1st real experience with 4Runner

[Tallicon]

Today my buddy came over and I took him for a ride to show him the truck. Started off just driving around the neighborhood and then decided to go find a dirt road. I ended up driving to a golf course and slamming her into 4L for the first time, which really made me feel like I could go anywhere. I drove a little bit past the parking lot into a snow field and backed out - this gave me the urge for MORE!! So we are driving along and I see a school parking lot. Picture explains it... that I didn't go very far. What the picture doesn't show is that a Jeep Cherokee pulled me out... She was in there good, completely jacked by the solid iced up snow bank. If I would have gone with more confidence instead of testing the grounds I would have made it. But I got out with two solid slack tugs from the jeep. Makes me want to buy some nice towing straps!

So I bought the 4Runner more as a family SUV, really loved it for the 2nd row space and the fact that this thing is a beast so it should last me for quite some time. We wanted a compromise of a truck not a car/van. To be completely honest, having bought it new just a few weeks ago and with 1400km on it. I REALLY didn't want to break anything! haha What a rush!!! The wife would have killed me if I would have scraped something.

So here comes the questions:

- I turn traction control off while in 2H and I spin but when I fishtail I still feel some type of TC... Is this anti roll?

- 4L to 4H, I was in neutral and hear a little grinding. Should I just be pulling the stick faster or be doing something else?


PS: I was on cloud 9 while driving listening to Metallica with the sunroof and tailgate slightly opened!! Could have drove across country!

 

[jca21]

always fun when you first put it in 4lo.

feels like it'll crawl anywhere


i've had a little bit of grinding before but not a whole lot. happens when i drive around for a while in 4hi then stop, neutral, than 4lo.

what i do now is go 4hi, coast a little in neutral, then stop and put in 4lo.

never had any grinding issues doing it this way.

i'm pretty sure if you went ballz to teh wallz with the skinny pedal you would have plowed right through rather than getting stuck.

maybe some better tires would help also.

nice pic with the highlander

 

[tlflow]

there seems to be a lot of yellow snow in that photo??

was beer involved?

 

[jca21]

there seems to be a lot of yellow snow in that photo??

was beer involved?

we're canadian,

every hour is beer o'clock :lmao:

 

[Tallicon]

jcal: thanks for the tip, I will put it in neutral before I stop next time.

BTW I took the pic, dude in green in my buddy and the other owns the Highlander Sport

tlflow: no beer, we just piss everywhere here in Canada

 

[Clemsonfan15]

I'm kind of surprised you got stuck in that, although it is hard to tell conditions from a picture.

It doesn't look like you turned the wheel at all. Turning it full lock from side to side might have helped.

 

[phillyd2]

... Jeep Cherokee pulled me out...

Oh the shame......:cry2:

 

[Tallicon]

It doesn't look like you turned the wheel at all. Turning it full lock from side to side might have helped.

Turning never helps in snow, adds to much resistance and just makes it spin/melt the snow even more. Rocking is your only friend and I was perched like a bird...tires just sunk right in, using my ice scrapper to "shovel" underneath and break the icy snow actually made the truck drop by an inch. hahaha I do have the OE tires Duelers... I honestly wasn't planning on doing some off roading... I just got carried away!!

 

[cbielat]

I have the same issue with the grinding when shifting it into and out of 4Low. Although the operating manual states to put it into neutral when changing, the dealer explained to me to turn the vehicle off when in neutral and then shift it into 4Low. It seems very inconvenient to always have to do such a thing.

 

[Tallicon]

Oh the shame......:cry2:

I know man! But he was a good guy, didn't say a snarky comment like "It always takes a Jeep to pull out Toyotas" or some crap... But he just happened not to be around when I took the picture :wink2:

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Turning never helps in snow, adds to much resistance and just makes it spin/melt the snow even more. Rocking is your only friend and I was perched like a bird...tires just sunk right in, using my ice scrapper to "shovel" underneath and break the icy snow actually made the truck drop by an inch. hahaha I do have the OE tires Duelers... I honestly wasn't planning on doing some off roading... I just got carried away!!

...says the guy who got stuck.


It definitely couldn't have hurt. Melted snow=water=easy.

But it's neither here nor there. At least you had fun.

 

[Jeremy556]

I have the same issue with the grinding when shifting it into and out of 4Low. Although the operating manual states to put it into neutral when changing, the dealer explained to me to turn the vehicle off when in neutral and then shift it into 4Low. It seems very inconvenient to always have to do such a thing.

Really??:redbrick:

If it grinds, move forward/back (or spin a wheel, as the case may be) a few feet, that should get everything lined up nicely.

 

[Tallicon]

...says the guy who got stuck.


It definitely couldn't have hurt. Melted snow=water=easy.

But it's neither here nor there. At least you had fun.

To finish what you were saying: Melted snow=water=ICE=very bad!

 

[Jeremy556]

I know man! But he was a good guy, didn't say a snarky comment like "It always takes a Jeep to pull out Toyotas" or some crap... But he just happened not to be around when I took the picture :wink2:

You know there is a thread on a JEEP forum that guy started with the pic he snapped after he pulled you out with the strap still attached

 

[Intruder]

Makes me want to buy some nice towing straps!

Towing straps should only be used for towing. If you're looking for something to pull someone out when they're stuck invest in a proper snatch strap and a couple of bow shackles.

It doesn't look like you turned the wheel at all. Turning it full lock from side to side might have helped.

I find that depends on the tires. Turning the wheel like that only seems to work when you've got side lugs that'll bite as the tire "tilts" due to the camber when you turn the wheel.

Although the operating manual states to put it into neutral when changing, the dealer explained to me to turn the vehicle off when in neutral and then shift it into 4Low. It seems very inconvenient to always have to do such a thing.

That's one of the funniest things I've heard. When I go off road I'm switching between 4Lo and 4Hi depending on the terrain. Turning the truck off every time would drive me nuts. Just put it into neutral, wait a second, then pop it into 4Lo. It'll be stiff at first but when you do it enough it loosens up. Maybe the grinding is because the drivetrain hasn't fully stopped or something?

 

[Mijfwb23]

- I turn traction control off while in 2H and I spin but when I fishtail I still feel some type of TC... Is this anti roll?

!

To alleviate this just hold the button longer and then it will shut it off completely.

 

[-JD-]

Shift from 4hi to 4lo quicker. It will grind sometimes if you do it slowly. One quick throw from 4hi to 4lo and it should work fine.

 

[tlflow]

jcal: thanks for the tip, I will put it in neutral before I stop next time.

BTW I took the pic, dude in green in my buddy and the other owns the Highlander Sport

tlflow: no beer, we just piss everywhere here in Canada

I have spent a lot of time in Montreal and have often wondered what all the "wee wee"ing was about ... now I know.

 

[Antman]

tlflow: no beer, we just piss everywhere here in Canada

Thanks for the morning laugh!!! :lmao:

 

[Tallicon]

Buddy took some pics with a better visual of what I got myself into. Picture was taken from the side we "dug" with my snow brush, we didn't get very far.

enjoy!!