On road, only in snow/mush, and HEAVY flooding rains on flooded roads only.

Offroad I run 4hi period, why be an idiot and get stuck then engage it?

 

Wellllll ... my truck has a few more options with dual cases, twinstick, and ARB's ...

When I hit the trail, I am usually in 2WD "normal" low - my truck needs the extra torque here at altitude.

When it gets rough, 2WD "double" low (4.7) and usually lock the rear.

When that isn't enough, I will go to 4WD, and if it gets REALLY nasty, go to "compound" low (10.7:1).

I have a bad habit of locking the rear whenever it looks nasty. I need to do better about trying it with the front open first...

 

2wd on the street unless it's deep or slickly packed snow, then 4hi. I'm only in 4wd when there's obviously going to be slippage of the tires - if the road gets just wet I'm back in 2wd. I don't get offroad enough at this point to really know what I do there.

 

I dont use it very often, very rarely on pavement even if its snowing. Id say the only place I really use it is on trail or really steep dirt road, actually theres one road I can think of in my mind where I sit back and cruise up in 4low with the front hubs unlocked, its just a really washed out rocky road that goes up through the mountains forever.

 

On streets I run 2wd all the time especially when I wanna have some fun on the packed snow and ice. But through crowded areas in town, on ice, I'm definitely in 4hi just for safety, don't wanna hit anyone else. It's also nice to have the added traction to get out of peoples way when they go sliding around by accident, a friend of mine got hit by a girl in a mustang last winter because she lost control.
On the trail I like to see how far I can get with just 2wd. If I encounter anything to sketchy I know I cant back out of, I put it in 4hi but it's fun to see how far you can go in just 2hi and be careful not to get stuck to bad.
With auto lockers its easy to switch back and fourth.

 

as soon as i get off the pavement, i lock my hubs and get into 4hi until i get to the stuff where 4lo is needed. at the bottom of a hill climb, rocks, w/e i just put it into 4lo, no messing around

 

In the snow I have the hubs locked and only drop it in 4wd if I think forward progress will be impossible/too slow without it. Most of the time I'm throwing it sideways in 2wd though. This winter is the first one in a long time where I've had a vehicle with an open rear, so I find myself using 4wd more than normal. Peg legs are for pirates, not trucks.

Off road I'm in 2-lo (4.7:1) until I approach an obstacle, then go 4-lo. Once in a while I'll need 4-lo on the trails because my rear end is so light, but I try to avoid it since steering the locked/locked rig is a PITA. In an open/open rig I'll be in 4-lo (2.28:1) the entire time.

 

usually keep it 2wd on the street but in snow and i you might have to shift in to 4whigh but if your on a dirt road of plan on wheeling then you use it or my rule anytime you can control the ass end of the truck

 

This thread is a little overdun! Just switch it when you need it ! Lock your hubs at the entrance and do it !

 

on the road, 2 hi, unlocked hubs. super heavy rain, locked hubs, 2 high until it gets hairy. snow, always 4 high.

off road, always 4 high. no matter what. 4 low for hills, large obstacles. i can't wait to find a 4:10 e-locker for the rear and tru trac the front.

 

I'm 2wd onroad, unless it's snowing. If I do go into 4wd, it's usually 4lo. I drove a mustang for a few years in Colorado, so 2wd doesn't bother me much. s for offroad, I tend to get into 4lo at the trail head. When I get locked, it won't be selectable so I will always be locked.

 

i usually lock my hubs when off the road and if the need arises that i need 4wheel drive i slow to 5 mph and shift into 4h. i stop for 4l tho.

 

On the road, I go into 4x4 if the conditions are such that I would too easily kick the tail out in 2wd or if I feel the back tires slipping alot.

Off road, is pretty much the same, but with a little less hesitation to use 4x4.

 

Street: Well, if it's snowy, I might lock the hubs, but I mostly leave it in 2wd unless I need to get up a nasty hill or I feel unsafe in 2wd (but mostly I run in 2wd) If I'm going up to Government Camp on Mt. Hood. Same deal, lock the hubs in case, although i do run in 4wd up there more often cause it's slicker more often.

Trail: Same deal, lock the hubs, but mostly run in 2wd till I need the 4wd to make preogress. You'd be suprised where you can go in 2wd by just picking the right line. 4 Lo is reserved for nasty climbs and sescents where I need the gearing to control my speed and finesse my climbs.

 

When off road, my hubs are locked but not in 4wd. On hill climbs and such I will engage 4wd, usually low range. I use low range more often than high range because I like the added security that I have more torque at hand at the moment. That's probably why I've never been stuck. I don't understand those who say they only engage 4wd when stuck. If you had it in 4wd, you'd probably never been stuck.

 

I think we like seeing what our trucks can do, after all thats what this sport is about, you and your machine. Plus getting stuck always turns out to be fun.

 

Fun? Not all the time. I think the words "fun" and "stuck" can only be used together depending on the number of times you are stuck, and for how long.