Max Speed in 4wheel-high command-trac ?

Whats should be my max speed in 4wheel-high? Is it ok to drive on wet pavement with intemittent black ice condition in 4high,or do I need the selec-trac for that ?

Its fine.

Rev

Highway speeds say under 60mph ok?

I did a little checking around and possibly found the answer, or lack thereof, in my owners manual. The only limitation for speed is while shifting, it reads "To engage (4HI), shift the transfer case leverfrom 2H to 4H while the vehicle is moving at any legal speed." While breaking in a new set of diff gears recently, I was diving at close to 70 mph in 4HI with my 231. But that was in good conditions in straight sections of the road. Since the Command-Trac = NP321, which has no full time 4wd position, I would caution you against extended driving in 4wd on the hard pavement, wet or dry. I doubt that 4wd is gonna save you at 60 mph while sliding on black ice anyway. IMHO, if you can travel at 60 mph, you shouldn't need to be in 4wd. When I am asked this very same thing by customers at work, I tell them just be sensible and try to keep it under 45 on gravel or deep snow for part time 4wd.

Bryan

Bryan C. said:

IMHO, if you can travel at 60 mph, you shouldn't need to be in 4wd.

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Exactly correct!

Basically,when driving on any kinda ice,there is only one factor that comes into play,COMMON SENSE.I've had the ufortunate experience to have done this a coupla times,once in an automobile,once in my XJ.
Remember the"turn in the direction of the slide"well in 4x4 you have 4 wheels pulling you in the direction you are sliding .
4H is recommended in wet weather,but then again COMMON SENSE comes into play again.

I hear ya,60mph on ice is definately not my intention,wet pavement is what I was refering to max speed in 4hi.Reason being my owners manual says shifting into 4wheel requires it to be in neutral.You know, icy side roads then interstate just wet pavement then ice on exits and such.

Thanks again for sugestions ! :cheers:


update:just plain snowing again no more ice yet !

Back about 5 years ago me and my buddy were driving home in his stock xj and we had it in Full time hit some black ice and in the ditch spinning all over the place I don't think 4 wheel drive helps at all on ice at 60mph

Bryan C. said:

I did a little checking around and possibly found the answer, or lack thereof, in my owners manual. The only limitation for speed is while shifting, it reads "To engage (4HI), shift the transfer case leverfrom 2H to 4H while the vehicle is moving at any legal speed." While breaking in a new set of diff gears recently, I was diving at close to 70 mph in 4HI with my 231.

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IIRC you are not supposed to exceed 55mph with 4H (or at least that's what the big fat sticker that came with my XJ says )

I've had the wheels spinning as fast as it can go in 4hi...

but the Jeep wasn't movin very fast..

I´ve gotten the 231 pretty hot on occasion. Patchy snow and ice. I´ve gotten so I leave it in 4X, unless the road is clear for more than mile or so. Got caught in 2X once, with a Semi coming up behind me fast, while traveling sideways, up the intetrstate. Hit the gas, found out, I was on a sheet of invisible ice. Since then, I figure, wear and tear on the transfer is the price, I´m gonna have to pay, for a little extra traction.
But I have noticed the moisture, falling on the transfer, turned to steam on occasion. I´ve gotten so I know, when it´s time to stop and let things cool down a bit. Really isn´t much oil in the 231, heats up fast.

I was going to pick up my rear d/s so I was running it just front wheel drive and I was at least doing 90 on the freeway for about 5 min or so.

If you are doing over 50mph you shouldn't need 4x4... If you do, you shouldn't be doing over 50mph... JMHO!

EMTJeepers said:

If you are doing over 50mph you shouldn't need 4x4... If you do, you shouldn't be doing over 50mph... JMHO!

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that's exactly right. On a recent 4-wheeling trip we were driving from Flagstaff to Kingman, AZ on the highway and counted 12 overturned or otherwise wrecked vehicles as obvious casualties of on-road ice. The insane part? even when we stopped to assist a wrecked motorist who was waiting for police and medical assistance, other mensa members were flying past us on the highway at above the posted speed limit and FAR above the speed that would have been safe given the icy conditions. Completely oblivious to the danger and stupidity of their action.