The 4A Advantage

[mjohnso3]

Having lived in places like Colorado and Minnesota with 1st and 2nd Gen Bronco's and having to frequently shift in and out of 2 high to 4 high on icy , snow and wet pavement conditions all in a 5 minute span was just a way of life and never put much thought into it. Living here in Atlanta we typically don't get much snow but having the 4A feature that came on the Badlands trim prove to be quite useful and convenient since I've actually never really used it until yesterday. I am grateful it came with the trim because had it been an option I would not have added it.

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[Tdub0527]

I’ve been enjoying it with some recent snowfall in Minnesota! The BB I had before my Badlands didn’t have it and it is quite a luxury to have that feature!

 

[Callelk]

I use 4A most of the time when traveling to and from the airport when it snows. On the trails I hit 4A as soon as I hit dirt. Where I go there are 2 lane, main dirt roads that are steep and have areas of washboard, pea-gravel. In 2H I find my self sliding a bit at speed where 4A keeps the Bronco planted. When I head off the main dirt roads and on the 2-track, I typically go into 4L and use trail assist which I think is one of the Bronco's more useful features.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I've never really done the "shift" every two minutes routine ... if road conditions call for 4x4, it gets 4x4 and stays there for a while.

Never had any issues.

Older trucks with manual hubs, the hubs stayed locked for a few days until the storm effects were cleared, in between I just shifted the transfer in/out as needed.
Ironically, on ice and hard pack, the drag of the front axle being locked in required 4x4 much more often to get going from a stop.

 

[freebob]

The problem I have with 4a is the time it takes send power to the front wheels .I find the bronco rear wheels lose traction alot .So I use 4 h in ice and snow!

 

[AzGrayHeritage]

4A is amazing... Makes the Bronco feel solid

 

[cgskipper]

Is there a difference between 4A alone or using Slippery mode? When I engage 4A "manually" via the button, power seems to go primarily to the rear wheels and only to the front under harder acceleration or when slipping. In Slippery mode, it seems as if power is primarily spread evenly among all four wheels.

Also had a few other questions about 4A and 4H:
1. What is the highest speed you can be driving when engaging 4A or 4H?
2. What is the max speed you can drive in once in 4A or 4H?

Side note...I tried to look this up in the digital manual in the Bronco and while I have the Advanced 4x4 in my Badlands, the manual only includes instructions for the regular 4x4 system.

 

[AzGrayHeritage]

I wonder if 4A is different for Manual then Auto. I feel like all wheels are pulling

 

[dgorsett]

Is there a difference between 4A alone or using Slippery mode? When I engage 4A "manually" via the button, power seems to go primarily to the rear wheels and only to the front under harder acceleration or when slipping. In Slippery mode, it seems as if power is primarily spread evenly among all four wheels.

Also had a few other questions about 4A and 4H:
1. What is the highest speed you can be driving when engaging 4A or 4H?
2. What is the max speed you can drive in once in 4A or 4H?

Side note...I tried to look this up in the digital manual in the Bronco and while I have the Advanced 4x4 in my Badlands, the manual only includes instructions for the regular 4x4 system.

4A or 4H can be engaged and run at any speed in the Bronco. Just be sure you are not spinning a tire or making a sharp turn when shifting.

 

[SkyKing]

Yes it is a major advantage for daily drivers that get used in wintry road conditions. My daily drivers (since 1988 have all been 4WD SUVs with no full-time 4WD (AWD) option). So while feeling like I should be safer in my highly capable "SUV", the reality was that the nearly all of the time, I was driving in rear wheel driver when on slippery highways (Not good to leave it in 4WD for 3 hours straight on the highway). So having 4A brings your SUV out of the 70s with modern all wheel drive technology for the road. There was a reason that the majority of the cars stuck in ditches and snowbanks were SUVs - they were all driving with unfounded confidence in rear wheel drive.

 

[MotoFish]

Ill say Im impressed with the 4A mode. I have tried numerous times to fool it and do things like fishtail or rip some donuts in an iced over parking lot. The 4A works quickly and is effective. Things get a lot more fun once all the electronic nanny systems are off but in general Id argue the 4A can be sold as a safety feature.

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

I'm really glad it was one of the only things I optioned on my Black Diamond.

 

[AzGrayHeritage]

Heritage for the win ...

 

[Uhdinator]

Slippery mode is supposed to enhance the TC somewhat, reduce throttle and steering sensitvity.....where as just hitting 4A does not but TC is still on.

If plowing thru deep snow/drifts on unplowed surfaces I would use 4A or 4H and turn TC off so engine power is not reduced if needing to maintain momentum, Or use Deep sand/snow mode and unlock the axle. See which works better.

 

[Brian_B]

Is there a difference between 4A alone or using Slippery mode? When I engage 4A "manually" via the button, power seems to go primarily to the rear wheels and only to the front under harder acceleration or when slipping. In Slippery mode, it seems as if power is primarily spread evenly among all four wheels.

Also had a few other questions about 4A and 4H:
1. What is the highest speed you can be driving when engaging 4A or 4H?
2. What is the max speed you can drive in once in 4A or 4H?

Side note...I tried to look this up in the digital manual in the Bronco and while I have the Advanced 4x4 in my Badlands, the manual only includes instructions for the regular 4x4 system.

Yes there is a difference

In Slippery mode - you also get reduced sensitivity on the throttle and steering. Other than that - there is no difference in the transfer case or drive mode

To engage - supposedly no rated speed, although my Bronco now makes me slow to >3mph for 4H for some reason . The system has some safety’s to engage and it will delay if it doesn’t see everything line up.

The max speed for 2H/4A/4H is not limited - there is a top speed governor at something like 95 mph if you can get there

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