Just curious to know who else gets a lot of windup and banging in their 4wd system when in use.  I was on some back roads yesterday playing with my 4wd and was getting an uncomfortable amount of windup (at least I think that's what it is).  I had it in 4HI only, and was going through some washed out road/wetholes with 10-14 inches of muddy water and small rocks...you know, typical stuff that you'd put it in 4HI for.  It just seems like this shouldn't be happening.  It seems like the wheels should have been slipping enough to prevent this.  I don't want to go through that type of hole in 2WD and get stuck in the middle of a massive mud puddle. 

I remember in the first winter up north with this truck (about 5 1/2 years ago now) there was a good sized snowstorm, and my GV was kind of stuck on the frame rails because the snow was so deep (didn't have a lift at that time).  The same thing was happening in 4WD while I was trying to get it out.  Every two to three seconds I'd hear a dull thump coming from the drivetrain.  Kind of annoying.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this!

Dave

I've taken my stock GV through similar terrain in 4WD, and not detected any windup.  It was on winter M&S tyres.  It strikes me that the tyres are the only variable.

One suggestion if the problem persists - fit my 2WDLo mod http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content?topic=38056.0 and you can use the switch to relieve windup as required.

Hey thats awesome, haven't heard that before.

Is a relay necessary or will a normal 20-30A switch do?

I've only had that happen if I've got my foot to the wood and the front diff engages hard because the rpm is so high.
I only have a very suttle clunk when I engage it on the fly on the road or when I'm not spinning the tires.
I would say your back tires were spinning pretty good and the higher rpm when you engaged the 4wd "slammed" it in to 4wd.

Guys...thanks for your replies.  Let me try to give you a more accurate idea/timeline of what I did.  I'm in 2WD, on pavement.  I make a turn onto a short dirt/grass road that I can see is washed out for about 40-50 yards, with tire tracks that are filled with water.  In some spots water covers the entire road.  I drive up to within 10 feet of the wet spot, stop to look it over, then put the truck into 4HI.  I drive the truck forward at a normal pace (3-4 mph) and then begin to accelerate just enough so I won't bog down.  About 5-6 feet into the wethole I'm getting the "thud" sounds from the drivetrain (one thud every second or two).  What's up with this?? 

Dave

Dave, 

Since you can't see what's lurking in the hole (maybe the wheels are hitting rocks?), have you tried it on a loose dry surface?  If you go straight, you should get very little, if any, windup; it really only arises when you turn.  If you still get the thumps, we'll have to think deeper - maybe a front driveshaft UJ is binding?

Is a relay necessary or will a normal 20-30A switch do?

Yes, you can use a plain switch.  I used the relay because my switch illuminates when ON, and I wanted the light ON when the circuit was interrupted.

Yeah...that's what I don't understand about it.  It's not rocks, cause it's a very distinct sound that's the same every time.  It also did it last winter when I was driving in snow/ice in Pennsylvania.  I think it actually does it the worst when the wheels are slipping significantly.  For example, if I engage 4wd on 1 to 2 inches of hard packed snow, and drive around at 35-45 mph it's okay.  Maybe one thump after first engaging.  But put me on loose stuff going up a hill (or in a wethole like the other day), and the thumping is pretty significant.  And it's not like I'm doing donuts and figures eights either.  I'm overly careful to engage 4wd traveling in a straight line, and the noise comes even when I'm traveling pretty straight. 

I wonder if the 4wd system suffered a little damage that first winter I had the truck, when I was stuck on the framerails in about 20 inches of snow, and it was spinning so much.  I wouldn't think that could happen....I mean most all of my wheels were spinning (whatever the open diffs would allow), but I wasn't going anywhere.  It's not like the drivetrain was bearing much of a load.  Damned if I know...could it be related to the clutch and the fact that this is a manual tranny GV??  I'm out of ideas.

Dave

I don't use 4x4 that much but,  Once when I was trying to climb a muddy hill it was banging really bad too. I wasn't going any where either, just spinning.  I always wondered about why it was banging.

When I had my first GV it was a '98 model and one of the first in Aust.
Suzuki ended up replacing the transfer case twice trying to fix a problem
that occured offroad with the transfer case shifter getting thrown out of
4wd all the time. It turned out that  there was an automatic spec bearing
in there somewhere that should have been a manual one.
Now that I have a later model GV I know they beefed up some of the driveline
like the rear diff etc. My older car had some broken teeth come out with
the diff oil one service.

I think the best way to find out would be to get a thorough inspection done
at a Suzuki dealer.

IanL -
It looks like you have also given me a way to feed my traction control system
power from the 4wd circuit. I was looking for a 4wd switched circuit from the
transfer case and ended up resetting the speedo somehow so it now reads
30kph below 0 when still.

Dave,

My money is on either a transmission mount (front diff or transfer case) defective, or front driveshaft universal joint binding.

Moses,

Glad it helped.  If you need more current than Fuse 21 on the B/W can provide, you can always wire from the battery through an extra fuse, still using the relay to control it. Be sure to let us know how that TCS pans out - by the sound of it, I want one!

Yeah...what really sucks is that if it is a defective part, I should have had it fixed when it was under warranty....since it first did it only a few months after I bought it.  Now it's almost 6 years later....wonder what it would cost to get this taken care of.  Dealers scare me...and I'm not convinced that the ones here in South Florida even understand the mechanics of a 4WD system.  Not a lot of offroadin' with Zuks down here.  Pickup trucks moreso....but I'm one of the few with a GV that gets off the pavement.  Hmmmmmm.....this sucks

I've only had that noise happen to once and it was the front diff didn't  engaging all the way. 

George

Mmmmm.....maybe another good argument for getting rid of the air diff, and replacing it with the Sidekick setup and manual hubs.  Too bad it costs so much, though.  The parts from a Sidekick to convert both F&R third members and manual hubs run about $800-1000.  That doesn't count the labor, which I'm guessing would be several hours, especially if I keep the steel GV housing and replace the guts with Sidekick stuff.    Would love to have the 5.13 diffs and manual hubs, but I just haven't got the cash right now

Dave