Yet Another Newbie With 4WD Querstions (Sorry)

[Project Hover]

Hi,
I have just become the proud owner of a 1994 Surf 3.0TD SSX Limited (or not so Limited as i have read) and have luckily found this site which has provided me with a wealth of information in laymans terms bar one.

I believe mine to be a 2nd gen automatic and has a second lever with H4, N,L on it and a 4wd button. I understand that the button engages 4wd but after reading that you can do some serious damage by fiddling without knowing what you are doing i have not plucked up the courage to use it.

I am going to Somerset on Saturday morning for a Hovercraft meet which takes place at a rather large pond and field. If i do find that i need to engage 4wd for what ever reason my questions are:

1: Should this be done with the engine on or off?
2: What order should it all be done?
3: Am i right in understanding that it is best to either use High or Low
Ratio and not really bother with the other at all?
4: What should the usual driving (Road / Tarmac) setting be, at the
moment it is set on L, 4WD button off.


Thank you for reading this and i hope i am not causing people the repeat their posts, i have read the FAQ's but the ones that refer to 4WD don't seem to have the same settings described as on mine.

I would prefer to ask you guys and gals rather than dealers.

Thanks again
Shelly

[Morr]

............. 2nd gen automatic and has a second lever with H4, N,L on it and a 4wd button. ............

1: Should this be done with the engine on or off?
2: What order should it all be done?
3: Am i right in understanding that it is best to either use High or Low
Ratio and not really bother with the other at all?
4: What should the usual driving (Road / Tarmac) setting be, at the
moment it is set on L, 4WD button off.


.......

Normal driving on Tarmac and hard surfaces is in H without pressing the button.
Pressing the button in H gives you 4wd in high ratio, good for use on loose surfaces, mud snow, hard sand etc.
Moving the lever thru N (Neutral) to L will engage 4wd (regardless of button position) and also engage Low ratio, this will give you more pulling power in extreme off-road situations.

You can select/deselect the 4wd button on the move at up to approx 100Kph.
Selecting L should be done when stationary.

4wd should never be selected on hard surfaces with good traction as damage to the drivetrain can result.

[Gizmo]

Hi,
I have just become the proud owner of a 1994 Surf 3.0TD SSX Limited (or not so Limited as i have read) and have luckily found this site which has provided me with a wealth of information in laymans terms bar one.

I believe mine to be a 2nd gen automatic and has a second lever with H4, N,L on it and a 4wd button. I understand that the button engages 4wd but after reading that you can do some serious damage by fiddling without knowing what you are doing i have not plucked up the courage to use it.

I am going to Somerset on Saturday morning for a Hovercraft meet which takes place at a rather large pond and field. If i do find that i need to engage 4wd for what ever reason my questions are:

1: Should this be done with the engine on or off?
2: What order should it all be done?
3: Am i right in understanding that it is best to either use High or Low
Ratio and not really bother with the other at all?
4: What should the usual driving (Road / Tarmac) setting be, at the
moment it is set on L, 4WD button off.


Thank you for reading this and i hope i am not causing people the repeat their posts, i have read the FAQ's but the ones that refer to 4WD don't seem to have the same settings described as on mine.

I would prefer to ask you guys and gals rather than dealers.

Thanks again
Shelly

Generally, on Road/Tarmac you should not use 4wd as you will get what is called 'wind-up' due to stresses with differentials not set up for front/back wheels turning at different speeds.

Usual setting fro tarmac is 4wd off and in D for Drive with High set on other selector.

The L on the second selector is for Low Ratio which gives low down 'grunt/torque/ which helps you to pull or get out of things......

To place the High and LOw ratio selector you need to have the main stick in N for neutral.

[Project Hover]

So what you're telling me is that since driving it home and around to get an immobiliser fitted today i have been driving it in 4wd because the second lever is set to L.

I have not noticed anything or felt anything untoward, i hope it is not damaged.

What does the H4 mean then ?(this is what i shall select before driving tomorrow.)

Thanks for your speedy reply, nice to actually get some info from someone who is not just trying to make a sale.

[Morr]

So what you're telling me is that since driving it home and around to get an immobiliser fitted today i have been driving it in 4wd because the second lever is set to L.

I have not noticed anything or felt anything untoward, i hope it is not damaged.

What does the H4 mean then ?(this is what i shall select before driving tomorrow.)

Thanks for your speedy reply, nice to actually get some info from someone who is not just trying to make a sale.

H4 is high ratio gearing (normal ratio gears) 2 or 4 wheel drive in this position is determined by button.
As you've been driving in L (and hence 4wd with low ratio) you will notice an immediate difference in driving when you switch to H, less frequent gear changes, more speed and lighter steering.

Sometimes after using 4wd on tarmac it can be sticky returning to 2wd (4wd light on dash will extinguish when properly in 2wd), if this proves to be the case, try reversing a few feet and/or moving the steering from side to side while moving slowly.

[Gizmo]

So what you're telling me is that since driving it home and around to get an immobiliser fitted today i have been driving it in 4wd because the second lever is set to L.

I have not noticed anything or felt anything untoward, i hope it is not damaged.

What does the H4 mean then ?(this is what i shall select before driving tomorrow.)

Pressing the button in H gives you 4wd in high ratio, good for use on loose surfaces, mud snow, hard sand etc. Taken from Morr..hope this doesn't have copyright

Thanks for your speedy reply, nice to actually get some info from someone who is not just trying to make a sale.

[Project Hover]

H4 is high ratio gearing (normal ratio gears) 2 or 4 wheel drive in this position is determined by button.
As you've been driving in L (and hence 4wd with low ratio) you will notice an immediate difference in driving when you switch to H, less frequent gear changes, more speed and lighter steering.

Sometimes after using 4wd on tarmac it can be sticky returning to 2wd (4wd light on dash will extinguish when properly in 2wd), if this proves to be the case, try reversing a few feet and/or moving the steering from side to side while moving slowly.

Thank you very much, thought it was already pretty powerful, knocked spots off of my old Intercooled Shogun LWB, can't wait to have a go with the correct gearing selected.

Actually i am going out now

[rich]

Low ratio, I bet it went like a rocket from pullaway

[Stevo7]

To place the High and LOw ratio selector you need to have the main stick in N for neutral.[/QUOTE]


Do you need to put it back in Drive once selecting H/L or do you drive around in Neutral?!

This thread has confused me even more!!!

[Gizmo]

To place the High and LOw ratio selector you need to have the main stick in N for neutral.

Do you need to put it back in Drive once selecting H/L or do you drive around in Neutral?!

This thread has confused me even more!!![/QUOTE]


Yep put it back into Drive!!!

[Tallyman]

If you put the small lever into N you won't go anywhere as it acts the same as normal neutral in the gearbox. Found that out when the dealer was doing some warranty work on mine and someone had left it parked in neutral.. Never was sure if they'd been driving it round in 4WD though.

[TBIRDVIC]

Does this apply to 3rd Gen Surf

Hi Maurice

Does your description gear selection apply to 3rd Gen's as well. The reason I ask is that with 4wd without diff on it should not cause wind-up. Is that right or not ???? I have been told that the gearbox on 2nd gen is different from 3rd gen and therefore going into 4wd (without diff on) is ok.

Cheers

Vic.................

[Greebo]

Second Gen Auto.

first pic, high ratio, 4wd button out = 2 wheel drive (normal conditions)

Second pic, high ratio, 4wd button in = 4 wheel drive (mud, snow, gravel ect)

Third pic, low ratio, 4wd button in or out = 4 wheel drive in low ratio (much more extreem off road conditions)

from first pic to second pic at up to 100kph
from first pic or second pic to third pic at a stand and with main gearstick in nuetral.

[da SLUG man]

Low ratio, I bet it went like a rocket from pullaway

all the way to 10mph!

[jax]

Hi Maurice

Does your description gear selection apply to 3rd Gen's as well. The reason I ask is that with 4wd without diff on it should not cause wind-up. Is that right or not ???? I have been told that the gearbox on 2nd gen is different from 3rd gen and therefore going into 4wd (without diff on) is ok.

Cheers

Vic.................

You can select 4wd(by pressing the button) in H in a 3rd gen and drive on the roads, but I wouldn't recommend high speeds. The green lights should light up the wheels on the picture on the dash but not the orange spot in the middle (diff).

Any other selection will lock the diff automatically whether you press the 4wd button or not (check orange spot on picture, should be lit) and you can only drive on loose stuff, mud etc. Hopes this helps.


Jacqueline