OK to always leave in 4A?

[jaz13]

4a the decouples the front drivetrain when cruising on the highway, so it will have the same highway MPG as 2h. The front wheels only take power when accelerating or when wheels are slipping. The power distribution graph will show you as much.

 

[guyzilla]

when i go to weather mode due to wet conditions i mainly due it to keep tires from excessive spinning and what i perceive to be better braking power. i notice the truck is alot stiffer driving and steering which i hope is normal operation? also notice that when i switch back to sport it stays in 4A and I have to change it to 2A via the knob.

 

[jabroni619]

when i go to weather mode due to wet conditions i mainly due it to keep tires from excessive spinning and what i perceive to be better braking power. i notice the truck is alot stiffer driving and steering which i hope is normal operation? also notice that when i switch back to sport it stays in 4A and I have to change it to 2A via the knob.

4A will lock the front hubs, whether or not power is being sent to the front. If you have the Torsen diff up front, this will manifest itself with a heaver steering wheel.

I personally drive in 2H >90% of the time, but if there is significant rainfall, I switch it to 4A.

As others have said, it will introduce more stress but it shouldn't be a problem. Driving 75 instead of 65 also causes more stress but don't appreciably cause any more wear. AWD vehicles have been around for ages have been engineered to deal with these stresses. The truck also has fail safes in place, if the transfer case starts to overheat, you will see a message and it will automatically change the drive mode to 2H. I've only heard of this happening in extremely slipper conditions (snow/ice) where you'd probably want to have it locked in 2H anyway. AWD vehicles in contrast handle an overheating driveline by disabling AWD and typically leaving you with FWD only until things settle down.

 

[jaz13]

4A will lock the front hubs, whether or not power is being sent to the front. If you have the Torsen diff up front, this will manifest itself with a heaver steering wheel.

I personally drive in 2H >90% of the time, but if there is significant rainfall, I switch it to 4A.

As others have said, it will introduce more stress but it shouldn't be a problem. Driving 75 instead of 65 also causes more stress but don't appreciably cause any more wear. AWD vehicles have been around for ages have been engineered to deal with these stresses. The truck also has fail safes in place, if the transfer case starts to overheat, you will see a message and it will automatically change the drive mode to 2H. I've only heard of this happening in extremely slipper conditions (snow/ice) where you'd probably want to have it locked in 2H anyway. AWD vehicles in contrast handle an overheating driveline by disabling AWD and typically leaving you with FWD only until things settle down.

Correction: truck shifts to 4h whent the 4a clutch overheats. (had it happen to me) It occurs when the 4a is constantly engaging because of spirited driving on slippery surfaces and why 4h is far more appropriate setting. Switching to 2h could easily put someone into a ditch if they aren't ready for it.

 

[jabroni619]

Correction: truck shifts to 4h whent the 4a clutch overheats. (had it happen to me) It occurs when the 4a is constantly engaging because of spirited driving on slippery surfaces and why 4h is far more appropriate setting. Switching to 2h could easily put someone into a ditch if they aren't ready for it.

Sorry yes, 4H is what I meant to say

 

[wjn]

When I test drove an '18 Raptor, the salesmen also told me to leave it in 2H for normal drive on pavement (I wanted to switch to 4A to see how it responds at traffic lights). The modes available will select the 4WD mode needed, which at that time made sense to me. Good to read there is no real owners objection to drive in 4A daily.

AWD vehicles in contrast handle an overheating driveline by disabling AWD and typically leaving you with FWD only until things settle down.

Not quite true, Mercedes G and Audi Quattro have the center differential (which can be locked on some models) and have always AWD. It is pure mechanical and not prone to overheating. (What Audi calls "quattro" in lower segment cars is actually VW 4 Motion with the Haldex clutch, not the quattro system from the Ur-Quattro.)

 

[NHbeast]

In 4A it feels like a torque steering effect coming back through the steering wheel (when turning at lower speeds 5-40 mph). My truck has the Torsen front dif.

Does anyone else feel this?

I prefer to not get that feel. When 4A is not needed the truck is left in 2wd.

 

[NASSTY]

In 4A it feels like a torque steering effect coming back through the steering wheel (when turning at lower speeds 5-40 mph). My truck has the Torsen front dif.

Does anyone else feel this?

I prefer to not get that feel. When 4A is not needed the truck is left in 2wd.

Mine feels the same as 2wd. I don't have the torsion front diff. I didn't order the torsion front diff. because I didn't think I'd like it driving in snowy conditions, which I do 5-6 months per year.

 

[FINRPTR]

Dealer service advisors are idiots, the mechanics are idiots with very few exceptions. Driving in 4a does induce more stress and fatigue on your drive train, but it was engineered to last hundred of the thousands of miles If serviced and treated appropriatley. I guarantee your mechanic and service advisor have no clue that Raptors transfercase is different than standard f150s.

And when you break your truck doing stupid shit, you are going to take it to the dealer for repairs. Who’s the real idiot?

 

[jabroni619]

And when you break your truck doing stupid shit, you are going to take it to the dealer for repairs. Who’s the real idiot?

The real idiot is the one who doesn't know how 4A works but talks like he does, by implying driving in 4A is "doing stupid shit"

Sounds like you may be a service adviser giving out similar advise and got offended.