xjnewbie

Sorry for this stupid post, but I do not have a manual for my 1996 xj country and I want to make sure I do it correctly. I have the 4.0 automatic and want to use 4wd tomorrow since there is a lot of snow. Can anyone tell me the correct procedure?

Thanks!

89Laredo

Put the trans in N at a full stop and pull the lever to whatever 4wd position you want.
When youre done, come to a full stop and put the Trans in N. Put the Tcase lever back into the 2wd position.

feuerfrei

Would it be bad to be doing it on the fly? I've been switching in and out of 4wd while driving and it doesn't seem to bother it, just let of the gas and it will engage.

nick_n_ii

You don't need to be in neutral to switch into 4 high. You can do that on the fly..

4 low (should NEVER be used on the road) has to be done from the neutral position.

Donnie_K

right, you only need to stop and put it in neutral when you're shifting into 4 low. 4 high you can shift into while moving. Don't ever use the 4 wheel drive on dry pavement though unless you have the full time 4 wheel drive option.

84supersport

Just like stated above. I drove my 96 for the first time in the snow today, about 4" on the roads and all slicked up from people driving on it, I just pulled it into 4-hi the first time it acted like it wanted to slide. Drove it all the way home on snow/slush covered roads like that. Never over 20mph though. It was all backroads. Even if the roads are snow covered, I dont think i'd have the wheel speed above 40 or so for a lengthly period of time. Maybe i'm just precautious.

89Laredo

The manual says you can use 4hi at "any safe speed"

itsanxjthing

What if your road is made of dirt? And has never even felt the wheel of a plow or grader?
Up to 55 mph you can shift into 4hi, but I recommend at least taking your foot off the gas. I always use my clutch in and out of 4hi, you dont have the same luxury

89Laredo

I wasnt talking about shifting into it, I said "use" it...
Ive heard of people using 4hi at highway speed and never having a problem (NP242 though)

Donnie_K

they're not using the 4 hi on the highway with an np242, they're using 4 wheel full time. 4 hi would be 4 wheel part time on the 242.

ZachsXJ

I have used my 4wd on pavement multiple times. You have to understand why they say not to use part time 4wd on dry or wet pavement, thats because the front and rear driveshafts are locked together and rotating at the same speed, going around a turn on a dry road the front and rear driveshafts can be forced to rotate at different speeds causing binding in the transfer case and possibly damaging or even destroying it. On snowy or icy roads the tires will slip way before causing driveline binding and you're completely find to drive in 4wd constantly, even if it snowy with patches of just wet road you can keep it in 4wd. If you hit a long patch of clear road then just drive shift(on the fly) into 2wd and then back into 4wd when the roads become slippery again.

xjnewbie

Thanks...I have never had a 4wd before and was unsure. We had a 5-6 inch snow and I was driving from Belleville, IL to Saint Louis, MO...so I was on some back roads, main streets and highways. I keep the 4wd on the whole time the last two days and didn't slide or spin once. Yesterday they were reporting ice on the highways so I kept it on and then when I got on the highway it was fine and was able to go up to 60mph. I guess reading what you have posted I should not have done that. Now that I know I can switch at anytime I will be okay. I don't think I have done any permanent damage. It seems to be driving fine still.

GoreXJ95

We've had up to 4 inches but then it froze so its ice and snow mixed. I haven't had to put my 98 XJ Classic in 4HI at any time. But its fun going around corners when you know no one else is coming you can drift through them.

xjnewbie

yeah...I was being extra careful because I take my neighbor to work as well and I wouldn't want to see her get hurt...

GoreXJ95

Yea Im careful to make sure I wont hit anything when I play around. Its funny because my dad has a 95 XJ Sport and he has to put 4 big cinder blocks in the back of his XJ to get traction in the snow, ice and even in the rain.