OK not to sound dumb but how can I tell if Im in 4 Low. I have had my X for almost a year now and have been in 4H a few times but never been in 4L. Here is the story please bare with me. Last weekend I took my girlfriend canoeing in the middle of the woods no-where. It was mostly dirt roads and a little mud and down a steep hill to get to the river bank. While we were down river there was a downpoor that lasted several hours. By time we returned and loaded up the canoe the roads were muddy and washed out. It was a perfect trail to make an experiended offroader's wet dream. Unfortunatly Im still a novice. While being very excited I was also very nervous because I was 300 miles from home and 10 miles from any gravel or pavement. I did't want to take any chances so I figured I would try 4L.
So I put it in neutral (automatic)
Then shifted the 4WD lever down.
Acording to the markings this is 4H. No problem been there done that.
Then I tried to move the 4WD lever down again it would't go down any further.
I put it in D and then tried again. No luck. I flipped the viser down followed it step by step. Even looked at the book. (meanwhile my girlfriend is freaking out because Im reading directions) Still no luck. So is the shifter supose to be in another position when I shift to 4L or does it stay down in the second position?
2H
4H
N
4L
Doesn't that mean there are 4 positions? Like a stick shift? The top is 2H and bottom 4L. If so I only seem to have two positions.

I know this may be a dumb question to some of you but please answer me anyway. Im stuck in the woods and I want to go home and writing this from my laptop.

Ok I made it through on 4H but maybe I won't next time.

Did you push down on the lever? You have to push down on the lever while pulling back once you get past 4H. When in low the lever will be all the way down toward the back and nearly horizontal. I believe you were correct having the truck in neutral (I don't have the automatic), so it sounds like you just needed to push down on the lever. I think you need to have your foot ont he brake too, but I'm not sure. This is one of the safeguards to keep you from accidentally putting the transfer case into neutral or low range. BTW, if you don't already know this, neutral on the transfer case releases all the drivelines. When they say neutral they really mean it! Make sure you have your foot on the brake when you shift through there!

Well its fairly simple 8) When you will be in low - you will see 4wd stick going seriously close to horizontal position 8)

To do that - just stop (just to be sure). Then start, shift gear into N (while pressing brakes of course), then swiftly push cap on 4wd stick down and with same move - push it towards you and down, then move gear from N to any other...

Then of course do not forget that getting off from 4L to 4H and 2H is a wee bit of process 8)

These guys are correct, I just want to add that it will grind like hell if you do it smoothly. You have to go for it very quickly, throw it in there (even then it might grind, but it's ok). The first time I did it I was really wondering if it was normal, but now I know it is.

Also, you can even stop the engine completely with both sticks in neutral, then put it in 4L (leave the main shifter in neutral though, anyway, I think the X wouldn't even start if it's not in Park or neutral), then restart the engine. I personnaly didn't have to go that far to make it go in though.

I appreciate the input. I never thought about pushing down on the lever then pulling it back. Why isn't this in the manual?
Thanks Guys

That was a great question and thanks for asking it. I could have used the answer sooner though. Went wheeling with a group from SCCX yesterday and we came to one hill where I thought 4lo might be appropriate. I had only used 4lo one other time and that was a couple of years ago. Completely forgot about having to push down on the lever. Thanks for bringing this up. I did make it up the hill by the way, with help from the spotters.

Should've asked the spotters how to put it in 4-Lo.

It's covered in detail in the manual, with arrows showing when to push downward.

UM actually it shouldnt grind at all.... I have put mine into 4lo many times and never grind maybe you should read the manual again??

It does grind, and the manual says it should grind

I've had my truck in 4lo several times now, and I haven't had it grind since the first time. Maybe I got lucky and have a transfer case that is perfectly lined up.

Mike

Uh, no.

It should make no noise if done properly.

It will only grind if you're rolling, or if the transmission isn't in Neutral (or Park on the AT).

Think about it, the driveline isn't moving and the transmission is in neutral; none of the transfer case gears are moving.

It might be hard to shift if the gears are lined up just right but it you roll a half a foot forward it should slip right in.

Mine grinds every time if I put the transfer case in neutral. If I go straight from 2HI, or 4HI to 4LO in a smooth motion it won't grind...but if I stop in N it sure does. Even with a good motion out I get a quick grind.

I personally, I set my tranny in N, and I also set the parking brake whenever going to 4lo because personally I dont like any grinding noises at all

GRINDING = :rolleyes: BAD

Well i dont use parking brake when doing shift, just regular one, and i dont hear any grinding actually

You can hear "clang" sound, when stuff getting engaged, but not grinding.

You should never put the transfer lever in neutral.

I can't think of a good reason to do so....but why is it bad?

Because it grinds like crazy.

DO NOT DO THIS. dirt rider gave bad advice. Flip open the manual. It specifically says not to do this. Think about it, no power means no power brakes. Using 4L means you probably on some steep terrain. Not wise to be in neutral with both sticks and have a fading hydraulic brake. think "Lion's Back".

Well, I don't have anything to say for or against turning the engine off while shifting. I don't turn it off, but I also put it in 4-lo before I'm heading down, or up, a big hill, so it wouldn't roll even if I did turn the engine off and keep it in neutral. If you make the shift fast enough and in one motion, you should be fine and not get any grinding.

Mike

Mike -- That's the way to do it. Put it in 4L *before* you need it.

XC is dead on about **NOT** turning the engine off in N when going to 4L. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, even on a slight slope.

hum, turning the engine off on a slope is not a good idea, I must agree. I just assumed most people put it in 4L before the slope. Anyway, I never did this myself, this is just what my buddy said the GM mechanic told him to do if it grinds too much. It may or may not be a good advice, I never tried it myself and probably won't either!

Personnaly, I get some grinding if I go smooth, and pretty much no grinding if I go fast. That's all, and I know for a fact that this is not uncommon and even though it doesn't sound good, it's normal. People who get no grinding are lucky, of course it's better without grinding! But something must be moving in the TC, or otherwise there would be no grinding even if the gears are not aligned, they would just not engage at all.

As far as not engaging the tranfer in N, I could swear that it goes like this: 2H-4H-N-4L. You have to go thru N to get to 4L, just no way around it, did I miss something??

If it's grinding, then it's not normal, and it's wearing out parts in the transfer case.

I've seen a lot of people handle the transfer case lever too gently, and listened to it grind.

Grab it, and yank it back as quickly as you can, then push it down, and do it again. You won't break it.

Watch this video I made, and don't do it any other way.

How to Shift the Transfer Case

Sorry about the lame-ass Quicktime format. You'll have to allow Apple to fuck up your computer in order to watch it.

I hadn't actually tried to go into 4lo yet. 4hi several times. I tried it today for grins. The push in is the key and I had zero grinding.

Thanks xoc. I thought about what you said about not going into N on transfer, and realized you meant no pause in N. I saw your video and see what you mean, I'll do it that way next time. See, I thought I had it figured out, oh well, time to go home, I learned something for today.

I'm just wondering though, why is it that you can't put the transmission lever into park when the transfer case is in neutral ?
I did it by mistake when I first got my X, the transmission, not the transfer case, started to grind like crazy. It's the same grinding as if you put the transmission into park while the vehicle is moving. I didn't even know what to do back then, so I quickly switched off the engine.

It's because the transmission is sending power out the back to the transfer case. The transfer case is in neutral, so there is nothing stopping the output shaft of the transmission from turning.

Basically it's like you're driving slowly, and you shifted into Park.

On the 03 if you flip the drivers side viser down it tells you how to shift to 4lo

Its there on all models actually, but its not very well written - hence all that confusion about not pushing head of transfer case. If it wont be for this board - i probably would be asking same question now

Neither do I, I have only used 4LO once and i didnt really NEED it but i thought i would put it in 4LO just to see if i could, no grinding i threw the lever really fast and cranked my hand on the cupholder because i threw it so hard.

Just go into 4lo when you first hit the trails. Then you don't have to worry about it when you are on an incline and need it. Less trail damage is a good thing.

4hi is only good for snow or slippery roads not trails.