New guy here, 2019 Limited w/o 4L. For us that don't have 4L, what drive mode best emulates that? Coming from several rigs that had 4L, (and rear lockers) I'd like to hear some real life experiences. The drive modes seem kind of gimmicky to me.
4A vs 4L driving modes
- Thread starter Dclr
- Start date
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JExpedition07
That One Member
The closest you can do is 4H and put the transmission in low gear, not quite a replacement but may be enough to do what you need it to do. 4L is mainly for deep sand and mud as well as *rock crawling* if anyone does that in these lol. 4L is also for pulling boats out at a ramp, it’s the recommended mode for yanking a boat in my owners manual. Yes the drive modes are pretty gimmicky but they do help a little. 4L essentially is an extremely low gear (torque multiplier), it’s similar to when you compare a 3.15 to a 3.73, extra torque multiplied to the drive wheels. It lowers the final drive out of the T-Case and delivers more torque (twist force) to both axles. Slows down rotation and increases twist force is the key to remember.
You cannot replace it as it’s a mechanical gearing advantage when used properly. But you can use the included traction control and regular 4WD as well as working with your transmission to navigate without.
You cannot replace it as it’s a mechanical gearing advantage when used properly. But you can use the included traction control and regular 4WD as well as working with your transmission to navigate without.
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JExpedition07
That One Member
lol, 4L has saved me before as well. I call it the ‘last resort’, it’s your buddy there on standby to drag you out of deep doo-doo....literally.
Thanks for the quick responses but I'm primarily looking for which mode is ideal for pulling out a tree stump or mud stuck vehicle when on I'm on pavement. If nothing else, I'll try them all and see what works
The drive modes do a lot more than you think. They change the traction control sensitivity, shock settings if you have CCD’s, throttle response, steering input, transmission shift points and lock up. But they can’t replace mechanical gears. I would think turning off the traction control, using manual shifting and tow/haul or Sport would be the best you could do.
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nobrainer
Active Member
I've noticed that when I have it in 4A (assume A=Automatic, because who reads manuals) it resorts to rear wheel drive almost immediately. While it's dry I don't care, but with winter months upon us, I would say I'm a bit concerned with the truck being in RWD mode so much.
Calidad
Full Access Members
The new clutch based AWD stuff is insanely quick in how it responds to tire slip.
And its far more complicated err advanced than just power allocation. The logic in these new Fords also combine power with distributed brake force to both avoid ie minimize traction loss but to also help rotate the car into a turn etc. The logic behind this 4wheel traction stuff is getting pretty advanced far far beyond just power to wheels.
Plus the logic in 2H vs 4A is likely different also more traction monitoring paired with direction, speed, G force etc logic to keep things going in the desired direction not just power to wheels.
sjwhiteley
Full Access Members
I was personally a bit concerned about not having a direct 4H and 4L. For example, driving across grass, you could put it in 4H even though you don’t necessarily need it, but it reduced the likelihood of slipping and tearing up the grass.
however, even though I’ve only got a few hundred miles, it looks like the torque allocation isn’t purely to the rear wheels even if it’s not slipping. As already said, it’s dynamic. Haven’t put it to a critical test, yet, though...I’ll let the newness wear off!
as for 4L, I don’t know: I’d play with the mode and see which one responds best for the condition. Like hill descent control (used it in a different vehicle and was extremely impressed) there’s technology in there which may exceed performance expectations, and what a solid 4wd lock and driver alone could do.
however, even though I’ve only got a few hundred miles, it looks like the torque allocation isn’t purely to the rear wheels even if it’s not slipping. As already said, it’s dynamic. Haven’t put it to a critical test, yet, though...I’ll let the newness wear off!
as for 4L, I don’t know: I’d play with the mode and see which one responds best for the condition. Like hill descent control (used it in a different vehicle and was extremely impressed) there’s technology in there which may exceed performance expectations, and what a solid 4wd lock and driver alone could do.
aggiegrad05
Full Access Members
Check this out from the manual..specifically the “NOTE”:
4A - 4X4 AUTO
Provides electronic controlled four-wheel drive with power delivered to the front and rear wheels, as required, for increased traction. When you select this mode, the information display shows 4A. The system continuously monitors road conditions, driver input as well as other vehicle sensors and optimizes the system's behavior based on drive mode selection.
Note: On vehicles with a rotary drive mode switch, 4A should remain on in Mud/Rut and Sand but with aggressive tuning which provides electronically locked four-wheel drive power to front and rear wheels, the same as traditional 4H.
nobrainer
Active Member
Mine has the rotary nob, but it always defaults back to normal. I generally manually move it to eco even though I expect limited benefit in the less than 20mi round trip I drive each day to work and back.
sjwhiteley
Full Access Members
I missed that note about mud/sand setting. It does sound placating for those who think it isn’t like a true 4H mode, but it probably does work just as well. Probably best to try it, before you actually need it
It’s also interesting to note that when you shift a Navigator into the equivalent modes it actually says 4H on the screen unlike the Expy which still shows 4A.
Recently purchased a 2020 Expedition XLT. This vehicle does not have a separate 4H or 4L. The only way to achieve 4wd (4A) is buy utilizing the drive modes. I plan on taking this vehicle on the beach which will have loose, dry, fairly deep sand. Has anyone had experience using the sand drive mode on the beach? Can this truck be reliable on the beach?
You can get 4L with the HD tow package and FX4 package.
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I drove on the beach at the Outer Banks this summer. The biggest thing is tire pressure, which I learned the hard way. The owners manual says not to air down, but that got me stuck once I got into the soft sand. A nice local helped me dig out and had me air way down (15psi). After that I had no problems. Air down, engage 4WD, and don't stomp on the gas and you should be fine. I was running stock tires and sand mode. I used 4A and 4L and was fine both ways.
On a side note, you should be able to engage 4WD without changing the drive mode by using the buttons near the drive mode selector.
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shane_th_ee
Full Access Members
4L is also really useful for steep, slippery descents as the torque multiplier increases engine braking. Hill descent control is supposed to help, but I don't trust it enough yet not to just use 4L. And if I need 4L to control a descent, I'm not likely to feel like I want to experiment with hill descent control just to see if it'll work or not.
