4WD Change for 2017?

JExpedition07 · Apr 26, 2018

star-art said:
According to the owner's manual, 2018 Expeditions apparently do have a "4H" option, but there's no button for it and it's not clear how it's activated. 2018 Expeditions with 4WD that don't have the Heavy-Duty Tow package get "2H" and "4A" buttons on the console. HD Tow comes with an "electronic limited-slip" rear axle and adds "4L" and rear locking differential buttons around the "Drive Mode" knob.

There is not really a functioning 4x4 High mode on the 18’ expy, it’s non existent. The 4A is what they refer to as 4H because it isn’t a low range gear selection. It is NOT a fully locked 4x4 High selection splitting torque 50/50 all times as we have, it’s techinally not even 4x4 it’s AWD. 4x4 Low is not standard and is an upgrade item. We have 2H 4A 4H 4L as it should be when you option 4WD on a full size vehicle.

Plati · Apr 26, 2018

Snowplow guy out in Park City last winter was telling me that no trucks are REALLY 4WD. He didnt explain it very well so I never figured out what he was talking about. Seemed to have something to do with one wheel spinning and the other not. Is TRUE 4WD just all 4 wheels are locked and turning the same or does anyone know the point he was trying to make?

Boostedbus · Apr 26, 2018

MrSticker said:
Snowplow guy out in Park City last winter was telling me that no trucks are REALLY 4WD. He didnt explain it very well so I never figured out what he was talking about. Seemed to have something to do with one wheel spinning and the other not. Is TRUE 4WD just all 4 wheels are locked and turning the same or does anyone know the point he was trying to make?

He was probably saying most 4x4 vehicles have at least an open differential in the front meaning 3 wheels driving at once at best. That’s if it has a locking rear differential or a limited slip that’s not slipping in the rear differential.But his statement is not always true because I installed a Detroit locker in the front and a Traction Lok in the rear with 4.10 gears in my 95 F150....... all 4 pull unless my clutches in the traction Lok are slipping .... he’s probably talking about most stock vehicles

bobmbx · Apr 26, 2018

MrSticker said:
Snowplow guy out in Park City last winter was telling me that no trucks are REALLY 4WD. He didnt explain it very well so I never figured out what he was talking about. Seemed to have something to do with one wheel spinning and the other not. Is TRUE 4WD just all 4 wheels are locked and turning the same or does anyone know the point he was trying to make?

Back in the day when 4WD was a utility and not a fashion statement, there would always be two wheels spinning at the same rate....locked together. One of them would be on the front, and one on the back. There was no differential between front and rear. Side to side, yes.

Snowplow guy is taking liberty with the term"4WD". He's right, in the sense that all 4 wheels aren't spinning at the same speed. "4WD" means that all four wheels can be driven. Whether they are or not is up to the system that controls it. And, back in the day, it was purely mechanical. Manual locking hubs and a transfer case shifter. And you had to be stopped and in neutral to engage the front.

Today, the traction control systems can apply power to any wheel based on what senors are telling it, and they even meter the power to each wheel. Very fancy stuff compared to a 1949 Willys or a Bronco from the '60s.

Any vehicle that has all 4 wheels locked together (unless its a super-modified vehicle, like a rock crawler) is going to break something. Period.

Muddy Bean · Apr 26, 2018

I personally don’t understand why you’d want to narrow your search to a 2017 truck that might be thousands of dollars more than a comparable 2015 or 2016 just to have a somewhat obscure option that may not actually affect your normal daily life much?

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Plati · Apr 26, 2018

Thanks & yes Stock Vehicles. I'll have to study up on "differential" and "limited slip". I'm still learning.

I think that was his point sort of, but if one wheel stops turning at all ... which does seem to happen ... some potential traction being lost I think. Obviously I know squat though.

Boostedbus · Apr 26, 2018

bobmbx said:
Back in the day when 4WD was a utility and not a fashion statement, there would always be two wheels spinning at the same rate....locked together. One of them would be on the front, and one on the back. There was no differential between front and rear. Side to side, yes.

Snowplow guy is taking liberty with the term"4WD". He's right, in the sense that all 4 wheels aren't spinning at the same speed. "4WD" means that all four wheels can be driven. Whether they are or not is up to the system that controls it. And, back in the day, it was purely mechanical. Manual locking hubs and a transfer case shifter. And you had to be stopped and in neutral to engage the front.

Today, the traction control systems can apply power to any wheel based on what senors are telling it, and they even meter the power to each wheel. Very fancy stuff compared to a 1949 Willys or a Bronco from the '60s.

Any vehicle that has all 4 wheels locked together (unless its a super-modified vehicle, like a rock crawler) is going to break something. Period.

A Detroit locker unlocks in a turn if you are off the gas to keep from breaking stuff or traction ,you’ll hear it ratchet , but get on throttle and it will lock under torque. Traction Lok or limited slip has clutches that slip in turns for the same reason. Now if you have a Spool differential like I have in my 69 Cougar Eliminator and all of my ATV’s ,then yes in a turn if it doesn’t break traction then it will break something else mechanical. Spools don’t unlock.

mossback · Apr 26, 2018

bobmbx said:
... And, back in the day, it was purely mechanical. Manual locking hubs and a transfer case shifter. And you had to be stopped and in neutral to engage the front.

A distant memory from the mid 90's: locking the front hubs on my Bronco II during snow storms and such... Good times.

I'm old fashioned for sure but I'll always prefer having a manual 4x4 selector with 4H and 4L.

star-art · Apr 26, 2018

Muddy Bean said:
I personally don’t understand why you’d want to narrow your search to a 2017 truck that might be thousands of dollars more than a comparable 2015 or 2016 just to have a somewhat obscure option that may not actually affect your normal daily life much?

I also wanted something with the lowest miles possible. I tend to keep my vehicles for a very long time (7 years for the last one, 10 years before that). This may be the last truck I ever buy so I wanted it to be as close to "new" as I could get. I couldn't find any 2015 or 2016 models around here with really low miles. . .

Boostedbus · Apr 26, 2018

Technically a limited slip differential is supposed to be a little harder on fuel VS an open diff because of the resistance to unlock clutches in turns. I’m sure it’s very minimal but I thought I’d was worth mentioning.

4WD Change for 2017?

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