lots of noise when steering/turining in 4wd mode.

[Kristian]

When I put my tahoe in 4wd mode, it runs fine without any bad/weird sound, but as soon as I turn the wheel, it makes some strong noise like some gears or something are scratching.
I don't really know how to explain the sound, but I hope you understand.

Is this normal, or is something wrong?

 

[Jr_454]

Are you trying this on dry pavement?

 

[rigo_jones]

you might need diff fluid

 

[snowjay]

Are you trying this on dry pavement?

This!

Unless you specifically have a full time 4wd or AWD system running in 4WD on dry pavement is bad. At the very least you need to be on a wet road, preferably dirt, gravel, snow etc...

On dry pavement there is too much traction and since the tires travel at different rates (outside vs inside) tension can build up in the drive line. There needs to be something that allows the tires to slip a little to keep turning at the same rate, usually it's the tire slipping on the ground on a low friction surface. On dry pavement that becomes pieces and parts in the drive line. Keep doing it and you'll blow a u-joint or worse a differential.

 

[Kristian]

Oh, so it got "locked diff" in front when I put it in 4wd?

Thanks for all the replies

 

[axekick]

Probably not a locked differential, it can compensate for the difference in the distance that the front wheels are travelling. However, the front wheels and the rear wheels are also traveling at different speeds when you're turning and if none of the wheels can slip then there is nothing to compensate for that difference.

I don't know much about full time 4WD or AWD but I'm assuming there is some kind of differential between the front and rear wheels.

 

[snowjay]

I don't know much about full time 4WD or AWD but I'm assuming there is some kind of differential between the front and rear wheels.

Basically, the differential is built into the transfer case.

 

[axekick]

That's what I figured. Is there any way to lock it? Doesn't really matter to me cause I don't have it. I'm just curious.

 

[snowjay]

That's what I figured. Is there any way to lock it? Doesn't really matter to me cause I don't have it. I'm just curious.

Depends on the car. On my old 4Runner I could run in 4WD full time if I wanted and then there was a button on the dash to lock the center diff for maximum traction, but of course they told you not to do that on dry pavement.

 

[Kristian]

I'd love if there was some button to lock the rear diff.
I hate how the rear diff is all open on the Tahoe.. One wheel stuck and that wheel is spinning, while the other does nothing.

Drifting is also impossible, since I only get wheelspin on the inner tire..