new sidekick owner 4wd question

[fbodylvr]

I just purchaced my 97 sidekick for 700 bucks with 163000 miles. My intent was to use it as a winter beater thats great in the snow. We just got the first snow of the year yesterday and at first it seemed like the 4wd was working fantastic and was great fun. However after the snow got packed down i ended up in a ditch. I thought it would be fairly easy to get out but in 4wd only the rear wheels were spinning. It is my first 4wd vehicle so im not an expert on how they work. The 4wd seems to be working fine under normal driving and even when correcting oversteer. Is this normal for these cars or do i have a problem.

[colonelhogan44]

Did you lock the hubs?

[fbodylvr]

Not manual hubs

[colonelhogan44]

Then I'd say your auto hubs are highly suspect.

[fbodylvr]

How difficult is it to convert to manual hubs

[Bex]

Not difficult at all. Pull off the auto hubs, put on the manuals. Auto hubs (IMHO) are a PIA, as you never really know if they are locked, and if you change direction (like trying to rock your way out of a stuck situation) they can lock/unlock, etc. The 1997 Tracker has a strange wavy washer in the hub application (but not the Sidekick AFAIK) so any year other than that will be a direct swap. The manual hubs are servicable/repairable too, while the auto hubs really aren't. Plenty of info on how to service the manual hubs on the forum.

[xxx]

buy them at any store
there are many after market brands.

see my 4wd test page.
shows who to test 5 ways.
on jack stands is best way.

got stands?

and with your stock axles
the tire with he least traction will get all torque. (a counter logical fact)
so is not really 4wd (it is on dirt , but not with one wheel off ground)

LSD axles solve that .
and in a ditch with front hubs actually locked
apply the hand brake about 20% and this makes the loose wheels
trans fire power to the traction side.
practice with ice on one side. see....... see it work?

do not use 4wd on hard pavement.
only on grass,dirt,sand, clay,, or ice and snow.
never just wet or dry pavement

when I say 4wd, that means the looking hubs are in fact locked
all other ways are not 4wd, (the knob is not proof of 4wd at all)
some like to play games with words, im talking mechanics....
reality!

[Scudo]

While in 2wd take the caps off the hubs and observe the position of the splines inside/take a picture. At the same time make a mark on your front drive shaft.

Engage 4wd and drive forward a couple of feet and if the position hasn't changed then the hubs are probably stuck open. You may also hear a click if they engage.

But to double check, recheck the mark on your front shaft and if it has moved then 100% hubs are stuck open. If it hasn't moved then you are looking at other problems.

[fbodylvr]

Lots of great info. Thanks to everyone for the advice. Im definately going to look into manual hubs asap. One more question. My car is auto and at 65mph the rpms are almost 4 grand. It just seems alot higher than it should be. Is this normal?

[Scudo]

How almost is almost?

3 or 4 speed auto?