4 wheel drive not engaging?

[mybabydaddy]

Complete f’n 4WD newbie/non 4WD user here... (good thing I bought a TEP, cuz that made sense)... I try to engage it once a month at a min (per OM)... have owned for 2.5 years...

Slow to stop... begin to accelerate rather slowly... pull lever to engage 4HI... slides into 4WD... light flashes for a sec... then stays illuminated. Drive in 4WD.

This has worked for me... every. single. time. Not once has it (not) engaged.

Not trying to kill you OP, but attempting to engage at 60 would def make me throw up in my mouth a little... or at least provide a small shart.

I would try the stop into slow attempts (again) for a bit, see if it syncs more smoothly... then maybe work up my speed if that was somehow necessary. Just mi 2 cents.

 

[nb rob]

for what it's worth;

It's the automatic disconnecting differential (ADD) that didn't engage with your trail TC shift.

Mine takes a second in some occasions,
but I've never engaged it faster than 45mph or so.

I've seen threads where a sensor (switch?) needed replacement.
There very well could be a speed limit on the actuation...

 

[Donovan1]

for what it's worth;

It's the automatic disconnecting differential (ADD) that didn't engage with your trail TC shift.

Mine takes a second in some occasions,
but I've never engaged it faster than 45mph or so.

I've seen threads where a sensor (switch?) needed replacement.
There very well could be a speed limit on the actuation...

I'll try it again next time I drive it. I drive the FJ and the is the wife and kid hauler. The FJ takes a second of two sometimes but normally will engage within a second or two if I take my foot off the gas or give it a bit. What was buying me is that even under 45 and all the wayears to a couple stop then pulling away it was still not wanting to engage.

 

[Friggin Idiot]

I have noticed that the 4WD seems to engage more quickly if my foot isn't on the throttle at all. I'm not suggesting stop, but let foot completely off throttle, shift, and give it a sec. If that doesn't do it, just a little shimmy in the wheel, quick small left, then back right, and quick small right, then back to center has never failed to engage. The earlier explanations give a plausible reason for such.

 

[Donovan1]

I have noticed that the 4WD seems to engage more quickly if my foot isn't on the throttle at all. I'm not suggesting stop, but let foot completely off throttle, shift, and give it a sec. If that doesn't do it, just a little shimmy in the wheel, quick small left, then back right, and quick small right, then back to center has never failed to engage. The earlier explanations give a plausible reason for such.

I believe in the FJ manual it says the 4x4 system will engage with a slight change in throttle. I usually do the same. Let off just for a second and it will pop in. I was doing this and still getting no response. I have to try the slight zigzag thing next time.