Tight Turns in 4WD

MacAttack · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:28 am

Is it ok to make tight turns in 4WD HI or LO on a dirt road?

Had to turn around on a rutted forest road the other day, and the only way to do it was to back up, go forward, back up, go forward, back up, make a really sharp turn.

FastTRX · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:34 am

If the dirt is loose and forgiving...I can't see why it wouldn't hurt. Why would you need 4WD Hi to turn around though? If you have Selec-Trac you'd be fine anyways...but if you had to I'd say it'd be ok. You would know if it wasn't...you'd feel and hear it making noises. As long as the front wheels can slightly break traction you're in the clear...

Cdsbow1 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:37 am

ya, it shouldnt be a problem on dirt roads. Just dont make a habbit of it on dry paved roads

MacAttack · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:38 am

FastTRX wrote:

If the dirt is loose and forgiving...I can't see why it wouldn't hurt. Why would you need 4WD Hi to turn around though? If you have Selec-Trac you'd be fine anyways...but if you had to I'd say it'd be ok. You would know if it wasn't...you'd feel and hear it making noises. As long as the front wheels can slightly break traction you're in the clear...

Well I was already in 4WD HI because the road was pretty rough and rutted, plus where I was turning around I had to back up over a small ditch.
I don't have any experience off road driving, so I was just wondering.

Jeep4me99 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:43 am

i have noticed in my old TJ that when i made tight turns at full lock the wheels would hop. never noticed this in the Kj...always wondered why.

FastTRX · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:44 am

MacAttack wrote:

FastTRX wrote:

If the dirt is loose and forgiving...I can't see why it wouldn't hurt. Why would you need 4WD Hi to turn around though? If you have Selec-Trac you'd be fine anyways...but if you had to I'd say it'd be ok. You would know if it wasn't...you'd feel and hear it making noises. As long as the front wheels can slightly break traction you're in the clear...

Well I was already in 4WD HI because the road was pretty rough and rutted, plus where I was turning around I had to back up over a small ditch.
I don't have any experience off road driving, so I was just wondering.

Ah I see. Nope...you shouldn't have any problems then. You'll be fine.

Cant beat a little exploring on a rough old dirt road. Just imagine that some people have never seen a dirt road before...and around us they are very common! Gotta pitch er' sideways once you turn on to the dirt road...make your passengers freak out.. :shock:

05JeepKJ · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:51 am

Jeep4me99 wrote:

i have noticed in my old TJ that when i made tight turns at full lock the wheels would hop. never noticed this in the Kj...always wondered why.

I dont know either but it must be to do something with the SFA because all i cherokees and WJ GC always made that wheel hop and the KJ, WK, and XK doesnt do it.

MacAttack · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:52 am

Quote:

Cant beat a little exploring on a rough old dirt road. Just imagine that some people have never seen a dirt road before...and around us they are very common! Gotta pitch er' sideways once you turn on to the dirt road...make your passengers freak out.. :shock:

I've probably seen some of the dirt roads you've been on................grew up in Mishawaka......not far from you.

06altacrd · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:19 am

Any 4x4 with SFA will hop and "buck" in a tight turn because of the u-joints in the front axle. They only have 4 pivot points per jt. IFS 4x4's with CV jt's pretty much eliminate this. With SFA, you don't even need to be in 4x4 for it to happen, just have to have the hubs locked.

Video Guy · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:57 am

MacAttack wrote:

Quote:

Cant beat a little exploring on a rough old dirt road. Just imagine that some people have never seen a dirt road before...and around us they are very common! Gotta pitch er' sideways once you turn on to the dirt road...make your passengers freak out.. :shock:

I've probably seen some of the dirt roads you've been on................grew up in Mishawaka......not far from you.

Dude, I'm from South Bend.

Well isn't this just a Hoosier love-fest!

FastTRX · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:27 am

MacAttack wrote:

Quote:

Cant beat a little exploring on a rough old dirt road. Just imagine that some people have never seen a dirt road before...and around us they are very common! Gotta pitch er' sideways once you turn on to the dirt road...make your passengers freak out.. :shock:

I've probably seen some of the dirt roads you've been on................grew up in Mishawaka......not far from you.

Yup. I actually live outside of Walkteron OUT of Saint Joe County...in a small redneck county called Starke. You may have heard of it...possibly in a joke :lol:

. Anyways...we have a lot of dirt roads near us...but I have been on dirt roads in the south bend area.

Video Guy...lol, there's a lot of people from Indiana on here, or have grown up in Indiana. I never really thought our state was that special...I'd much rather live in Colorado or in the west where there are mountains!

jdumont · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:21 pm

Lately it seems like my KJ is in 4x4 mode when im making sharper than normals slow speed turns (parking lots). Any clue what could be going on? Maybe its just my imagination and its always done it..... and no its def not in 4hi, low, or part time.

wendell · **Posted:** Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:40 pm

These 4wd systems are that tender, they will take alot of abuse. It can be more anoying than damaging. You can't help but to make turns in 4wd. However, unless traction is an issue, just hit the lever, make your sharp turn and go on. If traction is such that you need 4wd to make the turn then it sure won't hurt it anyway. I don't think you should abuse the 4x4, but don't baby it either, it's there to be used. Just use common sense, if it's doing alot of bucking and jumping, then it's telling you that traction isn't a problem and you can make the turn in 2wd. When turnning on slick or slippery ground, it won't buck as much.

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Fri Mar 23, 2007 5:00 am

jdumont wrote:

Lately it seems like my KJ is in 4x4 mode when im making sharper than normals slow speed turns (parking lots). Any clue what could be going on? Maybe its just my imagination and its always done it..... and no its def not in 4hi, low, or part time.

Depending on your tire and wheel size and backspacing you're probably getting tire rub on the plastic wheelwell liners and/or the swaybar. I have 245/65R17s on the 7.5" wide Freedom rims and I get pretty bad rubbing on the swaybar, enough that the lugs on the tires catch it and there's no paint left where they rub. Gives a very similar feeling to what you're describing.

Tight Turns in 4WD

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