4x4 engages but truck won't move forward help!!!

[alexjdm]

Hey guys I have a 99 sr5 highlander with abs, 16 inch OEM wheels, and it has 4.10 gear ratio no elock. My rear end housing rotted out and caused my gears to whine like my wife! All the dam time lol. So this past fall I replaced the rear end housing and rear carrier assembly. I live in upstate NY so couldn't find a good used rot free rear end, so I had to look down south and west coast. I found rear housing matched mine perfectly in Portland and for rear carrier had to go to Cali for that, belive it or not it was cheaper to do than buying one whole rear end. After getting all my parts dropped my rig to mechanic and replaced everything new shoes, drums, gasket, u joint brand new from auto parts store. The truck was in the shop for two days he cleaned up all my parts painted them the rear end, made it looked brand spanking new amazing and ran soooo freaking sweet and better couldn't believe it. After adjusting new shoes breaking everything ok for few weeks. Shortly after wanted to test and run my 4x4 hi and truck won't move for nothing like if both front calipers are frozen and stuck but runs fine in 4x4 low which is just rear end by it self. So warm weather is coming hope to work on her and c if I can correct the problem. Any ideas or what I should be looking into? Thanks

PS rear housing and rear carrier assembly match the original one when compared to the old side by side everything identical thanks

 

[Doc2012]

Ok.

So we don't have to have the labor pains, but we get the baby, let me make sure I understand this correctly.....

You replaced the rear axle on your 4Runner with another because it was rusted out.

You have the same gear ratio as you did before.

The truck works fine in 2WD, and 4-LO, but NOT 4-HI?

Am I hitting that on the head?

 

[alexjdm]

Yes that is correct couldn't salvage the original parts without risking long term durability if you know what I mean so had to replace whole rear end with good rust free salvaged parts.

The rear end housing come out of a 4x4 runner but it was running 15inch wheels my guy who a trust at Toyota dealer made sure for me that that would work. There only two rear end housing for these trucks with elock and without only difference. My old one and new both non elock and match perfectly side by side.

The carrier assembly old and new 4.10 made sure before ordering it even match the door tag to mine to make sure correct gear ratio.

So yes your right on the money

 

[JWaldz]

I'm going to suggest that it has nothing to do with the rear end and everything to do with the front ADD system.

Does your 4wd indicator light engage completely or stay blinking after you hear/feel the 4wd kick in? Have you tried the multi-mode button on the side of the 4wd shifter? Does the light engage completely or continue blinking after the 4wd kicks in?

Check your front cv's for any obvious problems. With the ADD system the 4wd will not work normally when you have a broken/damaged cv axle. The way it works is it will detect a problem and keep you from driving in 4hi (higher speeds) but 4lo will still work so you can limp slowly out of a situation.

This is purely just a guess. Let us know what your 4wd indicator does on your dash after using the multi mode button and also physically shifting it into 4hi.

 

[alexjdm]

When I go from 4hi to 4lo everything goes as it always did normal. The lights starts blinking and you hear the system engage and the 4x4 light stays on like normal like it always did. Just this time won't move like I said just stuck like if your pushing one the brake down and I have to really give it gas to getting moving to a lil but never really pushed just disengaged it and went on way toooooo freaking cold to do anything until now weather is looking good to work on her.

One of my mechanic told me his guess that it might be because new rear end maybe the people lied to me but like I told him everything looked identical side by side.he also said without physically looking and getting under there checking everything out isn't helping much lol

 

[alexjdm]

PS passenger side CV shaft brand new not rebuilt two years ago and driver driver side still looks mint no heavy rust, boots don't have dry rot or leaking grease but haven't really lifted it up and really stuck my hand and eyes under there yet!

 

[hungryeddy]

lift up the rear end in 2wd and do a spin test?

that way you know the rear diff ratio for sure

 

[alexjdm]

Alright I can try that out what would I be looking for exactly though?

 

[JWaldz]

It has nothing to do with the gear ratio.. You're wasting your time if you work on the rear end. It's either an issue with the transfer case or the front diff/ADD system.

When you say it wont move, does it act like the ebrake is engaged and fights to move or does it act like you're in neutral and just revs the engine?

When's the last time you changed out the transfer case and/or front diff fluid?

 

[Kurtis]

Alright I can try that out what would I be looking for exactly though?

Count your revolutions for the tires to the drive shaft. You will need another person to turn the other tire at the same time you turn one. You should get approx 4.1 turns of the drive shaft for every 1 turn of the tire. Hence the 4.10:1 gear ratio.

The concept behind this is that your are running 4.10 gears in the front and something else in the rear. Also, if you can move in low range you should have difficulties doing so; You should feel some sort of binding in the drive line if you have the incorrect gears.

HOWEVER, I DO NOT think this is your problem. Your truck has plenty of power to push through the difference in gear ratio. It definitely would not stop you completely.

I would start considering transfer case issues.

 

[rideexileex]

If 2hi and 4lo work, but not 4hi, my systems mentality thinks it has to be the transfer case. That shows both the front and rear axles work just fine.

 

[alexjdm]

When the 4x4 is engaged it just the front feels like if I was holding the brake pedal down doesn't rev like if I was I'm neutral. Like something is holding it up best way that it feels like the brake calipers are engaged if I was at a stop light. I changed front diff right after in did the rear end swap and the transfer case about three years ago with royal purple synthetic but this time when in did the front I just used regular store brand gear oil couldn't remember what wight i think lil heavier than stock also now that I remember I stripped the bolts on the front diff and took to it to someone took the take the old ones out and put new ones but that wouldn't hold the truck back from moving?

 

[alexjdm]

I'll give the lifting the rear end and counting for gear ratio c what I get

 

[JWaldz]

How well does it drive in 4lo? Can you hear any obvious bad noises? I'd suggest maybe draining your front diff and transfer case again and fill it with the correct weight fluids. That's a start at least to see what the oil looks like. Stripping your drain/fill plug and having it replaced wouldn't cause any of the issues your having.

 

[Kurtis]

How well does it drive in 4lo? Can you hear any obvious bad noises? I'd suggest maybe draining your front diff and transfer case again and fill it with the correct weight fluids. That's a start at least to see what the oil looks like. Stripping your drain/fill plug and having it replaced wouldn't cause any of the issues your having.

^ This. Is. Important.

 

[rideexileex]

When the 4x4 is engaged it just the front feels like if I was holding the brake pedal down ?

Now this sounds like two different gear ratios... 4lo has extra torque which would explain why you are still able to "move". Time to count teeth lol. Jack up the truck and spin the wheels

 

[TheDurk]

I'd put it up on jackstands and run through the gears. This would allow you to dismiss the gear ratio theory if problem remains. You would confirm that both diffs are working in 4L. You could see if front or back or both are locked up in 4H. I wouldn't wait a second longer to do this.

 

[alexjdm]

The truck drives perfect in rear wheel no noise nothing sounds and runs like when I first bought her no issues what's so ever there.

 

[KidVermicious]

Ok, lets make this simple for you.

4 jack stands, get all the wheels off the ground at the same. Put it in 4hi and 1st and get out. Note any wheels which are not turning, and whether the fronts and rears are turning at the same speed, or if one set is spinning faster than the other. Then put it in 4lo and do the same checks. Listen for any funny noises. Come back and let us know what you find. Use more punctuation when you do.

 

[alexjdm]

Alright I was going to try and jack it and look over the truck today, but looks like it's going to rain all day!. I called my buddy and ask him to look over the truck for me at at his shop. So let's c what he he thinks.