Big Blue: 2005 GMC Yukon Denali

[Sully]

Is it AWD or 4WD? I'm assuming AWD because it's an SUV, right?

I think most are 4wd because its pretty much the truck but with a different body slapped on. The only reason i'd hesitate to so I'm sure about that is becauseit has all the fancy air ride stuff so it wouldn't completely surprise me if gm made it awd to make it easier on the soccer moms who want to slide off the road when it snows because they think 4wd means its like driving on a a magic surface that grips better than regular snow. And saying awd sounds more luxury i guess.

[Jake]

The Tahoe, Suburban, Avalanche and non-Denali Yukons were selectable 4WD, with RWD, 4 High and 4 Low options on the dash.

The Yukon Denali, Yukon XL Denali and Escalades were all full-time AWD (not "slip 'n' grip" like some car-based AWD systems). I don't have any sort of low-range gearing, whereas the 5.3L trucks do.

Denalis and Escalades share the same drivetrain, with the LQ4 6-liter and 4L-65E trans. All of the others have the 5.3L and 4L-60.

Suburbans, Yukon XLs, Escalade ESVs and Avalanches are basically plopped right onto the Silverado 1500 chassis. The Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade ride on a shorter version of the chassis.

[Senor_Taylor]

Okay, good. I didn't want to have to shame you for being one of those people who brag about having a 4wd truck or SUV and being able to drive in snow. My truck is scary as shit in snow unless I have 4wd on or my rear end locked.... which I can't do if I'm driving on the highway.

[Jake]

Okay, good. I didn't want to have to shame you for being one of those people who brag about having a 4wd truck or SUV and being able to drive in snow. My truck is scary as shit in snow unless I have 4wd on or my rear end locked.... which I can't do if I'm driving on the highway.

How fast can you typically leave a 4WD truck in 4 High?

I like the fact that AWD is completely transparent, I just want it to spin whatever wheels it needs to get me moving. It does have a LSD on the rear axle, so thankfully not everything is 100% open.

[Senor_Taylor]

How fast can you typically leave a 4WD truck in 4 High?

If you're on pavement? Zero. Since there is a transfer case, not a center differential, you'll bind up your drivetrain when you try to turn. If you're on pavement, there is a chance one of the tires won't be able to slip enough and you'll break something. Some people say it's okay to drive slowly (like 15 mph), but I personally wouldn't risk exploding a differential or a CV axle. 4WD is for offroad use only... unless you don't care about your shit. I know people who drive in 4WD as soon as there is a dusting of snow and they're one quick maneuver left or right on some ground with too much traction away from an accident.

[Jake]

Oh, right right. I've heard to not use 4WD on dry pavement, which makes sense due to binding.

I guess I'm more asking in the case of heavier snow - say you're driving through 3-4" of snow on "highways" where the speed limit is 45+. Granted, you may not want to even drive that fast, but is it even kosher to consider 45 mph in 4 High in snow beyond a dusting?

Obviously, off-road, speeds are much lower anyway so it's not much of a concern.

[PDenbigh]

I drive my truck in 4x4 on snowy roads at 50-60 frequently in the winter. Never had a drivetrain problem in my 250k 2001 F150. When I shift to 4x4, I just let off the throttle, shift, and go, often at speeds at or above 50mph.

My truck is either 2wd or 4x4. I'd like to have an AWD or "Auto" feautre for when roads are kinda slick but not enough for full time 4x4. I often find myself, in those situations, leaving it in 4x4 and just ensuring a ride in the snow line on turns so nothing locks up. Sounds counter intuitive but it's worked well with years of driving on snow mountain roads in WV.

Nice ride man! You'll enjoy it.

[ScottyB]

our xterra is "old school" 4x4 as well...the owners manual states you can shift from 2 to 4 while moving below about 20mph but i always shift it in from a stop...but you should probably be able to disengage back to 2 at any time.

4x4 is typically fine up to about 55 or so before you're stressing the transfer case, but its not something i'd ever leave on if you're making anything other than broad turns on dry pavement, it'll bind up and put lots of strain on your driveshafts. on snow/gravel/dirt where its really meant to be used, you'll never feel it.

I often find myself, in those situations, leaving it in 4x4 and just ensuring a ride in the snow line on turns so nothing locks up. Sounds counter intuitive but it's worked well with years of driving on snow mountain roads in WV.

what Pete said. you want the wheels to be able to slip a little in 4WD to account for a locked center drive.

[Jake]

Cool cool. I was just curious about using 4WD "properly" - the Denalis are all AWD so I don't have to worry.

[Senor_Taylor]

Ditto x2

[V1GiLaNtE]

Saw this donk rollin' on 66 this morning. Lookin purty even with all that salt/snow makeup. :thumbup:

[Jake]

Saw this donk rollin' on 66 this morning. Lookin purty even with all that salt/snow makeup. :thumbup:

Were you in a car, or on the Metro that was stopped dead due to single tracking? :wink:

The salt/snow just means I have a two-tone paint job for now!

[V1GiLaNtE]

Saw this donk rollin' on 66 this morning. Lookin purty even with all that salt/snow makeup. :thumbup:

Were you in a car, or on the Metro that was stopped dead due to single tracking? :wink:

The salt/snow just means I have a two-tone paint job for now!

Nissan Xterra. :thumbup: F the metro.

[fiveoh2go]

I drive my truck in 4x4 on snowy roads at 50-60 frequently in the winter. Never had a drivetrain problem in my 250k 2001 F150.

This^

Never had an issue with my old F250 or my current TJ.

[Jake]

Filled up last night after a week of driving to work in traffic, including 19 miles of 0-25-0 on Monday in the snow.

12.7 MPG.

Eesh.

[Kaan]

a V8 brick with rimz... and you are complaining about mpg?

if you need MPG see if Toyota will make a Prius truck but then everyone will complain about the ugly front end.

[Jake]

The "eesh" was more the noise I made upon calculating the MPG. Dash was telling me 14.4 so I guess it's a bit optimistic.

I'm not really complaining, a full tank was only like $40 given current gas prices. Just hoping they stay relatively low until I move closer to work in April/May.

[davej]

I'm not really complaining, a full tank was only like $40 given current gas prices. Just hoping they stay relatively low until I move closer to work in April/May.

here's to hoping! :thumbup:

I was about your same mpg in the truck since it was a city commute, but gas was north of $4.25 then.
I've never been more depressed then having to swipe my card twice to fill up because the pump shuts off at $100

[WRXtranceformed]

Filled up last night after a week of driving to work in traffic, including 19 miles of 0-25-0 on Monday in the snow.

12.7 MPG.

Eesh.

Boof that's worse than what I have been getting in the Jag!

[Jake]

Filled up again because I was at the grocery store, the gas station is next to it, and I had half a tank so why not. Managed around 15 mpg this time. Better.

The repaired wheel/tire has been holding air 100% fine. I can check each tire's pressure from the gauge cluster which is pretty cool.

Got a new head unit coming today (but wiring harness arrives Friday, so I can't have it installed for my ski trip this weekend, boo), which will be a supremely nice upgrade from what was high-end in 2005.

Up next on the "to do" list:

• Most of my steering wheel buttons don't light up. I can de-solder and re-solder bulbs, or I can buy new buttons with new bulbs. The button clusters are like $11 each and there are four of them, so that may be the easy button answer.
  
• The rear seat HVAC/audio buttons don't light up. Probably the same issue. The controller works fine though. I care almost 0% about this and will probably-definitely ignore it.
  
• Need to buy a trailer brake controller. The go-to seems to be the Tekonsha (sp?) Prodigy. I would like to mount it where my CD changer is now, as the changer will be removed when the head unit goes in. TBC's are cheap, about $150. The truck is pre-wired for it, so I just have to plug the controller into the harness that's already tied up under the dash.
  
• Need to buy a hitch. DJ says he has 37 spares because of course he does, so I'll probably go shopping at DJ's Basement Storage Room Emporium and pick one that looks nice.

And at some point here, but not until March-ish, I need to buy a trailer. That's a whole new world (.mp3) that I have yet to research.

Going to be putting ~400 miles on Big Blue here from Friday to Monday - heading up to Seven Springs with a bunch of friends to go skiing. Should be a nice La-Z-Boy experience there and back. :thumbup: