When to engage 4WD.

[Blueavy7]

Have a 2003 Avalanche Z71.

Wanted to know during summer months driving up a mountain on dry pavement should I be in 4wd lo, hi, or auto?

Do I need to come to a complete stop to shift to 4wd lo and hi or can I do it as I’m driving?

When going down a mountain what should I put it in?

Lastly when to use D1, 2, and 3?

First 4x4 take it easy on me!

 

[ygmn]

Have you read the manual for what Chevy says to do with your truck?
Lots of good info...

2003 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner's Manual

2003 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner's Manual CLICK DOWNLOAD button upper RH corner it is green.

www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com

 

[Vaeagleav]

I tried the link in your post ygmn and the contents of the manual didn't show up for me......
Bluavy7 all f your questions should be answered in your owner's manual as ygmn posted but f you don't have the manual the quick answers are Never use or activate 4wd (high low or auto) while on dry pavement at any speed. Only activate to auto and 4wd high at parking lot and below speeds when there is slippery conditions such as snow, ice or mud etc. To go to 4wd lo you should be at a complete stop in same ground conditions.
I just put my AVs in drive and go in all up or downhill situations, you should also have a tow/haul switch in your AV that you can use if towing or hauling a heavy load if you feel the need for more power by changing the shift points which is what the tow/haul feature is used for....

 

[Raekal]

Honestly, the offroad entries GM put into that manual were surprisingly detailed. Stumbled across those on accident.

That said, the TLDR version is:

Do you have traction?
Yes: 2WD - 99.99% of the time for most people
Maybe: 4WD Auto: Really sketchy semi-iced roads.
No: 4WD Hi - Going off the road on a muddy trail. Getting up a slippery hill.
No and i need more torque: 4WD Lo - Getting yourself out of the ditch, tugging a trailer up a slippery hill instead of staying home, steep off-road inclines. ect.


Avoid using 4WD on any sort of pavement or high traction surface when turning, it can damage the transfer case. Only using it when necessary will eliminate those problems.

Perhaps most importantly, 4WD is not a magic bullet. Dont plan to use it, but use it if you need to. It keeps you out of trouble. Every year I see more trucks in ditches during the winter than cars for a reason.

D1,2,3 is simply manual shifting. Most useful when towing or if you're having an issue with the automatic shifting of the transmission.



Most people never really use their 4wd systems. So little in fact that they usually cause problems later on. You should have both differentials and the transfer case fluids changed and you should cycle the 4wd modes every once in a blue moon just to keep things moving and to catch issues before you need to use it.

 

[ygmn]

I tried the link in your post ygmn and the contents of the manual didn't show up for me......
Bluavy7 all f your questions should be answered in your owner's manual as ygmn posted but f you don't have the manual the quick answers are Never use or activate 4wd (high low or auto) while on dry pavement at any speed. Only activate to auto and 4wd high at parking lot and below speeds when there is slippery conditions such as snow, ice or mud etc. To go to 4wd lo you should be at a complete stop in same ground conditions.
I just put my AVs in drive and go in all up or downhill situations, you should also have a tow/haul switch in your AV that you can use if towing or hauling a heavy load if you feel the need for more power by changing the shift points which is what the tow/haul feature is used for....

Did you click the DOWNLOAD link in upper RH corner?
I see it.

 

[Vaeagleav]

Thanks, I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.
I was used to old format where manual just appeared on first screen, didn't realize had to hit download link as well.