I'm a bit confused on using 4lo. What benefit is there compared to 4hi? From what I see, whether in snow, mud or pulling my boat out from the water on a slippery slope, 4hi is fine. What am I missing? Is there a difference from 4hi in first? TIA, Thomas.

Have you ever put your truck in 4Low?

With you asking this question I get the feeling you have never tried it.

Word!

I've put it in 4Lo, and apart from the car feeling a lot heavier, i don't see any other difference.

Can't anyone just ask a valid question without getting remarks like the one from Carlton?...jeez!

-Mango

But Carlton had the best point.

Basically he suggested that they try to put it in 4lo and the differences should be obvious. (assuming they were off-road and on a steep-ish hill)

Have you ever ridden a multi-speed bicycle? Ever ridden around in 1st gear? You don't go very fast, but your power is more easily distributed to get you up a hill or over a hump, through some sand, or over some rough terrain?

Same thing with your truck. Its a bit easier on your engine when you use 4-lo to push through rougher or stickier terrain, or up steep hills when you're towing heavier loads (like trying to get my ice-house un-stuck from a frozen lake at the end of the season).

Heavier ???

I have to agree with Carlton on this one...

Try it....You will like it if off road when you need that power to get up + over or slow you coming down.

No snow in Texas but must agree with you maybe not a lot of help in snow with 4Lo

Nope 4hi is better in the snow......

Let me hijack this thread somewhat by asking another question: I've always used 4-lo with the auto transmission (yes, I know, sorry...) in first gear. Since you're not supposed to use 4 lo at speeds higher than, what, 30 MPH, would it really make any difference if I left the shifter in D? Meaning, could it ever really shift out of first gear in 4-lo?

Yes it will shift out of first on the auto if you leave it in D. I drive on tougher trails with it in lo and 1st on my auto all the time.

This was part of my question in a way. What difference is there between 4hi with the shifter in first or 4lo in drive? Thomas

Basically the available ratios and torque.

In Lo range, your gearing is twice as low as Hi range (2.02:1).

An automatic will do a better job at low speeds because it will be regearing as you drive, still, a steep hill will stall an automatic in 4Hi.

If it hasn't happened to you, then you haven't been up a steep hill yet

Alright forget about the transmission. Assume you only have 1st gear. In 4H you can go the same speed as in 2H in 1st gear at the same RPM. Put it in 4LO and you can only go half as fast in 1st gear(the half as fast may not be exactly right, but you get the idea).

This means you can crawl up a hill without bogging down the engine, because the engine is turning faster, but you are going slower. If you try a steep hill in 4H in 1st gear and it is to steep your engine will bog down and eventually die. With the RPMs up in 4L your engine will not bog down nearly as quickly. It is just like trying to take off from a red light in third gear with a standard. The engine bogs down and dies. If you try to take off in 1st it is easier for the engine to push the weight of the vehicle. The engine gets to turn more times to move over the same distance. Make sense now?

The difference is less pronounced when using an automatic in Drive, because the tranny shifts on it's own.

Heck Ian, I need some t-case gears. I have nearly stalled my automatic in 4 lo on several occasions.

BTW, I really like the 3.92:1 gears. The Xterra will crawl up a 20 degree slope now without touching the gas. I actually got out in Moab and walked along side the Xterra as it crawled along.

Highly recommended.

OK, so is there ever a situation where you'd take it out of first gear while in 4 lo?

In my experience, very rarely, but yes... Going down a steep iced-over hill I was in 4-lo and had the tranny in first. Like a smart lad, I was trying to use the engine compression instead of brakes to prevent my X from breaking loose and sliding down the hill. But, the compression was a bit high and the gear ratio was too restricting so the wheels would break loose and slip, then catch again. I dropped it into 2nd and the ratios worked out perfect. I didn't have to ride the brakes and I didn't break loose for the rest of the hill (about 1/8th mile at 10 mph). That is the only time I've ever encountered that scenario.

4Lo in D or 2 still gives you a lower gearing than if you were in the same selection in 4 Hi. I use D or 2 with 4Lo in light to moderate sand without many inclines.

Where you got yours from? 8)

The only place available... CALMINI.

My old '73 Landcruiser was the same..you could walk alongside it..up a hill and then down...

Same with my old '77 CJ-7.
Gearing is in my opinion one of the most important things for off-roading.

Sure saves wear and tear on the clutch.

When I'm off road I'm almost always in 4Lo and D.

You don't have to have keep in it a low gear just becasue its in 4Lo. Even in 4Lo and D (with the transmission in 4th) its hard to go faster tahn 30MPH without the engine screaming.

For me I use 4Hi offroad when I expect to be going at speeds over 20-25MPH regularly, and 4Lo when I don't think I'll be going over 20MPH.

Plus as situations call for it you'll want to swtich back and forth sometimes.

people can try to explain it in text all you want, but if you're a hands-on learner like i am, you really have to go out there and try it yourself. before i got my xterra i had a rough understanding of a 2-speed transfer case but that didn't mean anything since i had never really used one. once i started wheeling and got in situations where i NEEDED 4lo, i truly understood the advantage of it.

and if you haven't needed 4lo yet, you ain't pushing your xterra hard enough .
it's ok, the xterra's tough. it can take it .

disclaimer: all above mentioned tips have been given assuming the driver has "common sense". any foolhardy or straight out "dumbassery" on the driver's part cannot be used against me in case something bad happens .