4 WD low ratio.

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When towing the horse trailer back home with my 4trak, I go up a steep, drive and I need low ratio. However, because it is concrete and has sharp bends, I cannot use 4WD because of probable 'wind up' damage. This was not a problem with my older 4trak, because I just left the front hubs freewheeling, but the Independant I have now has automatic freewheeling front hubs, so in low ratio I am always in 4WD. Any suggestions (other than buying a permanent 4WD vehicle)?

Erm?

Just cause I'm an idiot, how would one freewheel the front wheels? I've never had a 4wd vehicle...just big cars.

Dragon To answer your questi

Dragon
To answer your question, you have to go through a few stages of development in 4wd's. Basically, first 4wd's had front axles similar to the rear axles, (the axles were connected directly to the road wheels) It was discovered that this increased wear in the front drive train, and increased fuel usage when both were not necessary when operating on hard surfaces. So someone came up with the idea of FREE WHEELING HUBS. These are spring loaded splined hubs that are fitted to the outside of the front axles. Basically, with a twist of a lever in the hub, the motion of the road wheels is disconnected from the inner front axle. A sliding splined ring slides away from the slined section of the inner axle. So now, seeing as how there is no motion from the wheels, nor from the transmission as its in 2wd, the front tailshaft, diff, and inner axles no longer move, reducing wear, and increasing fuel economy. The next step was that someone decided it was a pain in the backside to get in and out of vehicles to lock the hubs, so they invented automatic free wheeling hubs, which connect when the vehicle is put into 4wd.
Hopefully, this helps explain what free wheeling is.
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4WD low ratio

Hi,
In reply to the question about towing a horse box in low ratio
There is an easy way round this problem. The low ratio is selected mechanically by the hi/lo ratio gearlever but the 2WD to 4WD shift is made electronically. There is an electrical connector situated underneath the vehicle just above the rear end of the gearbox. Simply lie underneath the vehicle and disconnect the connector (white plastic squarish shape which simply pulls apart and can be pushed together to re-connect if you wish) and you will find that you can now have 2WDlow ratio or 2WD hi ratio. If you want 4WDlow ratio, just press the electronic 4WD button on the dashboard whilst the lever is in low ratio - best of all worlds! (Bye the way, it's a couple of years since I sold my Independant and I remember that there is a second similar connector also at the rear of the gearbox but it is not just above the gearbox - I'm almost certain that the one you need to disconnect is the one above the gearbox.) Hope this helps :-).

4wd low ratio

Did as Hoffers suggested, and I've now got what I wanted. He's a top man! Many thanks to him and this excellent site.
I've lost a transfer box in the past, and know of others also. Maybe all fourtrak owners should do this mod, and alter the instruction manual accordingly. Why did Daihatsu not do this? Low ratio 2WD is often essential when on concrete/ tarmac etc.
I have wondered in the past, (and still do!), if Daihatsu paid too much attention to authors of road tests who are used to driving executive saloons and forget that our vehicles are robust purposeful machines (Isn't that why we bought them?). Do we need alloy wheels etc? I agree that coil springs are more comfortable and don't break like the leaves used to, but I would prefer if Daihatsu spent more time and money on stopping our vehicles from corroding away!

4WD low ratio to 2WD low ratio

Hi Delp,
I also think Daihatsu were short sighted not to have given us a switch to do this as standard. However, at least we can easily modify our Fourtraks - the same thing is not possible on such as the Isuzu Trooper.
Anyway, glad to be able to help.