1engineer
Moderator
So you are one of THOSE guys. You know, one of the guys who don't like to read manuals or think you understand the 4WD operation because you had something similar 10 years ago or just wanted to "test" your 4WD on dry pavement or forgot to put it back into 2WD after having it off road in 4WD or something. I get it, which is why this thread exists. Read on:
Read the MANUAL. Read it, especially the section on how to operate your 4WD. If you don't have a manual then google it. There is also manuals available for free for your specific 4Runner. FREE. Google it.
OMG the NOISE! Hmmm, tires making a barking noise going around a tight corner on dry pavement? How about the grinding noise from underneath when trying to shift into 4LO while in park or drive? The "wrrrrrrr" noise that gets faster the faster I go? You have those noises? How about the "lurch" "lurch" lurch" movement your vehicle makes when going around corners? You have that too???? Really?
Relax. Take a deep breath. You didn't break anything. The above is what happens when you are unfamiliar with part time 4WD operation. If you have it in 4WD on dry pavement and make a turn it's gonna do all those things above. It's telling you that you are not supposed to make turns on dry pavement if you have a part time 4WD. You DEFINITELY don't want to switch it to 4LO with your locker engaged and make turns on dry pavement. It will make lots more noises haha. You still will have a tough time breaking it though.
The steps to proper 4WD engagement and operation:
1. READ THE MANUAL. Seriously. Every line on proper 4WD operation. How to shift. When to shift. When to use different modes. Do not skip a word. Google terms you are unfamiliar with.
2. Find a dirt road. Some wet or snow covered pavement. Wet grass. Any ground condition that will allow your wheels to slip easier. NOW go use that newfound intelligence you just got from reading the manual! Put it in 4WD and feel how it engages. Feel how it slips a tire when going around a sharp turn. Yes, you can still feel it even on snow covered roads.
3. If you must engage 4WD on dry roads, make sure you are going in a straight line. Gently curved is OK too. I exercise my 4WD every month or so during the summer just to keep the parts lubricated. I have a nice mile long straight stretch close by and at 40 mph I engage 4HI for that mile. At the end I slip it back into 2HI with no problems.
Now that you have read your MANUAL on proper operation, here's an excerpt from a great article:
"4WD mode works in the simplest terms thanks to a dedicated transfer case, which splits the power between the front and rear axles. Specifically, it locks the front driveshaft to the rear driveshaft, forcing equal amounts of torque from the engine to both axles, causing the front and rear axle of a car to rotate at the same speed. This provides greater traction to drivers, since it ensures power will continue to flow to the wheels on an axle with traction should wheels on the other axle slip. By the same token, though, switching back to 2WD on normal road conditions is critical to prevent potential damage from a condition known as “drivetrain binding” — when a vehicle’s axles cannot rotate at different speeds to accommodate the different distances wheels travel during events like turning."
This article can be found here Four-Wheel Drive vs All-Wheel-Drive: Everything You Need to Know and that link can be found here http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...ner-owner-need-help-searching-start-here.html which is a sticky right here in our forum.
Bottom line: don't think you are too good or too smart to learn something when it comes to the 4Runner. It is one of the most reliable and durable vehicles on the planet but only if you know how to operate and take care of it.
This thread is stickied here http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/92594-modifications-write-ups-quick-links-faqs.html
Read the MANUAL. Read it, especially the section on how to operate your 4WD. If you don't have a manual then google it. There is also manuals available for free for your specific 4Runner. FREE. Google it.
OMG the NOISE! Hmmm, tires making a barking noise going around a tight corner on dry pavement? How about the grinding noise from underneath when trying to shift into 4LO while in park or drive? The "wrrrrrrr" noise that gets faster the faster I go? You have those noises? How about the "lurch" "lurch" lurch" movement your vehicle makes when going around corners? You have that too???? Really?
Relax. Take a deep breath. You didn't break anything. The above is what happens when you are unfamiliar with part time 4WD operation. If you have it in 4WD on dry pavement and make a turn it's gonna do all those things above. It's telling you that you are not supposed to make turns on dry pavement if you have a part time 4WD. You DEFINITELY don't want to switch it to 4LO with your locker engaged and make turns on dry pavement. It will make lots more noises haha. You still will have a tough time breaking it though.
The steps to proper 4WD engagement and operation:
1. READ THE MANUAL. Seriously. Every line on proper 4WD operation. How to shift. When to shift. When to use different modes. Do not skip a word. Google terms you are unfamiliar with.
2. Find a dirt road. Some wet or snow covered pavement. Wet grass. Any ground condition that will allow your wheels to slip easier. NOW go use that newfound intelligence you just got from reading the manual! Put it in 4WD and feel how it engages. Feel how it slips a tire when going around a sharp turn. Yes, you can still feel it even on snow covered roads.
3. If you must engage 4WD on dry roads, make sure you are going in a straight line. Gently curved is OK too. I exercise my 4WD every month or so during the summer just to keep the parts lubricated. I have a nice mile long straight stretch close by and at 40 mph I engage 4HI for that mile. At the end I slip it back into 2HI with no problems.
Now that you have read your MANUAL on proper operation, here's an excerpt from a great article:
"4WD mode works in the simplest terms thanks to a dedicated transfer case, which splits the power between the front and rear axles. Specifically, it locks the front driveshaft to the rear driveshaft, forcing equal amounts of torque from the engine to both axles, causing the front and rear axle of a car to rotate at the same speed. This provides greater traction to drivers, since it ensures power will continue to flow to the wheels on an axle with traction should wheels on the other axle slip. By the same token, though, switching back to 2WD on normal road conditions is critical to prevent potential damage from a condition known as “drivetrain binding” — when a vehicle’s axles cannot rotate at different speeds to accommodate the different distances wheels travel during events like turning."
This article can be found here Four-Wheel Drive vs All-Wheel-Drive: Everything You Need to Know and that link can be found here http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...ner-owner-need-help-searching-start-here.html which is a sticky right here in our forum.
Bottom line: don't think you are too good or too smart to learn something when it comes to the 4Runner. It is one of the most reliable and durable vehicles on the planet but only if you know how to operate and take care of it.
This thread is stickied here http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/92594-modifications-write-ups-quick-links-faqs.html
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