4-Lo Check

[Bftfan]

Wow, with all this talk about the actuators, I realized my 4Runner has probably never been in 4 Low. I bought it with 46k miles an now it's 4 yrs old with 54k miles. The 4 Hi works great but I've never tried or had a ned for 4 Low. Now I'd like to try it to see if it works but if it breaks because it's sat there for 4 yrs and never been tried I'll be pissed! Hmmm...do I tempt fate or not?

 

[Sungod]

You know you are going to do it. You might as well get it over with. :whipping2

 

[Redstone8]

Wow, with all this talk about the actuators, I realized my 4Runner has probably never been in 4 Low. I bought it with 46k miles an now it's 4 yrs old with 54k miles. The 4 Hi works great but I've never tried or had a ned for 4 Low. Now I'd like to try it to see if it works but if it breaks because it's sat there for 4 yrs and never been tried I'll be pissed! Hmmm...do I tempt fate or not?

Go for it.

 

[Bftfan]

You know you are going to do it. You might as well get it over with. :whipping2

Yeah...I tried it. Worked like a charm! *phew*

Now I'll just have to do it once every few months.

 

[mrpanic7]

Yeah...I tried it. Worked like a charm! *phew*

Now I'll just have to do it once every few months.

I try and do it at least a few times every couple weeks

 

[geurillawarfare]

Yeah...I tried it. Worked like a charm! *phew*

Now I'll just have to do it once every few months.

Do it at least once a month, cycle it in a few times. The motors are small DC motors with stainless steel shafts and bronze bushings. Very low torque, they have some major gear reduction through a worm gear and 3 spur gears. If they move now, and you use it regularly, it should never fail. To me, failure of these units is not a design flaw, but a flaw in the understanding of the customer - You can't expect the customer to read the manual and operate the 4lo/diff lock once a month.

 

[JB.]

Do it at least once a month, cycle it in a few times. The motors are small DC motors with stainless steel shafts and bronze bushings. Very low torque, they have some major gear reduction through a worm gear and 3 spur gears. If they move now, and you use it regularly, it should never fail. To me, failure of these units is not a design flaw, but a flaw in the understanding of the customer - You can't expect the customer to read the manual and operate the 4lo/diff lock once a month.

Good stuff.

I believe the only reference in the manual for anything like this is the following line for the multi-mode V6 with the A.D.D. in the front. I don't think there's anything about exercising transfer actuators, even though there should be.

"You should drive in four- wheel drive for
at least 10 miles each month.
This will assure that the front drive components
are lubricated."

 

[geurillawarfare]

Good stuff.

I believe the only reference in the manual for anything like this is the following line for the multi-mode V6 with the A.D.D. in the front. I don't think there's anything about exercising transfer actuators, even though there should be.

"You should drive in four- wheel drive for
at least 10 miles each month.
This will assure that the front drive components
are lubricated."

To me, this doesn't even apply to 4R's like my 03 SR5 V8 which doesn't have 2WD.... My front end is always lubricated! (thats... what she said???)