A4WD ... bang when it catches ??

KEEBZ489

Original poster
Member
Jan 16, 2018
245
Howard Beach NY
first snow here in nyc yesterday , my tires are worn , but still have a little life left. while driving in A4WD every now and then there would a slight " bang " , im guessing it was the 4wd kicking in. is it normal for that bang ? almost like a traction control feeling , but instead of a shudder it was on solid bang. no metal on metal bang noise , just the feeling.

ive felt it before when using it in the rain a few times , just happened a lot more yesterday with the slipping on the snow

I did all the fluids diff and xfer case fluids about 7000 miles ago and tranny fluid and shift solenoids a few weeks ago.
 

xavierny25

Member
Mar 16, 2014
6,323
Staten Island, N.Y
Normal... As @Mooseman and others calls it the "slip bang system".
My wife crawled home on the belt parkway in the Voy do to traffic and snow. She didn't need the awd but the abs system did kick in a few times. Almost 2hrs for a 24 mile commute.
 
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C-ya

Member
Aug 24, 2012
1,098
As you are noticing, the system does "bang" when it applies, especially if there is a large speed differential from front to back. A lot of guys here advocate NOT using the A4WD, but I like it. If I feel a little slip, I'll back off, then reapply the gas to get the back moving at slow speed. When the system decides to add the front, the speed diff is not as great. Very slight clunk, definitely not a bang. In your case, with snow on the ground and worn tires, I might just put it 4HI and call it good. Watch your turn radii and be prepared to widen it if you feel it catching. I doubt you would, but always be prepared.
 
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KEEBZ489

Original poster
Member
Jan 16, 2018
245
Howard Beach NY
I was lucky with my comute , wodside to howard beach is 15 miles , usually about 1 hour to get home , I made it in 1 1/2 with taking all side streets and driving over a sidewalk to get around a tractor trailing stuck in a turn

and yes , CLUNK would be a better description than bang , thank
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
And I suspect that the banging also contributes to the stripping of the intermediate shaft (the one that goes from the differential to the disconnect) and there have been a couple that posted here about that. I highly recommend using 4hi instead of A4WD.
 
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Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Maybe by jacking the right front wheel and put it in 4hi. Turn the wheel, it shouldn't. If it does, something ain't right.
 

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