4 wheel drive auto

[Reverse]

165,000+ miles on my 2014 1500 Big Horn, a lot of which was in 4WD auto - no problems. I often use in the rain when I need to pull out on a highway quickly or similar situations. Without 4WD auto I'd slip the rear tires.

As far as the Rebel question: for serious off-roading you'd want a transfer case you can force into permanent 4WD; the transfer case with 4WD auto can't do that. It always needs wheel slip to be present before it engages the clutches an thus 4WD.

 

[jabara572]

Does anyone know why the Rebel doesn't have the feature?

The 4Auto borg warner box supposedly isnt as strong as the traditional BW box in the Rebel. As the rebel is more likely to be used and abused they went with the stronger box.

 

[Neurobit]

165,000+ miles on my 2014 1500 Big Horn, a lot of which was in 4WD auto - no problems. I often use in the rain when I need to pull out on a highway quickly or similar situations. Without 4WD auto I'd slip the rear tires.

As far as the Rebel question: for serious off-roading you'd want a transfer case you can force into permanent 4WD; the transfer case with 4WD auto can't do that. It always needs wheel slip to be present before it engages the clutches an thus 4WD.

This is how I use mine as well. Love it.

 

[doug55579]

Thanks, Guys!!

 

[SpeedyV]

165,000+ miles on my 2014 1500 Big Horn, a lot of which was in 4WD auto - no problems. I often use in the rain when I need to pull out on a highway quickly or similar situations. Without 4WD auto I'd slip the rear tires.

As far as the Rebel question: for serious off-roading you'd want a transfer case you can force into permanent 4WD; the transfer case with 4WD auto can't do that. It always needs wheel slip to be present before it engages the clutches an thus 4WD.

Even when you engage 4WD HI/LO (not Auto)? I don’t think so.

 

[HotHareSpey]

Meh

I live in a climate that requires auto or 4x4 for long periods of time. Deep heavy snow and deep heavy mud. I have the ORG and a Laramie. Never had the issue.

I read both threads and I know Devil is a trusted resource for accurate information (and thankfully so Devil as I’ve benefited from your contributions so thank you from all of us for putting the time in)

There are days I’m facing far worse than that hill for literally hours at a time. I’m all stock. The trip to my daughters horse barn makes that hill look like peanuts.

Maybe the larger tires made the clutches heat up. If the clutches on a stock truck did that, I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere. I’ve got 26k miles. At least a third of that has been driven in conditions that are fairly extreme.

 

[HotHareSpey]

I heard if you drive your vehicle it'll wear out. I leave mine parked at all times to not risk it.

hilarious!

 

[Neurobit]

Meh

I live in a climate that requires auto or 4x4 for long periods of time. Deep heavy snow and deep heavy mud. I have the ORG and a Laramie. Never had the issue.

I read both threads and I know Devil is a trusted resource for accurate information (and thankfully so Devil as I’ve benefited from your contributions so thank you from all of us for putting the time in)

There are days I’m facing far worse than that hill for literally hours at a time. I’m all stock. The trip to my daughters horse barn makes that hill look like peanuts.

Maybe the larger tires made the clutches heat up. If the clutches on a stock truck did that, I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere. I’ve got 26k miles. At least a third of that has been driven in conditions that are fairly extreme.

I was thinking about this as well, but there are tons of other guys with similar setups and I am sure we would have heard if this is a common problem. It could be that the system on that particular truck is defective or having some sort of issue. Only time will tell. As I said on my prior post, like you, I am totally happy and would not have a truck without 4WD Auto if given the choice.

Cheers,

 

[devildodge]

Well, look at the 44-44. Lots of internet information about that transmission doing this.

Now look at our site. Very few guys are doing what @AnthonyD1978 is doing.

I have no first hand experience with this. I drive HeavyDuty RAM trucks.

But I do know the Issues with the 44-44 is real.

So, the 48-11 works the exact same way.

If you just drive it, you will probably never have the issue.

He admitted he started out playing around in 4wd auto. Which that probably got the clutches heated up.

Then when he started playing in 4lo, it let the issue rear its head as he assumed it was locked.

Yes, they are correct...your transfer case never locks. They actually took that word(lock) away from the 5th Gen.

The 4wd is achieved by pressure. When you let off the throttle the pressure releases and there is a chance for slippage and heat.

So, as of right now we have exactly one person offroading this transfer case with the issue, and quite frankly his could be defective. But, it is a fault of the design.

But, given the 44-44 history...it looks like the issue is still there, just not as prevalent as they have changed the programing.

Let's talk CAD for a moment. Central Axle Disconnect. It is how the front axle joins with the other side.

Normal use, you put transfer case in 4wd moving or stopped(but not stuck) and as you start(continue) to move your axle turns and it allows the 2 to mesh and bam, you have 4wd.

If you are stuck, like can not move stuck, and you attempt to put it in 4wd, the front axles will not move and you will not have 4wd. No way, no how. (Unless you got lucky and they were aligned)

But, wait there are 1000 guys who never had this happen, but 1 guy did. The 1000 guys were never actually stuck. This one guy was. And now he knows to put it in 4wd before the chance to get stuck happens and will never forget. The other 1000 say his truck was junk and just keep driving on pavement having a good day.

It is a bad example but trying to get the point across.

If you put the truck in 4wd auto and drive, the transfer case will do its thing and be happy. You put it in 4wd auto in extremely slick conditions, you will ultimately have only one wheel spinning (I know lockers and limited slip...this example is for an open wheel truck). It is proven with the auto transfer case.

So you put the transfer case in 4wd lo and drive out the path. It will pressure lock and away you go. But, if you stop and go (especially with a forward/backward roll) pressure will be lost and reapplied (also happens if you shut the truck off, when you start back up you are initially back in 2wd)

The part time case does not do this. And why it is the choice for the Rebel.

Ultimately the transfer case was upgraded and improved upon to have this not happen...but it is still the design and will happen.

Hope this makes sense and I welcome more discussion and anyone having information to the contrary.

There is a chance @AnthonyD1978 has a subpar transfer case...but it is how everyone's 48-11 works and is something you need to understand.

The Rebel is ready to go as soon as 4wd is properly engaged, until you put it back to 2wd.

The reason the picked the 2 trims for the 2 cases. One can accept user error, one is instead for people with offroad knowledge...but we all know that anything can get in the wrong hands...lol

 

[AnthonyD1978]

I'm going to try and test the 48-11 in a more controlled scenario this weekend for my own knowledge. I believe the new software engages the clutches 100% of the time in 4HI and 4LO. I'll post up on it in the off-road section. I do believe 4auto should not be used in any conditions where it constantly engages/disengages the clutch for an extended period of time.

I went out again and worked the 4wd a lot harder without any overheat issues. The drive out to the rocks was done in 2wd. I don't have a locker.

There are days I’m facing far worse than that hill for literally hours at a time. I’m all stock. The trip to my daughters horse barn makes that hill look like peanuts.

An all stock truck would not have cleared the rock shelves on that hill. Unless you wanted it to remove your air dam for you.

 

[HotHareSpey]

I'm going to try and test the 48-11 in a more controlled scenario this weekend for my own knowledge. I believe the new software engages the clutches 100% of the time in 4HI and 4LO. I'll post up on it in the off-road section. I do believe 4auto should not be used in any conditions where it constantly engages/disengages the clutch for an extended period of time.

I went out again and worked the 4wd a lot harder without any overheat issues. The drive out to the rocks was done in 2wd. I don't have a locker.

An all stock truck would not have cleared the rock shelves on that hill. Unless you wanted it to remove your air dam for you.

Devil that was excellent and thank you for the follow up. You explained it well

Tony -

It isn’t a pissing contest and that remark wasn’t intended as an insult. So try not to personalize it

I said the challenges on that trail are peanuts compared to my 15 mile off road course to my daughters horse farm. In reference to the heating discussion of the clutches and transfer case. Not as an insult to your ego and off roading

I didn’t say what you encountered here isn’t a difficult lane to traverse. Driving to my house or to work at least once or more a week is more arduous due to weather and roads and if this was common place I would expect to see it

Off roading has many types of scenarios. I’m a long time experienced over lander and off roader.

But unlike some, I don’t consider myself some intrepid explorer. Youtubers always dramatize their videos and adventures like they are Indiana Jones. Want some respect? Travel to the Darian Gap or deliver some educational and medical supplies to a third or second world county. Do something interesting and authentic

But these self congratulating wanks who go off roading on trails everyone and their brother have been on with$50k-$250k in vehicles, trailers, modifications only for some instagram and YouTube subs or forum accolades is profoundly sad even when the cinematography is good. And the narratives good lawd the stupid fking narratives that make them sound like it’s 1492 and they are on the Santa Maria crossing the Atlantic and navigating by the stars is pathetic

so Tony, thanks for sharing. I enjoyed the video and look forward to your future videos

Cheers,

HHS

 

[barr0208]

Have to agree that the 4A is made to be used b any road conditions. Thats what it was designed to do.
While the info below is not RAM specific and I dint have the manual handy, a recent Popular Mechanics article about AWD and 4wd said this about 4A systems currently available: “If you've got a vehicle that offers two-wheel drive or four-wheel-drive auto, then most of the time you may as well use the 4WD Auto setting. It's fine for dry pavement, so the only advantage of running in 2WD would be some fractional fuel economy benefit—or saving wear on the front-drive system. Meanwhile, 4WD Auto is handy even if it starts raining—your extra traction will be there, on demand, automatically.”

And for another view, theres a 2018 thread on this forum entitled “4WD lock on pavement” where a poster complained about his 2016 4A setting sensitivity (Or the lack of).
Begin copied post:
“The thing about the Auto setting in the 16MY I had was that it was literally useless whenever I thought that I needed 4WD. Just simple things like turning a corner on an icy road or trying to go from a dead stop to as fast as possible in a round about to avoid getting hit.

I really noticed now useless Auto was in the round about scenario in rain. The back tires would spin god knows how many times before the fronts would engage and pull me through the round about. Auto is more like the truck is thinking "Hmmm, the backs are spinning so I guess I might as well engage the fronts now."
End of post.

I’m not sure about if RAM changed anything in the system since 2016...

they have, I had a 2016 and the 2019 is much faster at reacting and it also is a new design from previous years.

 

[spinxt]

My transmission guy says he loves it when ppl drive with it on. He says it’s great for business ..

He says it prematurely wears the front transfer case out when ppl drive on dry pavement or where 4wd isn’t required or needed.

I personally leave mine in 2wd all the time until i

This is ******** and should be removed from the thread. Read the owners manual. It’s perfectly okay to use 4wd auto in any conditions. My Jeep GC has 210,000 miles on it and it’s full time 4WD (essentially in 4 Auto 100% of the time) and I’ve never had a transfer case issue.

 

[AnthonyD1978]

Devil that was excellent and thank you for the follow up. You explained it well

Tony -

It isn’t a pissing contest and that remark wasn’t intended as an insult. So try not to personalize it

I said the challenges on that trail are peanuts compared to my 15 mile off road course to my daughters horse farm. In reference to the heating discussion of the clutches and transfer case. Not as an insult to your ego and off roading

I didn’t say what you encountered here isn’t a difficult lane to traverse. Driving to my house or to work at least once or more a week is more arduous due to weather and roads and if this was common place I would expect to see it

Off roading has many types of scenarios. I’m a long time experienced over lander and off roader.

But unlike some, I don’t consider myself some intrepid explorer. Youtubers always dramatize their videos and adventures like they are Indiana Jones. Want some respect? Travel to the Darian Gap or deliver some educational and medical supplies to a third or second world county. Do something interesting and authentic

But these self congratulating wanks who go off roading on trails everyone and their brother have been on with$50k-$250k in vehicles, trailers, modifications only for some instagram and YouTube subs or forum accolades is profoundly sad even when the cinematography is good. And the narratives good lawd the stupid fking narratives that make them sound like it’s 1492 and they are on the Santa Maria crossing the Atlantic and navigating by the stars is pathetic

so Tony, thanks for sharing. I enjoyed the video and look forward to your future videos

Cheers,

HHS

What? Most of my videos don't even have titles. That's a horrible way to become a youtube star. Haha. I just do it for my own gratification and thought I'd share. You're an angry person and I hope you find happiness lol. Good luck with that Bill.

 

[AnthonyD1978]

Is it a good idea to turn off traction control, put it in 4 auto and have some fun in the snow? Just wondering for a friend.

You will probably burn out the clutches by doing that for a prolonged period. Just leave in 2wd if you want to drift in the snow.

 

[Bubba33]

It's amazing ,that so many people post **** they know nothing about. This is my 4th truck with a auto 4wd transfercase. 3 rams and a Silverado. Use it when ever you want, some day you could loose a .5 mpg . I never noticed that. It doesn't kick in unless a back tire slips.

 

[Neurobit]

It's amazing ,that so many people post **** they know nothing about. This is my 4th truck with a auto 4wd transfercase. 3 rams and a Silverado. Use it when ever you want, some day you could loose a .5 mpg . I never noticed that. It doesn't kick in unless a back tire slips.

Yep. You've hit the nail on the head.

 

[HotHareSpey]

What? Most of my videos don't even have titles. That's a horrible way to become a youtube star. Haha. I just do it for my own gratification and thought I'd share. You're an angry person and I hope you find happiness lol. Good luck with that Bill.

Not angry really but, there’s still time

Many YouTube stars make a healthy living that way and it’s kind of comical and kind of abdsurd both at once.

Be well

 

[STR]

I just stumbled upon this thread, which has a lot of bad information. 4WD AUTO can be used for variable driving conditions, designed to be used for normal street and highway conditions on dry, hard surfaced roads. The front axle is engaged, but the vehicle's power is sent to the rear wheels. Four-wheel drive will be automatically engaged when the vehicle senses a loss of traction. Because the front axle is engaged, this mode will result in lower fuel economy than the 2WD mode- 2020 Ram Owner’s Manual:

 

[SpeedyV]

I just stumbled upon this thread, which has a lot of bad information. 4WD AUTO can be used for variable driving conditions, designed to be used for normal street and highway conditions on dry, hard surfaced roads. The front axle is engaged, but the vehicle's power is sent to the rear wheels. Four-wheel drive will be automatically engaged when the vehicle senses a loss of traction. Because the front axle is engaged, this mode will result in lower fuel economy than the 2WD mode- 2020 Ram Owner’s Manual:

View attachment 57642

That’s it in a nutshell...use it whenever you need it. If you don’t need it, you can still use it, but you take a small hit on fuel economy.