4wd issue

[wingsnhammers]

The other day I was out wheeling with some friends. I went into a mudhole and got stuck. After being pulled out, my 4wd was acting all screwball. The front diff plowed up a bunch of mud and the whole assembly was caked with it. We continued on for a few minutes and the 4wd just quit working. The dash light went off as well. When I would go from 2wd to 4wd, the dash light would come on for a second and then go off. I would still be in 2wd.

Well, I drove out in 2wd and went to a carwash. After washing all the mud off, I looked the front diff area over pretty good and couldn't find anything visibly wrong. Since then, the 4wd has been working properly, but I havent tried it on any trails since then.

Is there anything I really need to focus on here? I plan on taking this 4Runner on camping trips and to offroad parks (light wheeling) and I don't particularly want to run into this problem again. I can try to avoid mud, which I will do from now on, but you can't always avoid it.

91 4Runner SR5, 3.slo, auto tragic tranny, warn manual hubs. Thanks for any insight. I just hope yall don't say "replace all of those vacuum lines"...

 

[tor-redneck]

id start by replacing those vacume lines....sry 22re man here.

 

[rolling blackout]

I won't say "replace all those vacum lines", but check all those vacum lines. I had a similar problem and found a bad line at the vacum switch. Maybe the diaphragm on the axle housing is full of mud?

 

[fourwd1]

It's hard to troubleshoot something when it's working.
Try driving around in 4HI with your hubs unlocked to see if you can get it to fail, then troubleshoot it.

 

[wingsnhammers]

I actually drove around for a while in 4wd with the hubs unlocked. It did just fine. I'm pretty sure it is one of those vacuum lines.

 

[KidVermicious]

I'm gonna be the better man here and not tell you to replace all those vacuum lines.

I'm gonna say remove all those vacuum lines . You've already got manual hubs, so swap out the ADD tube and forget you ever had 4WD trouble.

 

[mpleitez]

I don't repeat this story much, but I have a 2008 Tacoma which I hydrlocked the block on and one of the axle seals was no good mud got in thediff. At the time I didn't know that so I went about my business. Fast forward 3 months I go wheeling by this time mud has turned into cement. Turned my 4x4 switch and Grenaded the front diff. :happens::frusty::boom: So I would in my case just drop the oil make sure none of that mud got in there thru a seal.

 

[wingsnhammers]

Can I get more info on removing the vac lines and ADD tube? Is there a link or writeup that could explain this? Removing them altogether sounds like a very good idea to me. :frog: I will be sure to check the diff fluids too. I hate mud now. I guess it was better to find a problem then instead of on a tight trail 100 miles from home.

 

[fourwd1]

If you eliminate the vacuum lines your axle will be stuck in either the locked or unlocked position.
Some people leave it in the locked position and install old style manual hubs in place of the drive flanges.
To completely eliminate the ADD axle you need a pre-ADD axle (86-89)

 

[wingsnhammers]

Gotcha. That kinda makes sense.

 

[Footofgod]

I have some GREAT advice, STAY OUT OF THE MUD!!!!!!!!!! Go rock crawling instead. Body damage does not keep your vehicle from working. Allow me to demonstrate:



30 seconds of fun in the mud.......turned in to this-

That cost me an alternator, a starter and hours of labor to fix and clean up.

Read here: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/classic-t4rs/119604-3-0-fails-start-after-mud-bath.html

Specifically, go to page 6 and look at the pretty pictures.

 

[wingsnhammers]

My friend has a lexus LX450 on 37s with the factory lockers and another friend has a K5 on 1 ton axles. Mainly, we go to several of the big offroad parks in the Southeast and follow the big boys in there 800+ horse rock bouncers. Look up videos of tim cameron or shelby tanner and you will see why we go to spectate.

I just want this rig to be capable of putt-putting around on the "easy" trails to get to where I can watch. You're damn right about staying out of the mud. Most of our wheeling is done in very hilly, gravely, rocky terrain. Most of the time, I won't have to worry about very much mud. And my hat is off to you for sticking with that motor. I am not really a fan of the 3.0 or the transmission. The first sign of major trouble and I will be in the market for a 4.3 V6 and a suitable chevy transmission.

 

[92-SR5]

My friend has a lexus LX450 on 37s with the factory lockers and another friend has a K5 on 1 ton axles. Mainly, we go to several of the big offroad parks in the Southeast and follow the big boys in there 800+ horse rock bouncers. Look up videos of tim cameron or shelby tanner and you will see why we go to spectate.

I just want this rig to be capable of putt-putting around on the "easy" trails to get to where I can watch. You're damn right about staying out of the mud. Most of our wheeling is done in very hilly, gravely, rocky terrain. Most of the time, I won't have to worry about very much mud. And my hat is off to you for sticking with that motor. I am not really a fan of the 3.0 or the transmission. The first sign of major trouble and I will be in the market for a 4.3 V6 and a suitable chevy transmission.

Reason I like snow, You come out cleaner and there is no clean up after you have fun. It all just melts away.