4x4 mode on a Delica

[jessef]

The L300 Delica's DO NOT have an all-wheel-drive feature where you can drive on normal paved/hard pack roads.

You can NOT use part time 4WD on dry high traction surfaces. Period. You'll get drive line windup. This has been known since the invention of 4WD more than 100 years ago and center differentials have been employed since then to correct the problem.

The image below is the transfer case (no different than our Delica's) out of a Jeep Grand Cherokee after accidentally driving for about 150 miles in part time 4WD on the freeway. It exploded at about 70 mph.

Yes. You read right. 'Exploded' while driving.

[madmazda]

what about the LSD rear end???? do they drive different on dry pavement, around corners etc....

[jessef]

what about the LSD rear end???? do they drive different on dry pavement, around corners etc....

On dry pavement/corners, our limited slip differential (LSD) rear ends (Delica's that have them) are no different than the stock open differentials.

Once the surface gets slick/slippery, then the LSD kicks in and grabs/bites into the road surface to give better traction than an open diff.

I am completely open to using this thread to discuss 4x4 / offroad manners and driving.

I've been driving almost 20 years and heavily 4x4'ing for 15. I mean heavily as in rock crawling, abusing vehicles in harsh environments,etc... those days are gone but I still like to frolic at times in the mud and play.

The 4x4 lever on Delica's should be treated as such. 4x4 = off road only/loose surface conditions.

When engaged on the wrong surface, it could prove to be catastrophic while you're driving.

I've seen driveshafts ejected out the back of a truck, transfer cases and differentials literally explode, engine pistons/rods shoot like a rocket through the hood, etc... lots of scary stuff all involving 4x4 driving.

[White Mule]

The 4x4 lever on Delica's should be treated as such. 4x4 = off road only/loose surface conditions.

Snow covered road conditions, soft, hard pack, slush?
Wet/ice?
All these conditions we have had in the past 48hrs in Calgary.

WM

[jessef]

The 4x4 lever on Delica's should be treated as such. 4x4 = off road only/loose surface conditions.

Snow covered road conditions, soft, hard pack, slush?
Wet/ice?
All these conditions we have had in the past 48hrs in Calgary.

WM

4x4 Yes on - Snow covered road/soft snow/hard snow/slush/ice/mud/loose rock/gravel/dirt = slip where the 4 wheel drivetrain will grab.

Unless the L300 Delica's have miraculously morphed into AWD vehicles with a viscous coupler, then wet roads are a no no.

Wet roads are not 'loose surface' and will break part of the drivetrain on Delica's.

That is a fact. 'When' is key word. Not 'if'.

And it's dangerous. Refer to my post above. Putting that much physical stress on the drivetrain can result in something breaking. The last thing you want is that happening while driving. Trust me. I know. If anyone is second guessing the information I'm posting, I encourage you to ask mechanics, research online, etc...

The 4x4 system you would ask are one of the following :

Transmission <-> locking xcase \/ -> rear differential (open/LSD carrier) -> left/right axle shafts
Front differential (open carrier) -> left/right axle shafts

8x-89 Mitsubishi Montero
83-94 Jeep XJ
82-92 Toyota 4Runner

You'll get the same answer everytime.

Dry or wet concrete roads = don't drive in 4x4 mode.

[White Mule]

Thanks jfarsang!

WM

[madmazda]

these are the reasons i want a delica with LSD....I need to park my way to powerful mazda 323 in the snow....its too scary....as my father puts it I need to slow down....:)...plus when I'm running more hp out of a 1.6 liter turbo car than a 5.0 liter mustang I need 4x4....i can't wait...:)

The 4x4 lever on Delica's should be treated as such. 4x4 = off road only/loose surface conditions.

Snow covered road conditions, soft, hard pack, slush?
Wet/ice?
All these conditions we have had in the past 48hrs in Calgary.

WM

[jessef]

In snow, I prefer an open differential. It's more predictable than LSD. LSD's can kick out the rear end sometimes when you don't expect it. But you get used to it quickly.

If your driving in snow for the 1st time in a Delica, I'd recommend to find a field or empty parking lot where you can 'play' around and see how it reacts your your inputs/snow.

[Johnny&Ruby]

See, I've always been deathly afraid of engaging the 4WD on Juniper. Now I know why! Thanks.

[mararmeisto]

I drove into a wood lot the other week, just to give the 4WD a workout (it had been a month-and-a-bit). The woman looked at me, "You gonna haul wood in that?" but let me go when I told her I just wanted to look/go for a drive.

When I came back down off the mountain, "How far did you get?" she asked and nearly dropped her clipboard when I said 5 or 6 km in. "No, there wasn't anybody that far in getting wood. Probably passed the last pickup at about kilometer 4." Most of the guys heaving wood into their truck beds were suitably impressed too, of course.

Now, there wasn't much that was real hairy, but plenty of muddy spots, a tight corner or two, and some loose gravelly bits, and coming back down in 4LO was fun too. I have to agree with the other comment in this thread: it's a little unsettling to be pitched forward like that, engine growling and wondering if the seatbelt is going to hold me in place! Still, it had rained recently, wasn't hard packed, so I wasn't worried.

You don't need to be afraid of your van's 4WD capability, you just have to know when to use it.

[Muzzy]

What can you do in situation where you are going from one surface to another? For example a mountain pass in the winter. Snow covered surface to pavement back to snow? Do you need to stop put in ‘N’ select 4H, drive for a bit until the snow clears, stop put it back into 2H reverse, drive down the road and repeat each and every time the road conditions change?

[jessef]

What can you do in situation where you are going from one surface to another? For example a mountain pass in the winter. Snow covered surface to pavement back to snow? Do you need to stop put in ‘N’ select 4H, drive for a bit until the snow clears, stop put it back into 2H reverse, drive down the road and repeat each and every time the road conditions change?

Yep.

If you're driving a 2WD car and come across snow. You stop and put chains on. When the snow clears and you come across some bare road, do you keep on driving ? No. Because it will rip your tires to shreds and hurt your cv/axles and possibly transmission. Same principle applies here.

AWD vehicles or one's equipped with a viscous coupler can go from snow-road-pavement and vice versa.

Our Delica's cannot. Sure, you can drive with 4x4 on normal roads but the risk is yours alone. Especially after reading this.

Only time I would ever leave 4x4 engaged in our Delica between snow pack and road would be on small straight stretches. But even then, it's putting a strain on it.

Like I said. These Delica's may be new here in Canada, but their guts and drivetrain have been around for decades.

The reason I started this thread was because I'm seeing many 1st time Delica owners who have rarely or never used a proper 4x4 vehicle before.

While I would assume that most will read and take my advice, some will not.

No matter which way you spin it, driving on normal concrete roads will damage your driveline, whether it's just the hubs or something major like the trans/xcase or prop shafts.

About as clear cut as it gets.

You don't need to be afraid of your van's 4WD capability, you just have to know when to use it.

Exactly. Know when to use it.

Don't mean to scare anymore. Just inform about safe 4x4 usage.

Here's somethings that 'may' happen if you drive your Delica on concrete/normal roads in 4x4 mode.

This is from a Pajero with 4x4 stuck in gear on the road.



Pair of twisted CV shafts from cornering on a normal road in 4x4 mode.



Transfer case output shaft sheared off from too much torque applied on concrete in 4x4.



Yoke shaft sheared off from too much torque on concrete in 4x4.



Rear driveshaft separation from driving on normal road conditions in 4x4 more.

[loki]

What can you do in situation where you are going from one surface to another? For example a mountain pass in the winter. Snow covered surface to pavement back to snow? Do you need to stop put in ‘N’ select 4H, drive for a bit until the snow clears, stop put it back into 2H reverse, drive down the road and repeat each and every time the road conditions change?

you don't need to reverse to get out of 4H you just need to move the shifter, you reverse to unlock the hubs and it is ok to drive on dry pavement with the hubs locks in 2H.

[marsgal42]

Yup: it's perfectly acceptable to drive around in 2H with the hubs locked. Then you can shift back and forth between 2H and 4H all you like. I did this a lot last winter. You only have to do special things to go in to 4L, or to unlock the hubs.

There is nothing unusual about our Delicas in this respect. All part-time 4WD vehicles behave like this. Anything from a 1940s Power Wagon to our Delicas...

...laura

[Muzzy]

Thanks Loki and Laura. That was actually the answer I was looking for. Guess I should have asked it a bit different. This is my first 4x4 but I do know that you shouldn’t be in 4WD while on pavement or surfaces where traction is not a question. Just didn’t know if you had lock and unlock the hubs each and every time you shifted in or out. So you can go back and forth from 2H to 4H without having to unlock the hubs and without running the risk of breaking something? I assume that you need to come to a stop each time though, just like the chain example?