Backing up a steep driveway in 4WD Low gear?

[lison]

Hi folks. I'm looking for advice on whether I can, or should, use 4WD low gear to back up my 25 ft. Microlite (7k lbs.) in low gear with my 2017 Chev 1500 5.3L. The standard reverse gear seems kind of high, and I've gotta back up a pretty steep drive, concrete, with a 90 degree turn on the drivers side onto the driveway and a 90 degree turn to the passenger side on the top after it flattens out. I'd like to take it slow, but don't want to put bad stress on the drive train either. THanks for any help.
-Luther

[blt2ski]

Grit dog wrote:

ppine wrote:
You can regrade your driveway, change the approach or move. The other alternative is to store it somehwere else.

Lol, you're full of........answers!

I agree, FULL of it! Had a client. With a 33% grade driveway.....no effing way to degrade that puppy. If you needed construction materials up or down it, there is no other option. Hence my comment. Tow ratings per has a or whatever with a minimum 12% pulling moving option is unrealistic, by 33% of max gradesI've been on! I go for 30% minimum, or I don't buy said effed up design truck!

Marty

[Grit_dog]

ppine wrote:
You can regrade your driveway, change the approach or move. The other alternative is to store it somehwere else.

Lol, you're full of........answers!

[ppine]

You can regrade your driveway, change the approach or move. The other alternative is to store it somehwere else.

[parker_rowe]

ppine wrote:
If you need 4wd low your drveway is too steep.

So....you just buy a new house? :?

[ppine]

thanks to BenK for a useful post.
Reverse always has a higher gear ratio than first gear.
If you need 4wd low your drveway is too steep.

[larry_barnhart]

Several years ago if you tried to back up going up hill the trannie fluid on fords would be on the ground and a burned trannie. Gear ratio in reverse was too high. Reason for using the 4x4 low range. Probably is different now.

chevman

[parker_rowe]

BenK wrote:
4x4 "LOCK" is designed for use on low traction surfaces. Unlocked is okay for pavement (good traction), as the third member is an open diff, whereas LOCKed turns that third member (diff) into a locker with NO slippage/or RPM differential between front and rear drive shafts

If you have 'full time', 'AWD', or any of the OEM offerings designed to be used on pavement, sure thing...drop it into 4x4 *LOW* and go do it.

Many full time cases that allow on pavement 4wd operation, and definitely the OP's transfercase, mechanically lock in 4 Low by design. Something to keep in mind.

[BenK]

Forgot this PS....

There is a great potential of burning up your automatic transmission jockeying a heavy trailer into a spot. Makes no matter dirt (loosy-goosy) traction, or asphalt (good traction)

That puts the TC into high stall conditions and large amounts of power (if lots of throttle is used).

Almost no air flow, except for whatever the engine fan (makes no matter electric or water pump shaft) and worst is going backwards (as most do to jockey their setup into a tight space...worst yet if have to jack knife the setup, which has even more amounts of throttle needed

It just takes an instant to burn up one of the auto trannies clutches doing this

Most times, doesn't burn up a clutch, but burns the ATF to leave ash in that mix. Enough times doing that and the amounts of ash will do it's nasty business on high tolerance mating surfaces...mainly the valve body stuff

[BenK]

4x4 "LOCK" is designed for use on low traction surfaces. Unlocked is okay for pavement (good traction), as the third member is an open diff, whereas LOCKed turns that third member (diff) into a locker with NO slippage/or RPM differential between front and rear drive shafts

If you have 'full time', 'AWD', or any of the OEM offerings designed to be used on pavement, sure thing...drop it into 4x4 *LOW* and go do it.

Most 4x4's today no longer have manual hubs. The reduction in cost has them integrated into the whole front suspension system. Most are then are engaged with the diff 100% of the time and the locking mechanism no longer at the hub, but inside the diff or at the Xfr Case

"Crow Hop" has HUGE amounts of built up energy twisting the drive lines until there is so much wound up, it breaks the tires loose

All because the four tires takes a different arc during any off center movement. The more off center (think steering wheel all the way over to the bump stop) will have those four tires take even larger differences in arc

Here is a thread on this and will post the images from that post for those who don't jump over to read that old thread. There are several other links that explain this in more detail for those who wish to read up on this

Accidentally Towed 100 Miles In 4WD, Posted: 07/06/10 11:44am


The four different arcs each tires take on a turn




This is a broken transfer case. Not just the Xfr Case can break or be warped, but U-Joints, drive shafts, etc can and will bend/break

[Grit_dog]

^Agreed! If I get a new personal pickup, a 2lo kit will be the first mod.

[mkirsch]

My DD is a 2015 Silverado, same mechanical as the 2017. I can't even make a 90 degree turn from the driveway on to grass in 4x4 without the thing binding up to where it won't even move.

4Lo works great for backing in trailers, but only on loose surfaces. I can't imagine trying to make two 90 degree turns on hard pavement.

That BD 2Lo mod looks like just the ticket. I may order one myself.

[lazydays]

Housted wrote:

parker.rowe wrote:
Here ya go...this will let you unlock the front axle while in 4wd, same affect as unlocking the hubs in vehicles with manual hubs.

You could make your own and probably save some money, but this looks like a pretty nice plug and play solution:

BD Diesel Chevy 2 Low UnLoc

X2

I have had the BD unit on my 2015 RAM for a couple of years. Works great to back my 5er into a tight spot next to my garage.


Housted

Problem solved and it looks like a well put together piece that will not break the bank. I would go this route if I needed it.

[bguy]

Straight up, no turns. If not rest assured anything that breaks will be expensive.

[blt2ski]

Yep, problems those steep driveways can be. Especially since the all forsaken tow ratings manufactures are supposed to.follow, have a min rating of pulling or backing up a whopping steep grade of 12%!!!!
Most rigs will as noted, burn something like an auto trans.
People wonder why I think the ratings suck BIG TIME!!!!!

Marty