2006 Rubi - very slow in 4Lo

[JPuchyr]

Morning all,

looking at buying a 2006 Rubi, but in the test drive 4Lo was difficult (stiff) to engage, and couldn't get it moving faster than 5km/h.  More gas got the revs up to 4000 but the speedometer didn't move.

tested on an uphill hard packed dirt road, but couldn't get it faster than idling in 1st gear.

I know 4lo isn't for going fast, and should be used under 20mph - but should go faster than 0, shouldn't it?

Thanks,

[Black Betty]

That's a 4:1 transfer case.  Was the vehicle in neutral rolling forward ever so slightly when 4lo was engaged?

How about 2 & 3 gear in 4lo?  Speedo will still work in 4lo.

[JPuchyr]

yup, rolling fwd when engaging 4lo.

2nd or 3rd?  didn't try.
new to the Rubi world, thought I could get "some" speed in 1st gear, before needing to shift up.

[rollicon]

Starting in 3rd  in low range is like starting in first in high range. First gear is tapped at 5kmh. You're lucky for 50kmh in fifth gear!

[specialk]

If you need to go 50km/hr, you do not need to be in 4 lo.  

To engage 4lo, you should be stopped with the transmission in neutral. 

1st gear in 4lo is for steep downhill grades and 4:1 does a great job of that along with the 4.10s in those diffs.   you can wheel the heck out of that jeep without any mods.

[Jrama]

190 x 4 = is like 760 hp at 5Kph!!!
 That is probably an inaccurate statement but its cool to think about....go jeep

[Slewfoot]

In lo range/1st gear in my Rubi - the speedo doesn't really move....max speed I dare go in lo/6th gear is just over 20 km/...faster than that I shift to hi range.

What you're describing seems normal to me if you're talking about lo range in 1st gear.

Regarding being hard to engage t-case...I have an after-market t-case linkage, but I recall shifting the t-case was stiff with the stock linkage...now I can one-finger it

[brianrh]

Puttering around Maclean I'm often in 3rd to 5th.  2nd for just about any 'obstacle'

[SwampSinger]

 With the 4:1 I wouldn't recommend going pass 4th gear.  Beyond 4th it's making the planetary gears spin like crazy...


I blew up a Tera low NP231 - 4:1 kit on the trail that way. I was using 4 low in the winter and going too fast.

I'm sure the Rubi t-case is better built than the Tera low kit but it's still putting stupid stress on the bearings and gears.

[Vinman]

With the 4:1 I wouldn't recommend going pass 4th gear.  Beyond 4th it's making the planetary gears spin like crazy...


I blew up a Tera low NP231 - 4:1 kit on the trail that way. I was using 4 low in the winter and going too fast.

I'm sure the Rubi t-case is better built than the Tera low kit but it's still putting stupid stress on the bearings and gears.

Just to put it in perspective, 5th gear low range at 2000 rpm, the planetary set in the t-case is spinning 8,000 rpm. 3,000 rpm, it's spinning 12,000 rpm, 4,000 rpm equates to 16,000 rpm. Not good for the t-case at all, shift to high range.