TC selection ?

Please forgive my ignorance , but I have to ask this.

If I put my single stick D18 tc in 4 low without locking the front hubs, will this increase my rear wheel gear ratio without negative consequences?

Example: Was in 2 wheel while up in blue lakes last fall. I didn't need 4 wheel but had to hit a couple things a little harder than I liked. A little deeper gearing would have helped. Pretty much had to get the R's up and dump the clutch.

Just something I thought of.

Got board on pirate so thought I would ask here. Haven't been here in a while.

 

It will effectively put you into 2 low. The only negative that I've heard, but never had a problem with, is that it puts extra strain on the driveline. As long as you aren't really heavy with the skinny pedal I think you'd be alright.

 

The only reason you might do this is because you are on pavement and the hill is too steep to climb with high range. Seems a very unlikely situation.

I suggest you just leave the hubs locked if you might need low range. There's no reason not to be in 4WD off the pavement. And you can switch to 2WD and keep driving if you reach pavement.

Locking hubs are overrated IMO. People think you have to have them and you have to lock them in and out as you move from pavement to trail and back. Hogwash. When I went on a desert trip, after the long drive on the highway I'd switch them in once. Then I'd switch them out for the trip back. If you're on and off the pavement, just lock them in and use the shift levers.

 

i did that all the time mainly to go slower on the bumpy roads but it does help on the hills also. I dont lock the hubs in untill i need them. Now i have added twin sticks and taken the poppet out so i can run 2 low with out running the whole front end that really works great.

 

Under maximum load, running the rear only could overstress the drive line, without the front to share the effort. I know of a case with an early jeep truck where the rear differential gears were stripped out, but it was under extreme use.

Like timger says, many jeeps run their entire lives without ever having or needing un-locking hubs.

 

Thank you,
That is what I wanted to know. I was doing fine most of the time. I was just a little faster in 1st gear than I wanted to be in some spots.
The 4.88s with the warn in 1st gear, for the most part kept me at a good speed for the back roads I was on.
Just beating up the clutch a little more than I liked.