4A or 2H? Which is the best?

[BigGreenPony]

Just a chime in on something that most people get wrong.

4A is for on-road use and engages the front axle whenever you are on the throttle. Many people will state that for a kicks into 4H "when needed" And this is not the case.

When you get on the throttle It sends power to the front axle. When you let off the throttle or maintain, the front axle does not get power. When you make sharp turns, it tends to disengage the front axle as well.

Yeah this! I'm pretty sure I read this in the owners manual.

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[BigGreenPony]

I don't have the advanced transfer case, but it doesn't make any sense 4A would improve handling. Maybe it feels different, but is it really an improvement? If I had it, I would only use 4A in slipery conditions.

This is what I do too. Maybe my claim of "improves handling" is a misnomer. What I should have said was that the steering feel and road grip was noticeably better.

 

[BigGreenPony]

are the wheels still connected to the front axle? If so then the engine is pushing the wheels and pushing the axle.

Most transfer cases have clutches inside. These can go between "open" and "closed". With no power input the clutch in the transfer case would be open, thus free spinning the front prop shaft. My understanding is that 4A is having the computer/electronics control this instead of an old school mechanical leaver.

 

[userdude]

This is what I do too. Maybe my claim of "improves handling" is a misnomer. What I should have said was that the steering feel and road grip was noticeably better.

If you're in Sport, I think it also changes the steering to make it stiffer? I know Baja makes the steering more stiff, especially at full turn.

 

[BigGreenPony]

If you're in Sport, I think it also changes the steering to make it stiffer? I know Baja makes the steering more stiff, especially at full turn.

I have a Badlands, so I'm missing sport mode. I plan to ForScan this at some point.

 

[BadmansSAS]

I have a Badlands, so I'm missing sport mode. I plan to ForScan this at some point.

I added it to mine. Was 1000% worth it. Just the throttle response alone.

 

[brkdncr]

Most transfer cases have clutches inside. These can go between "open" and "closed". With no power input the clutch in the transfer case would be open, thus free spinning the front prop shaft. My understanding is that 4A is having the computer/electronics control this instead of an old school mechanical leaver.

Yes but your engine is still pushing the front wheels and cv joints through the road all the way back up to that disconnected clutch.

Unless you disconnect the front wheel drivetrain at both the transfer case and at the wheels there is a lot of rotating mass and friction still getting pushed around.

 

[BigGreenPony]

I added it to mine. Was 1000% worth it. Just the throttle response alone.

Can you start the truck in sport mode, or does it default to normal mode?

 

[BadmansSAS]

Can you start the truck in sport mode, or does it default to normal mode?

You cant start the truck in sport automatically, but if I had it in sport and turned it off. Then came back and turned the truck back on, I get a message on the screen asking if I want to go back to sport. I just hit yes on the steering wheel and it kicks back into sport. But it also puts it into 4h even if I had it in 2h with sport on.

So yes and no...lol

 

[dingle87]

I put mine in sport, then immediately put it back in 2h. I would only put it in 4A if the weather is bad. Otherwise no need for 4x unless going offroad. If I were to hit trails that were just off camber without any technical sections, I would just put it in 4A and let it eat until it needs help.

I do the same. I wish I didn't have to select 2h all the damn time.

 

[mpeugeot]

Unless 2h somehow disengages the rotating assembly at the front wheels and also at the transfer case then there is marginal mpg gains. The engine is still rotating all that mass with the exception of the friction between the gears that were disconnected.

Exactly

4A won't make any significant difference in mpg

 

[BadmansSAS]

I do the same. I wish I didn't have to select 2h all the damn time.

There’s probably a place in the factory tune where that could be adjusted. Not something you could do with FORScan but something you would do with like HP Tuners if you were to get an unlocked PCM and you were able to tune it.

 

[mpeugeot]

4A maybe nominal, but sports mode is not.

Nothing like screaming at 3,000 RPM while you're doing just 40 mph down a city street for gas mileage!

And yet you have no data to back that up. I get better mileage in sport mode. I also have over 90k miles on my 2021 Bronco Bronco to back up the fact that 4A and sport mode fine for daily driving.

 

[mpeugeot]

I do the same. I wish I didn't have to select 2h all the damn time.

You don't, just leave it in 4A.

 

[BigGreenPony]

4A maybe nominal, but sports mode is not.

Nothing like screaming at 3,000 RPM while you're doing just 40 mph down a city street for gas mileage!

You might be surprised, but the 2.3 EcoBoost has peak efficiency between 2K and 4K rpm!

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