A little help understanding 4wd

[4Runner8]

yes so the ones with the center diff have the little picture of the 4 wheels and big center diff in the middle of RPM's and Speedo. i have seen some of these but dont see the button for the center diff locker.

also i found a 96 with a rear locker.... is that rare? and since its the 96 and first of 3rd gens is there anything significantly different from other 3rds. since its the first of em... i noticed the body lifts for them are different and more expensive on 4crawler.... so any other things different,,,, problems?

also when you say the 99 to 00 have multimode? the only difference is the knob on older ones which have the button and the one on 99 and 00 yiou have to engage by toggling the knob.

ill put some links up of the ones im looking at.

 

[4Runner8]

here is an 01 with what looks to be center diff lock and awd

2001 Toyota 4Runner SR5, $8,880 - Cars.com

here is a 99 with the icon thing i was talking about for center diff lock but i see no button... check pics.

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?listingId=42397239&tracktype=usedcc

 

[Clemsonfan15]

I'd definitely go for one with a rear locker. Having a center differential isn't going to be better than the part time four wheel drive.

 

[brian2sun]

here is an 01 with what looks to be center diff lock and awd

2001 Toyota 4Runner SR5, $8,880 - Cars.com

here is a 99 with the icon thing i was talking about for center diff lock but i see no button... check pics.

1999 Toyota 4Runner Limited, $5,975 - Cars.com

Both of those runners have the same system. The difference is only in the way you operate them. On the '01, the is a high/low range shifter with a push button 4wd on the handle. High is 2wd, but when you push the 4wd button on the shifter, you have AWD. Then if you push the center diff lock switch on the dash, you're in 4hi. When you move the shifter to low range, you have 4lo.

The '99 has a J type shifter with one more position in it and also a 4wd button on the shifter like the '01. In the '99 you have the 2hi position and when you push the 4wd button, you have AWD. When you pull the shifter towards you, it puts it in 4hi (and the center diff automatically locks). Then you move the shifter to the right and then up, past N, then to 4lo. Same soup different bowl. And of course neither of these particular runners have the rear locker

 

[bigtimeweb]

The factory installed position for my center locker is left of the steering wheel near the dash dimmer.

I couldnt tell if you were asking that question or not but thought Id throw it out there... because honestly the pictures dont always have the right angle to see it

 

[4Runner8]

Both of those runners have the same system. The difference is only in the way you operate them. On the '01, the is a high/low range shifter with a push button 4wd on the handle. High is 2wd, but when you push the 4wd button on the shifter, you have AWD. Then if you push the center diff lock switch on the dash, you're in 4hi. When you move the shifter to low range, you have 4lo.

The '99 has a J type shifter with one more position in it and also a 4wd button on the shifter like the '01. In the '99 you have the 2hi position and when you push the 4wd button, you have AWD. When you pull the shifter towards you, it puts it in 4hi (and the center diff automatically locks). Then you move the shifter to the right and then up, past N, then to 4lo. Same soup different bowl. And of course neither of these particular runners have the rear locker

oh okay great..... but which one would you choose between the two? haha i guess its least amount of miles or better condition. but i have heard a story or two about the 4wd shifter button breaking a lot? does that happen a lot and if so is it expensive to get fixed? thanks so much for the help

The factory installed position for my center locker is left of the steering wheel near the dash dimmer.

I couldnt tell if you were asking that question or not but thought Id throw it out there... because honestly the pictures dont always have the right angle to see it

yep most pics are hard to tell if there even is a button there let alone center diff lock or rear locker.

 

[4Runner8]

here we have a 98 with what appears to be just part time as i see no 4wd button.... is this correct?

1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4WD, $7,600 - Cars.com

 

[brian2sun]

oh okay great..... but which one would you choose between the two? haha i guess its least amount of miles or better condition. but i have heard a story or two about the 4wd shifter button breaking a lot? does that happen a lot and if so is it expensive to get fixed? thanks so much for the help.

I would choose the one with the least miles/best condition like you said. I have heard that the push-button 4wds do break here and there, but I don't believe that it's a common problem. I have normal 4x4 with a J shifter for 2hi, 4hi, and 4lo - no push button. These are the most reliable of all of them, but at the cost of not having the AWD feature.

The '98 SR5 that you posted up is just like my '97 - part time 4x4, same shifter setup.

 

[4Runner8]

I would choose the one with the least miles/best condition like you said. I have heard that the push-button 4wds do break here and there, but I don't believe that it's a common problem. I have normal 4x4 with a J shifter for 2hi, 4hi, and 4lo - no push button. These are the most reliable of all of them, but at the cost of not having the AWD feature.
The '98 SR5 that you posted up is just like my '97 - part time 4x4, same shifter setup.

that is true but somethin about knowing i could use it on road if i ever needed to makes me want it.... you know its like an added feature haha. but i like the one i put above the most. thanks again for all your help.

oh one more thing how does this one shift to 4wd? heres the pic of the shifter. H2 and H4 are in the same spot????

 

[theizzardking]

that is true but somethin about knowing i could use it on road if i ever needed to makes me want it.... you know its like an added feature haha. but i like the one i put above the most. thanks again for all your help.

oh one more thing how does this one shift to 4wd? heres the pic of the shifter. H2 and H4 are in the same spot????

you should start a thread about you wanting to buy ones, that said the picture of teh one shown above is from the '99 correct?

it should have a push button on the side of the left shifter, you press that for toyota's awd on the 4runner, if you want real 4x4 where you can break something simply pull the lever on the left towards you and if you want to use your lockers or go into 4-lo shift to the side and forward


H2-4hi means AWD all wheel drive good for any surface speeds below 75 or so and is toggled with the button on the side of the shifter
4HL means true 4x4 front locked to back
L4L means true 4x4 low range (you can only engage the locker in this mode)

 

[4Runner8]

okay well thanks.... and we actually are going to buy one or i wouldnt be wasting your time.

 

[theizzardking]

okay well thanks.... and we actually are going to buy one or i wouldnt be wasting your time.

no your not following me this whole thread is about how 4x4 systems work or the basics of 4x4 on teh runners, you asking question on which one you should buy, start a new thread called something along the lines of "hey guys going to buy whatcha think" it will help you and help keep these threads easy to read and on topic for when somebody a few months weeks days or years from now is searching for a few answers to their questions, and it'll help you by getting more people to have a look at the ones your considering (we love looking at 4runner for sale).


not being a **** man, just gently trying to show you how to post in forums.
i hope you buy one and i hope you find the one you really want but you shouldn't be asking this in a thread called " A little help understanding 4wd"

 

[4Runner8]

okay well i was about to do that but since i ppl had already posted in here i knew i would get faster response... sorry i should not have posted the 4runners for sale. but its too late now i already got what i wanted....

to get back on topic. i have a legit question... do the 3rd gens have auto locking hubss? or is the front diff always turning the cv's whether its engaged or not?

 

[Martinjmpr]

to get back on topic. i have a legit question... do the 3rd gens have auto locking hubss? or is the front diff always turning the cv's whether its engaged or not?

Most of them have an ADD (automatic disconnecting differential) that eliminates the need for hubs. ADD works with a vacuum line to the front diff. If it doesn't have ADD it should have manual locking hubs (I think.) I know I've seen some Tacomas that came from the factory with locking hubs. My guess is that the only 4runners that would have had locking hubs would be a 4 cyl 5 speed base model, but that's just a guess :shrug:

 

[steezemcqueen]

Most of them have an ADD (automatic disconnecting differential) that eliminates the need for hubs. ADD works with a vacuum line to the front diff. If it doesn't have ADD it should have manual locking hubs (I think.) I know I've seen some Tacomas that came from the factory with locking hubs. My guess is that the only 4runners that would have had locking hubs would be a 4 cyl 5 speed base model, but that's just a guess :shrug:

all 3rd gens have ADD