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It's really for me something that is automatic so I couldn't tell you exactly what causes me to press that button. But I can share an example of when I have.
RAIN
The other day it was raining a lot, it wasn't a downpour, or thunderstorm, but just a constant slow rain. I took off from stop sign and noticed wheel spin. I turned on automatic mode for the 4wd. I left it on till the roads started drying up. IF I had been on the highway I would have turned it off but I was just driving around the suburbs.
SNOW
If the road is snow covered, or has ice on it.
If the road is plowed clear, I just use 2wd.
RAIN
The other day it was raining a lot, it wasn't a downpour, or thunderstorm, but just a constant slow rain. I took off from stop sign and noticed wheel spin. I turned on automatic mode for the 4wd. I left it on till the roads started drying up. IF I had been on the highway I would have turned it off but I was just driving around the suburbs.
SNOW
If the road is snow covered, or has ice on it.
If the road is plowed clear, I just use 2wd.
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It is silly of folks to buy 4wd and not use it…
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Very true. During a snow storm, I would estimate that 90% of the vehicles I see off the road in the ditch are AWD or 4WD vehicles. I'll see a truck flying by me at 70mph in heavy snow. Every vehicle has four wheel braking. That truck may have gotten going a little easier but it's not stopping any faster.
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In addition to
Not instead of
You can’t turn off the rear drive on the big Bronco without crawling under and pulling the driveline yourself
Many Bronco models the front driveline spins all the time regardless. I think just those with FADs will disconnect to save mileage - which I think is most models without 4A
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Counter point to folks saying the 4wd doesn't help other than getting you going. That isn't quite true. Given slippery conditions.... when I lift on the throttle, engine braking is now applied to all 4 wheels instead of just the front or rear, so under light deceleration 4wd is better. When using a neutral throttle and as conditions get better or much worse, I can adjust the throttle more or less to let my front end pull me through a situation. So again 4wd better at something more than just 'getting going'.
Yes, morons with or without 4wd are still morons. Many idiots think the 4wd is magic and end up in a ditch. A good driver can work magic with a 2wd in bad weather, but they can work more magic with 4wd with a higher margin of safety.
Heck my wife once watched me try to drive up our street covered in ice...not a smart move on my part but 4wd allowed me to do a 180 deg spin in a 3/4 ton truck and head on down the hill.
Yes, morons with or without 4wd are still morons. Many idiots think the 4wd is magic and end up in a ditch. A good driver can work magic with a 2wd in bad weather, but they can work more magic with 4wd with a higher margin of safety.
Heck my wife once watched me try to drive up our street covered in ice...not a smart move on my part but 4wd allowed me to do a 180 deg spin in a 3/4 ton truck and head on down the hill.
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There's a difference in steering with 4A, 4L, 4H. The new broncos are smoother, but I still feel it. My 88 could almost rip the steering wheel from your hands when I locked the front hubs and put into 4H/L.
4 wheel drive uses/ requires more energy = more gas
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In the new Bronco the front drive turns all the time no matter the mode… prove me wrong…
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4A is active even without slippage. Take it on a dirt road and around any turn you’ll feel it pulling. It’s a clutch system.
no mpg difference. You still turn those components by pushing the vehicle forward and the rotating front tires turn them. It’s just not connected in the transfer case.
there would only be mpg improvements if you also disconnected the rotating parts at the front wheels and were no longer turning the front axle.
the only mechanical benefit of 2H over 4A is not putting wear on the clutch.
I personally switch to 4A on any slippery surface but only because I paid for the option to switch from 2h to 4A and I’m going to do so as I please.
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You got me there - thanks for pointing that out. I missed it. I never learned to read.
All right, there's been enough misunderstanding in this thread, that it bears some explanation. Let's start with what I hope everyone agrees on.
In 2H mode, only the rear wheels are driven. Only the rear transfer case parts are moving.
In 4H/4L mode, both front and rear wheels are driven. Both front and rear transfer case parts are moving. More fuel is expended driving in 4H/4L than 2H.
That leaves us with 4A mode, for those Broncos so equipped. 4A is best described as applying the advantages of AWD to a 4WD vehicle. In 4A mode, the front transfer case will be engaged and therefore the front wheels will be driven, as the vehicle computer sees fit, based on data from sensor monitoring throttle input, steering angle, wheel slippage, etc. The front wheels can be engaged under a variety of circumstances, and when they are, the Bronco will achieve less MPG than in 2H mode. The overall difference depends on how much time the vehicle is driving the front wheels in 4A mode.
Fuel economy should not be a decision on when to engage 4A. Since 4A is perfectly fine to use on-road at any time, engage it whenever you feel like you can use the extra stability of four driven wheels vs. only rear wheels powered.
In 2H mode, only the rear wheels are driven. Only the rear transfer case parts are moving.
In 4H/4L mode, both front and rear wheels are driven. Both front and rear transfer case parts are moving. More fuel is expended driving in 4H/4L than 2H.
That leaves us with 4A mode, for those Broncos so equipped. 4A is best described as applying the advantages of AWD to a 4WD vehicle. In 4A mode, the front transfer case will be engaged and therefore the front wheels will be driven, as the vehicle computer sees fit, based on data from sensor monitoring throttle input, steering angle, wheel slippage, etc. The front wheels can be engaged under a variety of circumstances, and when they are, the Bronco will achieve less MPG than in 2H mode. The overall difference depends on how much time the vehicle is driving the front wheels in 4A mode.
Fuel economy should not be a decision on when to engage 4A. Since 4A is perfectly fine to use on-road at any time, engage it whenever you feel like you can use the extra stability of four driven wheels vs. only rear wheels powered.
The front transfer case is not turning in 2H. The front wheels are not powered under 2H. That is different than the front axles turning as a mere function of the tires rolling down the road. Whenever the front transfer case is engaged, there will be reduced fuel economy due to additional driveline friction and powering two additional wheels. See my prior post.
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