4 wheel drive once a month

[thumper]

i have read in a manual that it is necessary to do 10 miles in 4wd each month - is this necessary? i have also read that due to the lack of something you cannot use surfs in 4wd on roads because of axel wind up - or is that me being wound up - can anybody shed any light on this.

[Guest]

i have read in a manual that it is necessary to do 10 miles in 4wd each month - is this necessary? i have also read that due to the lack of something you cannot use surfs in 4wd on roads because of axel wind up - or is that me being wound up - can anybody shed any light on this.

It's not neccessary to do 10 miles but it is good practice to put the Surf in 4WD occcasionally to keep the ADD system working. You can do this on a straight piece of road but don't turn corners as that will cause the axle windup as there is no centre diff so the front and rear wheels are forced to turn at the same rate - on corners they normally turn at different speeds (on a right hand bend the rear offside wheel turns slowest, on left hand bends the rear nearside turns slowest. Because in 4WD the surf can't compensate for this the drivetrain comes under stress and will eventually either fix itself by slipping a wheel or it will break something.

On slippery ground this isn't a problem.

Cheers

[truckarms]

Can you not get freewheeling hubs and stick them on that way you can run the car in 4 wheel drive keeping all the gear ratios loose, but not getting axle wind up

[Gizmo]

Can you not get freewheeling hubs and stick them on that way you can run the car in 4 wheel drive keeping all the gear ratios loose, but not getting axle wind up

Freewheeling hubs allow the front wheels to 'disconnect from the drive train (loose term)' which puts less pressure on CV joints etc.. They can be bought as automatic or manual.
Manual having to be locked by hand (crap in mud up to your waste when you 4got to lock them and you need 4wheel drive...oops still in 2 wheel drive!

[surffreak]

the other option is to go off road now and again to put it through its paces

[truckarms]

Hey it takes you how long to think about locking the hubs BEFORE going into the mud? (I know I know forward planning aint easy if you are driving along a tar road and just see some mud that you want to get into) but they would make life easy for those people who dont like mud but own a 4*4 (the ones the goverment are trying to tax more).

[truckarms]

My mate just came up with the other technique for locking your hubs, out the sun roof, down the bonnet and lean over the side!!!! Gets you more at one with the mud, plus gives you a good view of how to get unstuck!!!!