New guy who's also new to the whole 4x4 truck thing... - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

guitarman777 · 04-08-2005, 01:49 AM

Name's Paulo Clayton, hailing now from Tallahassee, FL, originally from New Jersey. Greetings!

I finally got me a Suburban this past holiday season, 1991 1/2 ton 350 4x4. Very thrilled, but I know nothing about 4 wheel drive. Are there any tricks to engaging it? I ask because several years ago I was looking at a 1987 Chevy model with a friend, and he said that in order to make sure the 4x4 catches properly the driver needs to go forward several feet, pop it into reverse and go backwards several feet. Is this true? What all is involved? Forgive the newbie and his lack of knowledge. I'm just happy to have a vehicle that can tote all my music equipment around. Thanks, all!

screwballl · 04-08-2005, 09:23 PM

welcome!!!
i have a 91 burb 3/4 ton 454 2x4 and am in the panhandle as well (heard of Niceville??? about 1 1/2 to 2 hours west of you)...
Most of the time you just put the truck in neutral or park then put the shifter into 4hi (or 4low) and it should engage when you start driving forward. It is also ok to do this while moving but no faster then 10mph and still in neutral.
To disengage it, come to a complete stop, put it in neutral, shift into 2hi then backup 10-20 feet. This should take care of it.

**special-K** · 04-30-2005, 03:37 PM

Do you have the owner`s manual.It will explain what you need to know.I think your friend was referring to disengaging an automatic hub equipped 4wd.

Bob Gervais · 04-30-2005, 05:19 PM

If it has automatic hubs, you can engage 4-hi safely at speeds up to around 30 MPH, even with the truck in gear. No need to shift to N. It's sort of shift on the fly, but not as advanced as the newer stuff. To disengage, shift the lever back to 2wd, either moving or stopped, and back up about 15 feet. That'll unlock the hubs.

To get into 4-low, you'll need to stop. You can leave the truck in gear, but you can't be moving. Well, not unless you want to meet the windshield really fast.

I find that getting out of 4-low requires me to stop, shift to N, and bring it back into 2wd. Then you can reverse, as above, to unlock the hubs.

A word of caution on those hubs though. I had to change mine out in Jacksonville a couple weeks ago on the way back home here to RI. One of the "auto" hubs had a mind of it's own, and kept on engaging, even with the transfer case in 2wd. It's a quick swap, and you can get manual hubs for around $50. With the manual hubs, you'll need to get out and lock them if you want to use 4wd. Once the hubs are locked, you can shift into 4-hi and low the same way as above.

screwballl · 05-01-2005, 12:51 PM

bob, here in the fL panhandle, there isnt enough off road trails to even need 4x4. and if they do have it AND need it usually they have at least 35's for these nasty deep sand or clay trails that bog trucks down immediately. Hell i had a bad time driving regular sandy back roads in my burb going to my brother in laws due to its weight pushing into the moist sandy roads...
anyways i usually prefer manual hubs as well

Bob Gervais · 05-01-2005, 07:32 PM

Well, we don't have much of a need for it either here in RI, except for when it snows. There's no trails to speak of, just one beach we can go on. I can easily navigate the beach in 2wd though.

04-08-2005, 01:49 AM	#1
guitarman777 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1	New guy who's also new to the whole 4x4 truck thing... Name's Paulo Clayton, hailing now from Tallahassee, FL, originally from New Jersey. Greetings! I finally got me a Suburban this past holiday season, 1991 1/2 ton 350 4x4. Very thrilled, but I know nothing about 4 wheel drive. Are there any tricks to engaging it? I ask because several years ago I was looking at a 1987 Chevy model with a friend, and he said that in order to make sure the 4x4 catches properly the driver needs to go forward several feet, pop it into reverse and go backwards several feet. Is this true? What all is involved? Forgive the newbie and his lack of knowledge. I'm just happy to have a vehicle that can tote all my music equipment around. Thanks, all!

04-08-2005, 09:23 PM	#2
screwballl Tonawanda 454 Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Liquid Sunshine State Posts: 2,755	welcome!!! i have a 91 burb 3/4 ton 454 2x4 and am in the panhandle as well (heard of Niceville??? about 1 1/2 to 2 hours west of you)... Most of the time you just put the truck in neutral or park then put the shifter into 4hi (or 4low) and it should engage when you start driving forward. It is also ok to do this while moving but no faster then 10mph and still in neutral. To disengage it, come to a complete stop, put it in neutral, shift into 2hi then backup 10-20 feet. This should take care of it. __________________ 91 Chevy Suburban Tonawanda 454 R2500 - SOLD!!! 04 Dodge Durango 5.7L Hemi 2WD, 24K miles (as of July 2011) In the past 30 years about 90% of Fords are still on the road, the other 10% made it home. -------------------

04-30-2005, 03:37 PM	#3
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,862	Do you have the owner`s manual.It will explain what you need to know.I think your friend was referring to disengaging an automatic hub equipped 4wd. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

04-30-2005, 05:19 PM	#4
Bob Gervais Truckless for the moment... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cranston, RI Posts: 180	If it has automatic hubs, you can engage 4-hi safely at speeds up to around 30 MPH, even with the truck in gear. No need to shift to N. It's sort of shift on the fly, but not as advanced as the newer stuff. To disengage, shift the lever back to 2wd, either moving or stopped, and back up about 15 feet. That'll unlock the hubs. To get into 4-low, you'll need to stop. You can leave the truck in gear, but you can't be moving. Well, not unless you want to meet the windshield really fast. I find that getting out of 4-low requires me to stop, shift to N, and bring it back into 2wd. Then you can reverse, as above, to unlock the hubs. A word of caution on those hubs though. I had to change mine out in Jacksonville a couple weeks ago on the way back home here to RI. One of the "auto" hubs had a mind of it's own, and kept on engaging, even with the transfer case in 2wd. It's a quick swap, and you can get manual hubs for around $50. With the manual hubs, you'll need to get out and lock them if you want to use 4wd. Once the hubs are locked, you can shift into 4-hi and low the same way as above. __________________ 1987 V1500 GMC Suburban, 350 TBI, Flowtech dual exhaust, Rough Country 2" spring lift, 56" 3/4 ton rear spring conversion, 33" BFG All Terrains, and the smokescreen engine mod -- Former truck, searching for another now...

05-01-2005, 12:51 PM	#5
screwballl Tonawanda 454 Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Liquid Sunshine State Posts: 2,755	bob, here in the fL panhandle, there isnt enough off road trails to even need 4x4. and if they do have it AND need it usually they have at least 35's for these nasty deep sand or clay trails that bog trucks down immediately. Hell i had a bad time driving regular sandy back roads in my burb going to my brother in laws due to its weight pushing into the moist sandy roads... anyways i usually prefer manual hubs as well __________________ 91 Chevy Suburban Tonawanda 454 R2500 - SOLD!!! 04 Dodge Durango 5.7L Hemi 2WD, 24K miles (as of July 2011) In the past 30 years about 90% of Fords are still on the road, the other 10% made it home. -------------------

05-01-2005, 07:32 PM	#6
Bob Gervais Truckless for the moment... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cranston, RI Posts: 180	Well, we don't have much of a need for it either here in RI, except for when it snows. There's no trails to speak of, just one beach we can go on. I can easily navigate the beach in 2wd though. __________________ 1987 V1500 GMC Suburban, 350 TBI, Flowtech dual exhaust, Rough Country 2" spring lift, 56" 3/4 ton rear spring conversion, 33" BFG All Terrains, and the smokescreen engine mod -- Former truck, searching for another now...



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