4x4 Magic Beans

[BigGy]

Don't know what kind of voodo Toyota has in the 4x4 systems but just learned from personal experience, I LOVE IT.

Had our '21 Pro out wheelin for the first time this past weekend. Bone stock. Was at an off road park. Pea gravel, dirt, sand mix mostly. Was VERY wet.

Long story short, down a shute, instantly bogged down at the bottom. Little throttle, first response, just dug deeper. Stuck. Not quite up to the lug nuts. Ready to get out the shovel and traction boards. BUT, some combo of a-trac and crawl control, I think, and we were crawlin out....all the way out! Was amazing.

Was wheelin with a bud and he had pulled up in front of me ready to snatch me out. He couldn't believe it as I crawled out. Actually yelled....YOURE MOVING!

Was a huge tree at my pass rear quarter panel that I was sinking towards so was kind of in panic mode. Gotta get back out and educate myself more on all the doooo dads and how they work together. Ya live, ya learn.

 

[thennen]

Nice story! You didn’t get any video, per chance?

 

[BigGy]

Nice story! You didn’t get any video, per chance?

I know, right! No pics, no video. Tooo much pucker factor at the time. Was just happy to get the heck out of there! Tried to go back later and find the spot but was a large park and our first time there, couldn't find it.

Knowing me though....I'll get stuck again. Pics for sure, lol.

 

[DAW89446]

My ‘18 SR5 has A-TRAC as well. On my upland game hunting route near the house is a bypass to a washed out section in the narrow canyon, where the trail climbs up the side wall about two tenths of a mile. I’d estimate the climb is in the neighborhood of 30º-35º, loose and gravelly soil with a firm base, littered with baseball size loose rocks and a few large bedrock protrusions. Climbing, you only see hood and sky for some of the length. In my 2002 Tacoma TRD I’d engage the rear locker because the truck would spin and jerk without the locker engaged. The first time I went chukar hunting with the 4Runner, I was concerned about the climb, but engaging A-Track at the beginning of the canyon, I just crawled up the bypass with the transmission locked in the 1-2 gear slot with little throttle. No drama, no fuss. In the past, I was skeptical about the ability of such technology, but I’m happily surprised.

 

[RichinRidgewood]

Michigan sucks. I was born in Detroit. I wish the UP was its own state or country.
Glad you are having fun.

 

[Mudhorn]

Make a cheat card. I created one for what is recommended for different scenarios and keep it handy. Since I don’t encounter these different extremes (snow, mud, etc) everyday I forget. Just took notes from the owners manual and different online write ups.

 

[curmudge1]

I thought the doc referenced in this post was handy, and a neat idea to keep in vehicle as a reference, or a study guide. There is a lot of information on this forum to enjoy & learn from.

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2791697-post763.html


Sounds like you have a lot of fun to look forward too, enjoy!

 

[HanginInUtah]

A-TRAC is awesome, but the Crawl Control takes it to an even better level. In 2019/2020 for Christmas, we were out in California, and I spotted a twin to my TRDORP on the beach. The San Diego Lifeguards have them, and told me they train new drivers by burying it in the sand, then show them how Crawl Control brings them right up and out.
Sometimes there are buttons or indicators in vehicles, and you're like, yeah, whatever... but not when it comes to Toyota and their technology for traction.
The only drawback is that while engaged, CC sounds like it's killing something on the firewall.

 

[patkelly4370]

The unincorporated town I live in in rural AZ is 98% dirt roads (roads is a stretch in many cases). All have flash flood washes cutting across them. Our town covers 79 square miles (population 7,500) so I'm still exploring it.
I was driving down Verde Rd and came to a deep wash that cut 45° to the road.
Tried every angle, several times. Kept spinning right front/left rear. I thought I had ATRAC on but realized later that it wasn't.
So back I went.
Rolled through with no drama.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[jhguth]

i've played around at the beach a few times intentionally letting myself get buried and then using crawl control to walk out. Also parked on a steep escarpment (ledge were the sand was eroded away. kind of like a dune but we don't drive on dunes here, big no-no), let it get buried a little, and then used crawl control to walk out going uphill. its a fun toy but i haven't used it much on the trail -- a-trac i use frequently on the trail though.

 

[bluetaco]

I learned the hard way. Crawl did nothing for this, but had I understood how all the traction aids worked I wouldn’t have gotten stuck in the first place. For some reason I thought 4 high would automatically turn trac off, nope once I started slowing I hit the gas and trac engaged killing power and sunk it.
I also learned when they drain a lake the water table is still higher then you would think and creates almost like a quick sand. That’s what the sheriff said anyways.
After digging for hours and two broken tow straps my friends found help. A Tacoma with a hi lift and max trax got the job done. We had to use the hi lift from the rear hitch to un suction it and slide trax under ther rears. A little tug from a truck and she walked right out.

 

[rhadam]

I'm amazed at the difference between 4H and 4H + Mud/Sand multi terrain.

 

[BigGy]

I learned the hard way. Crawl did nothing for this, but had I understood how all the traction aids worked I wouldn’t have gotten stuck in the first place. For some reason I thought 4 high would automatically turn trac off, nope once I started slowing I hit the gas and trac engaged killing power and sunk it.
I also learned when they drain a lake the water table is still higher then you would think and creates almost like a quick sand. That’s what the sheriff said anyways.
After digging for hours and two broken tow straps my friends found help. A Tacoma with a hi lift and max trax got the job done. We had to use the hi lift from the rear hitch to un suction it and slide trax under ther rears. A little tug from a truck and she walked right out.

That's a stuck right there! Once u get to the frame, yep, time for some help.

 

[mo_mo]

I'm amazed at the difference between 4H and 4H + Mud/Sand multi terrain.

This is my number one use of any of the off-road buttons. Not having the nannies applying the brakes when you are trying to keep speed in a silty riverbed or blasting across the desert. Probably similar to 4H with ecs off. I think it might actually stay somewhat engaged when shifting to 2H as well, just with a display warning to shift into 4H.

 

[bluetaco]

I can’t figure out how to quote a response on the mobile but,

I'm amazed at the difference between 4H and 4H + Mud/Sand multi terrain.

So true, I was able to play with some of the trac modes with Colorado’s last snow storm. I also got stuck again! But it was a 3ft snow drift I couldn’t see. What’s annoying is to fully shut off trac you have to stop and hold the button for 3 seconds. I guess I have to retrain my brain, I’m used to reading the terrain and adjusting momentum as needed. Stopping to turn off nannies is never in my mind. I wish there was an “off-road” button that you could press at any speed 2 or 4 wheel drive to turn them off. Then if you don’t make try the nannies.
BTW I’ve been off-roading for 20+ years and have only gotten myself stuck 4 times and 2 have been in this 4Runner. This thing is awesome right until it’s not