop and put it in N then 4 low, you'll hear a clunk, then you can drive off.

if you so worried just put it in 4 hi after you spin around at the ramp and back in. if taking it out, back in then put it in 4 hi before you drive off with the loaded trailer.

 

[swathdiver]

Is there any risk to putting it in 4WD while on the ramp if I experience slipping?

Could be too late, seconds count! You could engage AUTO but if it were me, I'd engage the front axle while backing so that it's ready for anything. And if using my truck, I'd be in 4LO.

 

[Doubeleive]

Is there any risk to putting it in 4WD while on the ramp if I experience slipping?

I personally would already have it engaged regardless if it might slip or not, its there why not use it?

 

[Garandman]

Don’t know where Casey is, but in Boston we have 10’ tides and Maine can be even more. As a result, ramps are steep, usually wet, and often covered in vegetation.

Going in should be no problem, but coming out we would use 4WD or 4WD low every time. Our boats are 3,500 and just under 6,000 on the Trailer.

Backing down in 2WD shouldn’t be a problem but 95 out of 100 people with 4WD vehicles would engage it anyway, because Tahoe’s don’t float very well. Every season there is someone who doesn’t engage the brakes and winds up drowning their vehicle, and once it’s immersed in salt water it’s toast.

 

[David Smith]

I typically get lined up with the ramp the best that I can (so that I have to do minimal turning) and engage 4LO. Back it in, pull it out. Get to the top of the ramp, put it back in 2WD.

If I can see that the ramps are busy and that I may have to do a bit more maneuvering to get to the ramp, I wait until I am fully on the ramp (you're probably going to be going straight by the time you are physically on the ramp) and lock it in 4LO.

To each is their own, the main thing is not to make any turns, or minimal if you must, while in 4WD. You will feel the resistance when doing so. Good warning to straighten it back out before you damage anything.

Hope this helps!

 

[PG01]

Leave it in auto and don’t worry about it... turn, dont turn.. youll be fine. once the rear slips, front will kick in and drag your ass out... if it dont pull out in auto switch to 4 high... no its not good to turn in 4hi or low on dry pvmt but 1 or 2 turns and you’ll remember to swap it back to auto or 2 wheel drive. You can drive in auto all you want all it does is lock the hubs until power is needed or ‘transferred’ to the front.

 

[Etraeger]

I would think that if you are just engaging it when you are launching the boat or hauling it out of the water and you will most likely be doing so straight in and out, there would be no problem. Better safe than soggy!