OK, I answered my own question with an experiment - so I'll post it here in case it's helpful for someone in the future...
I pulled into my snow-pack driveway. I did a right angle backup, going to full steering lock, like pulling out of a driveway with the windows open. The temperature is 10 degrees F and the snow is therefore quite sticky. I did four tests (sorry, I'm an engineer, what can I say...):
Conclusion: For this particular truck, I would have to be completely unaware and dumb as a stone to have had it in 4WD (high or low) on dry pavement and not notice immediately upon any kind of a sharp turn, let alone 1,000 miles. I'm relieved.
As a alluded to, I'm no Einstein but I'm not a dumb-ass either...
I pulled into my snow-pack driveway. I did a right angle backup, going to full steering lock, like pulling out of a driveway with the windows open. The temperature is 10 degrees F and the snow is therefore quite sticky. I did four tests (sorry, I'm an engineer, what can I say...):
- 2WD - the truck backed smoothly, just letting off the brake idling.
- AUTO - the truck backed smoothly, just letting off the brake idling.
- 4 LOW - as soon as I started to turn the steering wheel, had to apply gas otherwise the truck just stopped against the idling power of the engine. Audible chattering of the tires over the snow. The truck shuddered.
- 4 HIGH - EXACTLY the same as 4 LOW.
Conclusion: For this particular truck, I would have to be completely unaware and dumb as a stone to have had it in 4WD (high or low) on dry pavement and not notice immediately upon any kind of a sharp turn, let alone 1,000 miles. I'm relieved.
As a alluded to, I'm no Einstein but I'm not a dumb-ass either...