So you think you need/want a late model 4x4

My husband refuses to keep the hubs locked all winter. I keep telling him that if they aren't locked, he won't have 4WD when he needs it and by the time he needs it he'll already be in the ditch and won't be able to get out (usually high-centering or weight distribution is the problem with our DEEP, STEEP ditches). He thinks it's bad to drive with the hubs locked, especially on dry pavement, even if the truck is not in 4WD. He's especially concerned with driving at 65mph on the highway for the 40 miles between the back roads to our house and the city. I figure a little wear & tear is a trade-off for better maneuverability & safety.

I don't like keeping them locked all of the time especially driving on dry roads. The frt end will bind a little when turning the wheels as it's not designed to be locked on dry pavement especially at speed. another thing is it spins the frt. driveshaft which spins the output shaft of the transfer case at highway speed. The output shaft spinning might not get enough lube as the transfer case isn't designed to do this and it can wear bearings and bushings. When reaching the main road I would get out and unlock the hubs for hwy. driving. You can now see why they can market the pushbutton controls as manual 4wd. is just that, manual.

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"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self confidence"
Robert Frost

LOL Ya gotta love a woman that judges a car by how much chickenfeed it will carry!

I think Diesel maintenance is cheaper in the long run. Change the oil+filter every 15,000 miles for the Diesel instead of every 3,000 on a gas job and you can see that it evens out. A heavily used gas engine will undoubtedly need a rebuild at 200,000 miles, the big D should go 3 or 4 times that much before it needs a teardown. The fuel mileage is a wash if you have to pay full price for the truck, but I have seen on the lots comparable 3/4 ton pickups with either a low-option diesel or a fully loaded gas engine for the same price. I think the diesel is the better deal.

Just for the record, I had a Dodge 2003 Cummins 4X4 6 speed manual transmission. It had the NV5600 transmission, which is a cast iron housing. They have since gone to a Gertag german tranny, which does have an aluminum housing. Can't speak for the other brands though.

Overstating things a bit, aren't you?

Not at all, go price the CORRECT fluid for the manual trans of a newer truck.

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"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self confidence"
Robert Frost

I have. For the 03 Dodge you claimed was $30 a quart, it's $1.65 at Walmart. OEM correct spec fluid. Heck, it's just a standard CI-4 diesel oil. Nothing special about it.

Like I said, overstating it a bit, aren't you. The highest I've seen for a motor vehicle was Honda at $6 a quart.

I know where you are coming from Beeman. I drive a 2002 F-350 4x4 with the diesel. I love the truck, plenty of power, it pulled a 32' gooseneck back from Florida a couple years ago that grossed out at 28,000lbs, we cruised up the hill on I-24 out of Chattanooga at 55, no problem. It rides the best of any truck I've owned.

BUT, at 82,000 miles I've been through 3 rear u-joints (2 under warranty), 2 alternators, one starter, and one front hub (the hubs are sealed units, when a bearing goes you have to replace the whole hub, it was over $600). As far as I'm concerned the quality and engineering sucks.

I'm going to baby this one for as long as possible, but when it dies I think I will go backwards in years, probably to the 80's. A clean old truck from someplace where they don't rust out, an overhauled motor or even a new crate motor, and go through the rest of the drivetrain. You could do a complete restoration for much less than the cost of a new truck, and have something that could be maintained without breaking the bank.

I'm partial to 69-73 Chubby Blazers, 80's Cj-7 and Scramblers, 71-77 Broncos and International Harvester Scout II's.

Just my $.02

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This has nothing to do with 4wd but the highest priced oil is used in a Ferrari Enzo at 60.00 a quart and filter cost of 90.00...I don't think I'm buying one.

I had a Scout for years and it was a fun vehicle.

But I was getting real tired of changing the synchromesh.

A great big pain.

Used to buy them two at a time so I would have one around when I needed it.

Finally got tired of the aggravation and bought a brand new trans from the dealer for a LOT of money. Figured the end of the grief.

Wrong.

Then one day I got very unlucky. I was at a gas station and some fool ran into it while it was parked at the pump. A bad crash that essentially destroyed it.

It was awful.

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Those who choose to run away will run away again someday!

Start worrying--Details to follow!

We're talking manual transmission here. I just came from the Chevy dealer after looking up the CORRECT fluid in my spec chart book and calling Castrol and Valvoline. 1 quart of part # 12346190 manual trans synthetic fluid factory repalcement was $22 per quart. This fluid is not sold in parts stores but is available in 55 gal. drums from Castrol, I didn't bother to price it.

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"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self confidence"
Robert Frost

I think they are hosing you... $30 a qt for manual tranny fluid? The best synthetic oil is only $6 a quart and it comes in many viscosities. What is so special about the factory fluid?

My 76 chevy has solid front axles and you don't even have to get out to lock in the hubs because it is full time 4x4. What I save in electric servos, vacuum diaphrams and crap I probably spend on gas in one trip. Only use her on the ranch now and have to fight the pack rats over who gets to drive...

They're not hosing me, I don't own the vehicles I just work on them and pass the savings along to the customer. You can use any fluid you want in your vehicles, when I work on one and I'm responsible I use the fluid that the manufacturer and the oil companies recommend. I have seen the results of using the non recommended fluids, It's usually more expensive than the right fluid.

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"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self confidence"
Robert Frost