A-Trac in 4-Hi?
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4Funnr
New member
dekeman
New member
A-Trac in 4Lo only. Little green light comes on when you depress button.
I wonder how useful it is anyway - most times when I'm going through the thick stuff, I want momentum, with the wheels clawing at whatever they can get a grip on, not artificially controlled to limit slippage.
I wonder how useful it is anyway - most times when I'm going through the thick stuff, I want momentum, with the wheels clawing at whatever they can get a grip on, not artificially controlled to limit slippage.
Here's what I posted on the FJ forum:
Hey guys,
I know this is the FJ Cruiser forum, but I'm having a hard time finding out anything on the 4runner forums. I test drove a 2010 Limited 4runner yesterday and was very impressed. I'd love to have a Trail edition, and it's annoying the options packages they have, but that's a different story all together. My question are as follows:
1) The limited is AWD, and A-trac only works in 4-low. Does anyone know if there's a hack to make it work in 4-hi and AWD?
2) In the trail edition, it's a part time system, can the same be done for the trail edition?
3) I notice a hack is available for making the a-trac work while the rear locker is engaged. Is this a possibility for the 4runner, as well?
I know they're new, but I was wondering if anyone's spent any time comparing wiring harnesses between the two vehicles yet to know if it's possible. The reason I'm asking here is I've been told its the same systems that are in the FJ. If not, I apologize. Thanks in advance for the help,
Chris
Hey guys,
I know this is the FJ Cruiser forum, but I'm having a hard time finding out anything on the 4runner forums. I test drove a 2010 Limited 4runner yesterday and was very impressed. I'd love to have a Trail edition, and it's annoying the options packages they have, but that's a different story all together. My question are as follows:
1) The limited is AWD, and A-trac only works in 4-low. Does anyone know if there's a hack to make it work in 4-hi and AWD?
2) In the trail edition, it's a part time system, can the same be done for the trail edition?
3) I notice a hack is available for making the a-trac work while the rear locker is engaged. Is this a possibility for the 4runner, as well?
I know they're new, but I was wondering if anyone's spent any time comparing wiring harnesses between the two vehicles yet to know if it's possible. The reason I'm asking here is I've been told its the same systems that are in the FJ. If not, I apologize. Thanks in advance for the help,
Chris
4Funnr
New member
I have a Trail.
A-TRAC only works in 4Lo and it does not matter whether you lock the rear differential or not. It can also work with or without CRAWL Control turned on.
Also, Multi-Terrain Select Mode only works in 4Lo with the exception of the loosest setting (Mud/Sand) which also works in 4Hi.
A-TRAC only works in 4Lo and it does not matter whether you lock the rear differential or not. It can also work with or without CRAWL Control turned on.
Also, Multi-Terrain Select Mode only works in 4Lo with the exception of the loosest setting (Mud/Sand) which also works in 4Hi.
I bet there's an easy fix to getting it to work in 4-hi too. It's probably a 12v signal that's sent to the a-trac control indicating that the vehicle is in 4-low and by pressing the a-trac button it allows it to come one. Without it being in 4-low and that signal not being present, it won't activate A-trac, or something like that. I wonder who's willing to try to find it?
This is probably the same as above...interesting, and again these are total guesses at this point.
It makes me lean more towards the trail edition or waiting till 2011 to see if they change the available options/packages.Chris
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westwind77
New member
I don't know how SAFE it would be for A-Trac to work in 4H. If I am not mistake from what I have read, watched, used, it applies the brakes to the slipping wheel(s) to give better traction elsewhere. I would be scared to see what happened doing 45 on a snowy highway if it started to slip and it started to applies the brakes. Plus, that brings up another issue, VSC! That does apply the brakes but that does it to keep the truck straight, a different manor than A-trac does. A-Trac and VSC would fight each other in 4H, unless you turned off the VSC. A good solution would be to have A-trac work in 4H, but only under a certain speed, then automatically turn off for safety, back to normal Trac. Oh well, if only all of us were the designers
bigbwb
Member
Chris,
Once I pick up my Trail on Monday, I will look over the manual and take it in some snow here in WI and report back to you.
Brandon
There is a similar thread in a tundra forum, Tundratalk.Net, that may help folks understand the 4WD system and how the brakes and lsd work. May not pertain to this topic specifically, but I did find it informative and entertaining, and yes, I also own a 2008 tundra besides the 2010 4R.
jessandjamie
New member
I'm confused help me out. I thought that A-Trac was turned off automatically in 4lo so that the wheels could spin and pushing the button simply turns it back on. A-Trac (to me) means active traction control which I thought was alsways on unless you put it in 4lo. You can turn it off in 4hi by stopping and holding the trac. button for 3 seconds. Am I missing something, or what is the difference between A-Trac and traction control.
bigbwb
Member
From my understanding you might be correct, because I have buried my 2006 in deep snow before and the ATRAC was definitely active in 4HI(my 2006 SE has the Torsen with V8 full time 4wd). I could tell because the truck was stuck and I could hear and feel the brakes grabbing different tires looking for traction...again I was in 4HI.
So for the 2010, I was thinking the ATRAC button either 1) disengages the feature or 2) is a more agressive setting only used or available in 4lo such as what the FJ has.
Hmm....I reallly need my trail to test these theories:violin:
westwind77
New member
The OM could be a little clearer on these things, so I like to test them out for real
TRAC is essentially traction control, in 2wd if you spin your rears the system will kick in and cut your throttle so your tires do not spin and you can hopefully move. Again the same with 4H & TRAC, will cut the trottle so you stop spinning and hopefully can move. TRAC is always active, unless you push the little button (car with little s tire tracks behind it), if the off move you can slam the gas and spin to your hearts desire. A-TRAC is active traction control, and can only be engaged in 4L. A-TRAC will physically apply the brakes to certain wheels but will not cut the throttle, giving the ones with more traction more power. I cut this (below) from the FJ forum:"Trac : Traction control. All FJ's have this, both 2WD & 4WD. Works automatically when ignition is started (no push button needed). Works by applying brakes and controls (decreases) engine throttle to give added traction to varying wheels when system detects wheel slippage/spinning ("think spinning your wheels on ice"). Works all the time in 2WD and in 2H & 4H. This system basically helps to maintain traction in slippery conditions such as wet/icy for forward movement by applying brakes and controlling engine throttle to regain/maintain traction as a safety feature.
TRAC is disabled in 4LO. Again, you don't want this system to control engine power when you are climbing obstacles.
ATRAC : More aggressive form of TRAC & for 4WD OFF ROAD use only. Does the same thing as TRAC except it doesn't cut/control engine throttle. Instead, it transfers torque from slipping/spinning wheel(s) to non slipping wheel. This gives added traction & forward momentum to overcome Off-road obstacles. This can only be engaged while in 4LO and by pressing the "ATRAC" switch."
Go play with your systems, that is the best way to learn how they work
jessandjamie
New member
We have a limited and I can make the wheels spin when icy and the traction control kicks in (just like my 08 Tundra) and makes grinding noises and all kinds of ruckus. If you stop and hold the button for 3 seconds it turns that stuff off so the wheels are free to spin. For fun I put it in 4lo awhile back and it says TRAC OFF on the dash and when you push the button that goes off and it monitors and brakes the wheels that spin again. So my guess is its always on unless you put it in 4lo then you have to turn it back on if you want. Also for what its worth to the prier posters I would want it to monitor and brake the wheels that slip at higher speeds so you don't start to slide (ins't that the whole point of active traction control)
jessandjamie
New member
The 4Runner is the wifes and I don't have it right now to look in the owners manual. What your saying westwind is the only difference between traction control and the A-Trac is the throttle management? I guess that makes since. Needed somebody to tell me the difference. Thanks
