I try to remind everyone who asks that 4wd is only to give you more *TRACTION*. There are many cases where you might need more traction, poor weather/ off road being the primary ones.
2wd only uses 2 wheels (duh), but it depends on whether your vehicle is front or rear wheel drive. Have you ever tried to run up a wet hillside using only your feet? Or conversely, tried pulling yourself up with only your hands? Wouldn’t it help to put your hands and feet down to climb the hill? That’s what 4wd does. You’re pushing with the back wheels, pulling with the front. Very simple.
With auto traction, it senses when a wheel is slipping and automatically engages the 4wd. But I don’t recommend using it all the time. I had a very specific problem with my GMC where I started getting hard shifts in Auto, and I was told by the dealer to do routine driving in 2wd, and ONLY use the 4wd when you need it. Something about the transfer case spooling up and releasing tension, which makes sense. It also puts more wear on the transfer case by using it when you don’t need it.
Auto makes sense when you’re driving in wet weather conditions, since you might lose traction on 1 wheel and need it to engage, but I still prefer to manually control my traction. 4hi is to allow your transmission to switch thru all the gears, 4lo is when you want it to stay in a low gear and need the benefit of that along with the increased traction, mainly when climbing rough terrain at slow speed or towing down a steep hill.
But routine driving, with no load and dry paved surfaces, I say keep it in 2wd bc you don’t need the extra traction. You’re putting more wear on components that don’t need to be used, and you’re actually likely getting worse fuel economy in 4wd because there is increased resistance with the transfer case engaged. I imagine that would be your preference with that 6.2.. it drinks gas. And premium at that.
2wd only uses 2 wheels (duh), but it depends on whether your vehicle is front or rear wheel drive. Have you ever tried to run up a wet hillside using only your feet? Or conversely, tried pulling yourself up with only your hands? Wouldn’t it help to put your hands and feet down to climb the hill? That’s what 4wd does. You’re pushing with the back wheels, pulling with the front. Very simple.
With auto traction, it senses when a wheel is slipping and automatically engages the 4wd. But I don’t recommend using it all the time. I had a very specific problem with my GMC where I started getting hard shifts in Auto, and I was told by the dealer to do routine driving in 2wd, and ONLY use the 4wd when you need it. Something about the transfer case spooling up and releasing tension, which makes sense. It also puts more wear on the transfer case by using it when you don’t need it.
Auto makes sense when you’re driving in wet weather conditions, since you might lose traction on 1 wheel and need it to engage, but I still prefer to manually control my traction. 4hi is to allow your transmission to switch thru all the gears, 4lo is when you want it to stay in a low gear and need the benefit of that along with the increased traction, mainly when climbing rough terrain at slow speed or towing down a steep hill.
But routine driving, with no load and dry paved surfaces, I say keep it in 2wd bc you don’t need the extra traction. You’re putting more wear on components that don’t need to be used, and you’re actually likely getting worse fuel economy in 4wd because there is increased resistance with the transfer case engaged. I imagine that would be your preference with that 6.2.. it drinks gas. And premium at that.
