How Fast Can You Drive in 4 High Silverado [+When to Use 4 High/Low & Why : 2022]

The Silverado truck comes with a lot of features that make the driving experience fun and comfortable at the same time.

Chevy has been able to incorporate some 4WD features that increase the truck’s off-road capability and one of the features is the 4WD high.

With this, “how fast can you drive in 4 high Silverado” has become a constant question.

This article will answer the question and show more things you need to know about this feature.

What Does 4×4 High Mean?

Before we can go on to understand what a 4×4 high is, we must have an understanding of what 4×4 is all about.

The 4×4 is also called four-wheel drive or 4WD. This term refers to a vehicle with all 4 wheels powered by the engine.

Normally, the engine only powers two wheels of the vehicle and the two wheels then move the rest of the truck.

A 4×4 vehicle is quite different; the engine powers all wheels.

Now that you understand what a 4×4 or four-wheel drive is, we can go on to 4×4 high.

A 4×4 high is a special feature that most 4WD vehicles have.

It allows the vehicle to drive on the road with low traction without slowing down.

When driving in snow or on a paved dirt road that tends to get slippery, it is best to switch to 4×4 high.

What is 4 High Used for?

The 4×4 high is an important feature, especially when driving on the road with low traction.

The feature allows your vehicle to maintain speed on a slippery or low-traction road.

This feature is very important, especially when driving during snow periods.

The road tends to get slippery and can cause difficulty when driving and further reduce handling.

With this feature, you will not just have good handling on a slippery road but also can maintain speed without being scared of losing control.

The feature will provide your vehicle with the traction it needs.

It is not just suitable for slippery roads alone; it can be used in rocky environments or rough paths.

The 4WD works by locking the front part of the rear axles; this then causes a link to the rear end.

With this, one side of the axle continues spinning even when the other side of the axle has lost traction.

The wheel keeps spinning and then propels the vehicle forward or backward (when reversing).

How Fast Can You Drive in 4 High Silverado

When using the 4WD high feature, it is important to how fast your Silverado can drive with this activated.

It could be devastating to pass the required limit when speeding with this feature on a road with low traction.

It is also important to understand things like where and where not to use this feature and how it affects other vehicle functions.

Before activating your 4WD high, you must make sure that you are actually about to drive in a low-traction terrain.

Although the 4WD high can be used on a smooth road with good traction, it is not suitable.

When driving in a low-traction environment, we advise that you do not speed more than 55MPH, which will be perfect for the environment you are driving in.

However, there is some terrain where driving above 55MPH may be suitable.

Such terrain may include dirt roads and more.

You must stay conscious when driving to avoid any form of accident.

It is important to look at how the 4WD high affects the vehicle’s driving performance in general.

We will be looking at various aspects of driving and how the 4WD high affects it.

01. Handling

If you do not know what handling is, this refers to how well your Silverado truck can react to sudden movement or turns.

A vehicle’s handling is an important aspect of driving and a vehicle without good handling is prone to tumble.

It is why you need to pay attention to the handling of your vehicle when driving.

Now that we know what handling is, we can understand how it can be affected when driving with a 4×4 high.

It is important to know that when speeding with a 4H, your Silverado’s handling is reduced.

The first sign that you will notice is the steering.

The vehicle will no longer respond to the steering command when driving on a smooth road when compared with driving with a 2WD.

The reduced response to the steering is normal because you are driving on a low traction road.

So, you should not expect as much response as when you are driving on a road with good traction.

When it becomes a problem is when your vehicle begins to drift out of control.

As long as you maintain a steady speed and do not swerve the steering too much, the 4×4 high will keep your vehicle steady.

You can also watch this video to know how fast can you drive in 4 high silverado.

02. Brakes

Driving on a low-traction road with a 4×4 high activated needs caution, especially when applying the brakes.

Driving on a slippery surface is already risky enough and the breaks might not be as effective as driving on a good road.

Knowing this, you need to change how you drive and apply the brakes drastically.

When driving with a 4×4 high on a low traction road, you need to apply the brakes differently.

How do you do this?

You can apply your brakes differently by increasing the distance between when you apply the brake and your stopping destination.

It means that you need to apply the brake much earlier.

This is because the stopping and reacting time of the brake will not be as effective on a slippery road.

03. Fuel

Many people do not know this, but driving with a 4×4 high will affect fuel economy.

Driving with a 4WD will drop the fuel economy of your Silverado truck.

This is because the 4×4 high has more weight and drivetrain.

To create more traction for the vehicle when driving on a slippery road, Chevy found a way to add weight to the vehicle through the 4WD.

The additional weight gives the tires more grip.

As a result of the increase in the weight and drivetrain, the vehicle needs more power to move the vehicle.

As a result, the engine burns more fuel, reducing fuel economy.

It is why using a 4×4 all the time may be bad for you because of the fuel consumption rate of the vehicle.

04. Cornering

When driving on a low traction road, Cornering could be very difficult, even with the Silverado 4×4 high.

Due to slippery roads cornering is deeply affected and needs to be done with a lot of care and caution.

The road has a negative effect on the Silverado’s actions, which is why it is not advisable to speed, especially when cornering.

A good tip that you should have when using a 4×4 high when cornering is to avoid using the brakes unnecessarily and again, do not speed.

You can also make use of light brakes when cornering.

This will keep the vehicle going and also prevent the vehicle from drifting away when the brake is applied suddenly.

Where Should You Drive 4 High Silverado?

The Silverado 4 high is meant to be driven in specific areas and roads.

It is not made to be used on all types of roads.

When you decide to go on a trip, do not just switch to 4×4 high on your Silverado truck.

You are only meant to use the feature for specific terrain or roads.

The Silverado 4×4 high can be used for off-road tracks, dirt roads and snow-paved roads.

These roads require high traction and grip, which the 4WD gives.

With the 4 wheels of the truck moving, the truck can get out of difficult suitable where any of the tires get stuck.

In low-traction roads, when one of the Silverado tires loses traction, the other tires can push the vehicle out of the difficult position.

It is essential to know that 4WD high is not suitable for smooth roads.

The 4WD high is built to have a high drivetrain which is not suitable for smooth or dry pavement.

It is also important to know that your Silverado uses more fuel when the 4WD high is activated.

You must turn off this feature when you are not in an environment where it could be used.

To better understand where to use the 4WD high, here is a list of terrain or roads that you can use the feature.

  • Wet rock surfaces
  • Muddy roads
  • Slippery snowy roads
  • Sand tracks
  • Farm roads

Silverado 4WD Low

Another common feature of the Silverado 4WD is the 4WD low.

This article will not be complete without at least mentioning this feature.

The 4WD low is used in an off-road drive that requires lesser speed.

If you are driving on an off-road or tricky road that requires you to slow down, you should turn on this feature.

The 4WD low gives your truck extra torque, which will keep the vehicle balanced when moving in extreme environments.

You can use this feature in deep sand, extreme snow or mud, water terrain and many more.

What Happens if You Drive Fast in 4 High?

The Silverado 4WD is built for off-road and low-traction road use while the vehicle is speeding.

So, nothing will happen if you speed with a 4 high in the terrain mentioned above.

However, it all depends on how much you intend to speed.

If you are driving in this environment, we advise that you do not drive above 55MPH.

Going above this speed in such an environment could be dangerous.

The vehicle could lose control and drift off course and a serious accident could occur.

Also, it would help if you did not speed on smooth surfaces when the 4WD drive is on, this could cause damage to the vehicle.

FAQs

How fast can you drive in 4 high Chevy Silverado?

We advise that you maintain a 55mph or below speed when driving a Silverado truck when the 4×4 high is activated.

This speed will allow the 4×4 high to maintain stability and handling while driving.

Going above this speed may cause the truck to lose control, especially when driving on a slippery road.

It is also important not to drive too slow when this feature is activated.

The main purpose of this feature is to improve off-road capacity while driving fast.

Driving on a slippery road with this feature may also cause the truck to lose control.

 Is 4 High or 4 Low better for snow?

The high and low 4WD features can be used in a snowing environment.

What makes these two different is the circumstance they are used in.

4WD high can be used on a slippery road caused by snow while moving fast.

It can also climb snow boulders and is used for much off-road use.

On the other hand, 4WD low may not be suitable for use on slippery roads caused by the road.

However, they can be used to climb over snow boulders, thick mud, hills and many more.

The 4WD is suitable for terrains that require extra torque.

What happens if you drive fast in 4 high?

The effects of driving fast with a 4WD high depend on how fast you are.

If you are driving 55MPH and below, you are good to go.

Any speed above 55MPH could cause the vehicle to lose control.

Conclusion

How fast can you drive in 4 high Silverado is an important question asked by Silverado users and people who intend to use Silverado.

Now that you know how fast you can go with this feature activated, you will be able to keep to the required speed.

This will help you avoid losing control of your vehicle, especially when driving in an environment with low tractions.

It is important to keep to the instructions we have given to you in other to keep yourself and your truck away from danger.

Also, do not forget to avoid using the Silverado 4WD high on smooth surfaces.

Try and Switch off the feature when not in use.

This will help keep the engine healthy and also increase fuel economy.