First Sand Drive with the 2019 Off-Road Package

[bigrodent]

So I finally got my 2019 Ram Laramie with the Off Road Package out in the deep sand and here is my laundry list of questions and some impressions.

1) The general rule for sand driving is to turn off traction control. I like to use the 4WD Auto setting for the portion between the thick sand and the pavement where there are a lot of turns and some thick spots. It is only a few hundreded feet and I don't want to bind up anything locked into 4wd high. However, the truck wants to keep turning traction control back on when I shift between 4WD settings. Really frustrating as you hit the thick sand and shift to 4WD High and then the wheels start to shut down on me. You have to be super fast and turn traction control off each time. Ideally I would like to disable traction control for an entire week at the beach. Traction Control on the Ram really affects sand driving more than other vehicles I have seen.

2) Once in 4WD high with traction control off it performed very well. Never any concerns with limited air down.

3) Air Suspension Off-Road height is a non-usable feature for me as it lowers when we get up to a reasonable speed. Where we drive in the sand there are fast and slow spots. 30mph is pretty normal and it seems that I cannot make use of this ride height for what I do. I need a 2" lift for my air suspension!

4) Rear Locker - Same for this one... speeds above 20mph make this unusable for my normal sand driving. Is this a mechanical limitation for rear lockers or do they put this on so that people don't do stupid things and leave it on? Momentum in the thick sand is really helpful and getting above 20 seems pretty common. Is this another feature I just won't use in the sand? It performed well w/o it so I am not concerned but I would like to know more.

5) This is my first Ram so I am not familiar with the truck yet.... When in 4WD high I hear a clicking noise from the rear. It is similar to that of a diesel engine. Not loud nor alarming but I am wondering if this is something to have looked at or is it normal?

6) Tire Pressure Monitoring - I air down for the week of beach driving and it keeps yelling at me including sending me UConnect emails. Can I dismiss this in some way?

Thanks for any wisdom you guys can provide.

 

[Pribilof]

Re traction control (pg 202 in the manual): Push the button for "partial off." Hold the button for 5+ seconds to enter "full off."

Rear locker is on page 335:
Operating in 4WD LOW the locker can be engaged up to 40 mph (64 km/h) and will remain engaged throughout the 4WD LOW speed range. Operating the locker in 2WD, 4WD AUTO, and 4WD LOCK/HIGH the locker can be engaged up to 20 mph (32 km/h). While driving with the locker engaged, if speed exceeds 25 mph (40 km/h), the locker will automatically disengage, but will automatically reengage at 20 mph (32 km/h).

TPMS can't be turned off short of getting something like the Tazer.

 

[bigrodent]

Re traction control (pg 202 in the manual): Push the button for "partial off." Hold the button for 5+ seconds to enter "full off."

Rear locker is on page 335:
Operating in 4WD LOW the locker can be engaged up to 40 mph (64 km/h) and will remain engaged throughout the 4WD LOW speed range. Operating the locker in 2WD, 4WD AUTO, and 4WD LOCK/HIGH the locker can be engaged up to 20 mph (32 km/h). While driving with the locker engaged, if speed exceeds 25 mph (40 km/h), the locker will automatically disengage, but will automatically reengage at 20 mph (32 km/h).

TPMS can't be turned off short of getting something like the Tazer.

View attachment 19544

Thanks so much for the information. It is really shocking to me that they allow the locker on for higher speed in 4WD LOW. All of my previous trucks don't want you to drive over 20-30MPH in 4WDLOW at all. I'll give it a shot on the next visit.

 

[riccnick]

Re traction control (pg 202 in the manual): Push the button for "partial off." Hold the button for 5+ seconds to enter "full off."

View attachment 19544

I think this is a copy and paste ESC section for FCA. Notice how it says (If Equipped). Pretty sure our trucks don't get the Full Off setting. If they do, mine doesn't work...

 

[RedRocketZ28]

I think this is a copy and paste ESC section for FCA. Notice how it says (If Equipped). Pretty sure our trucks don't get the Full Off setting. If they do, mine doesn't work...

My truck won't let me turn everything off if in 2WD. In any other mode, I can hold the button for 5 seconds and it turns everything off. Kind of annoying if you want to have fun.

 

[Rustydodge]

I'm going to assume by your mention of 4wd auto that you have a higher trim (laramie, limited) with the off road package. Your t-case is not ideal (clutch packs) but its the trade off you get for getting the nice features of the higher trims.

That means your 4X4 "lock" is not a true lock, it just binds the clutch pack faster.

All that to say, playing alot in snow and ice may burn up your t-case or wear out the clutches. A big horn or rebel would have given you the other, part-time t-case that would be a little better for harder off roading, but you wouldn't have the auto setting which is nice for partial ice/snow covered highway driving.

Of course i'm sure all the 5th gen t-cases are improved over the 4th gen

 

[riccnick]

I'm going to assume by your mention of 4wd auto that you have a higher trim (laramie, limited) with the off road package. Your t-case is not ideal (clutch packs) but its the trade off you get for getting the nice features of the higher trims.

That means your 4X4 "lock" is not a true lock, it just binds the clutch pack faster.

All that to say, playing alot in snow and ice may burn up your t-case or wear out the clutches. A big horn or rebel would have given you the other, part-time t-case that would be a little better for harder off roading, but you wouldn't have the auto setting which is nice for partial ice/snow covered highway driving.

Of course i'm sure all the 5th gen t-cases are improved over the 4th gen

The 5th gen t-case is stronger than the old ones, and uses a fully locking electo-mechanical clutch pack, not the ball ramp clutch that the old style used. Both, however, when locked, provide full engagement and do not slip (the new one can slip when required, the old one did not), even in 4auto. The Auto tcase is standard on 2019 DT Big Horn and up trims, except the Rebel.

 

[bigrodent]

My truck won't let me turn everything off if in 2WD. In any other mode, I can hold the button for 5 seconds and it turns everything off. Kind of annoying if you want to have fun.

My issue is the switch from 4Auto to 4HI then it resets to TC ON. If you do the 5 second hold in 4Auto and switch to another 4HI will it remain off? I am ok with being in

I'm going to assume by your mention of 4wd auto that you have a higher trim (laramie, limited) with the off road package. Your t-case is not ideal (clutch packs) but its the trade off you get for getting the nice features of the higher trims.

That means your 4X4 "lock" is not a true lock, it just binds the clutch pack faster.

All that to say, playing alot in snow and ice may burn up your t-case or wear out the clutches. A big horn or rebel would have given you the other, part-time t-case that would be a little better for harder off roading, but you wouldn't have the auto setting which is nice for partial ice/snow covered highway driving.

Of course i'm sure all the 5th gen t-cases are improved over the 4th gen

I am not following you 100% so let me clarify... Mine has 4wd auto, 4wd hi and 4wd lo. (an rear lock) My 4wd HI is different than the Big Horn? That is certainly interesting. I did hear the Rebel had a different transfer case and couldn't do Auto for that reason.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[riccnick]

My issue is the switch from 4Auto to 4HI then it resets to TC ON. If you do the 5 second hold in 4Auto and switch to another 4HI will it remain off? I am ok with being in


I am not following you 100% so let me clarify... Mine has 4wd auto, 4wd hi and 4wd lo. (an rear lock) My 4wd HI is different than the Big Horn? That is certainly interesting. I did hear the Rebel had a different transfer case and couldn't do Auto for that reason.

Thanks for the reply.

What truck do you have? (Fill in your sig, it's so helpful)

Also, @Rustydodge is familiar with the less than stellar reputation of the 4Auto transfer cases in the 4th gen DS Rams, where the Big Horns and lower trim levels (and Rebels) did not get the 4Auto case. Things are different (and better) in the 5th gen DT trucks.

Edit: Correction, the DS Big Horn and up trims got the BW44-44 (4Auto) transfer case in 2013, when they switched suppliers from New Venture to Borg Warner. The old 2009-2012 trucks used the 44-44 (4Auto) and 44-45 (regular part time) cases.

Our trucks use the BW 48-11 (On Demand) and 48-12 (Part Time) transfer cases.

 

[RedRocketZ28]

My issue is the switch from 4Auto to 4HI then it resets to TC ON. If you do the 5 second hold in 4Auto and switch to another 4HI will it remain off? I am ok with being in


I am not following you 100% so let me clarify... Mine has 4wd auto, 4wd hi and 4wd lo. (an rear lock) My 4wd HI is different than the Big Horn? That is certainly interesting. I did hear the Rebel had a different transfer case and couldn't do Auto for that reason.

Thanks for the reply.

No, mine will turn back on if I switch to a different mode as well.

 

[moosem]

I'm going to assume by your mention of 4wd auto that you have a higher trim (laramie, limited) with the off road package. Your t-case is not ideal (clutch packs) but its the trade off you get for getting the nice features of the higher trims.

That means your 4X4 "lock" is not a true lock, it just binds the clutch pack faster.

All that to say, playing alot in snow and ice may burn up your t-case or wear out the clutches. A big horn or rebel would have given you the other, part-time t-case that would be a little better for harder off roading, but you wouldn't have the auto setting which is nice for partial ice/snow covered highway driving.

Of course i'm sure all the 5th gen t-cases are improved over the 4th gen

My Big Horn has 4WD Auto, I'm pretty sure they all do.

 

[Rustydodge]

What truck do you have? (Fill in your sig, it's so helpful)

Also, @Rustydodge is familiar with the less than stellar reputation of the 4Auto transfer cases in the 4th gen DS Rams, where the Big Horns and lower trim levels (and Rebels) did not get the 4Auto case. Things are different (and better) in the 5th gen DT trucks.

This is true - was not aware of 4auto now being standard for big horn, or the specific differences between the 5thgen on-demand and 4th gen on demand BW t-cases.

That said, i can still "hear" (its more of a feel) my 4th gen on demand t-case "lock" or engage the clutch packs. I don't like my t-case...

Hopefully it is as you say, and the new electromagnetically engaged clutch is superior. Its still a clutch pack though...I'll have to read up on them some more.

Sorry to add confusion to the thread - please forgive me i'm still living in 4th gen world