Learning how to use 4 wheel drive on your Jeep is sometimes shrouded in a little mystery for those that are brand new to these types of vehicles. New Jeep owners may occasionally feel confused about how to engage 4 wheel drive, and with that being one of the most important functions of the vehicle, they need to be understood.
Longtime Jeep owners will refer to the 4 wheel drive area as the transfer case shifter. 4 wheel drive can make or break your off-roading experiences over rough terrain that needs it. Around 70-90 percent of people who own Jeeps never take them off the solid pavement, so they don’t have a reason to shift the vehicle into 4 wheel drive. While a 2-wheel drive works for the majority of cases on the pavement, it’s still important to know how to shift into 4 wheel drive.
2H
2 high is the standard gear for most types of driving, and your Jeep will sit in this gear for much of its life. You don’t need to shift into 2H, and it is the default gear.
4H
4 high is a notch down from 2H and is used when you think you might need some extra traction on the roads. Some cases where you would typically shift into 4H are when you hit the dirt roads if you’re driving on sand and if it’s icy and snowy out. 4H still enables you to drive at higher speeds, but you’ll most likely want to keep the speed under 50 miles an hour. The front wheels will be given more power so that the extra traction can assist you in making it through road conditions.
4L
When your Jeep is in 4 low, both the front and rear wheels work together at a lower gear ratio. The result of 4 low is that you will have the best traction at the lower speeds. You’ll also notice more torque and increased engine braking ability. If you’re taking your Jeep off-roading on some pretty rough terrain, 4L is the gear you want to be in. High traction and lots of power at slower speeds are what 4L is all about. 4L can help you get through deep snow, thick sand or mud, and even water crossing areas. Keep in mind not to use 4L if you’re going to be needing speed.
Knowing how to engage 4 wheel drive on a Jeep Wrangler is an important step in ensuring you have the best experience with your vehicle in different road conditions. The last thing you want is to be stuck in a snowdrift in 2H without knowing how or why to get it into 4L.
Switching the Jeep into 4H while driving on icy and snowy roads can be done even while you’re driving. This is known as shifting on the fly. Many people recommend slowing the vehicle down to under 35 miles per hour before shifting into 4H, and then keep on driving between 15 and 50 miles per hour.
Shifting into 4L is something you’ll want only when driving at very low speeds and need superior traction to get through the terrain. To get into 4L, you’ll initially shift into 4H while driving slowly, and then shift to neutral, and finally into 4L. It is possible to shift into 4L from a parked position, but sometimes the gear teeth don’t line up properly.
4L isn’t a gear that should be used for standard pavement driving. Doing so can cause heat build-up and increase the risk of damage to the transfer case. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t go above 15 miles per hour in 4L. If you want to go faster than that speed, then shift into 4H.
To get out of either 4L or 4H, you’ll want to slow down to a very slow speed, shift into neutral gear while crawling forward, shift up to 4H, and then up to 2H. Now that you know how to use 4 wheel drive, get out and enjoy all that these powerful gears have to offer.