Did You Break 4WD?

[pauldavis]

This is what I did. I had the manual in my lap and read, tried it out, read some more, tried it out, and on and on. It was a fun afternoon.

For me the biggest surprise were the noises A-trac made when it went into action.

Link to the 4Runner Manual, click here

First thing I did with my 4Runner was spend about 2 hours on a dirt road with the manual out, shifting through all of the transfer case gears, and engaging all of the extra doo-dad's (A-TRAC, CRAWL, RR Locker, MTS, etc). Now, it's a walk in the park. Thanks for the post, Mod!

 

[minimalist]

It is in the 5th gen section lol under mods and write ups! It does not deserve it's own special sticky... not good enough for that.

It might not be good enough, but it could save a life if someone has high blood pressure and does what I did. Just saying. Either way, it's a big help so you're the man either way

 

[1engineer]

Manual, I work with him. 4 Lo 24x7 and good to go. ATRAC only at the mall and locker on icy, snow covered roads. I got this.

Oh man....

 

[m85476585]

It's funny trying to explain some of this electronic stuff to Jeep guys on the trails.

"Yeah, it's supposed to sound like that."
"No, it doesn't have lockers. Yeah, it's kind of like limited slip."
"If I just give it some gas and let the wheels spin a little it will make it over." (I don't have Crawl control on my 4th gen)

I don't know much about jeeps, but I think newer ones might have similar electronic braking systems. I don't think I've seen newer jeeps on trails except maybe wranglers which all look the same age to me.

 

[Jhalko]

Oh man....

This seems helpful but...

Could you do a write up on how my 4wd will work if I want to put 285's on my truck?

 

[rochmpr]

This seems helpful but...

Could you do a write up on how my 4wd will work if I want to put 285's on my truck?

You need the Marlin TacoBox and 5.38 gearing. Also requires special lubricant in the differentials and T-Case. Also, can only be used on 2nd blue moon and Harvest moon. Set camber to 1° to 2° and lots of skinny pedal. I may be forgetting something.

 

[Brandonium]

You forgot that you need to air your tires up with water.. the distilled kind.

You need the Marlin TacoBox and 5.38 gearing. Also requires special lubricant in the differentials and T-Case. Also, can only be used on 2nd blue moon and Harvest moon. Set camber to 1° to 2° and lots of skinny pedal. I may be forgetting something.

 

[Heavy_GD]

Thanks for this thread and the link to the online manual.

All of my questions were addressed here.

 

[shearn]

New to New Tech 4x4

I've had an FJ-40 and an FJ-55.

They were pretty basic tech. I understood them. I had to get out, lock the hubs, shift the T-Case, etc. Heck, I installed a two-stick T-Case in my FJ-40 (one stick was for 4x4, one was for Hi-Lo) and eventually added an ARB Air-Locker.

I've had a couple of Fords with a nice little twisty dial to engage AWD/4WD

Wife has AWD Audi.

All of the stuff on the ceiling console of my TEP is fascinating. I've had the vehicle for less than a week, and have driven about 100 yard on the dirt. I intend to fix that problem this weekend. Meanwhile, I'll just sit back and learn what the dials and buttons are supposed to do, then go out and break something!

 

[shearn]

You forgot that you need to air your tires up with water.. the distilled kind.

And bigger tires require extra blinker fluid.

 

[jamion]

Thanks for this thread -- I'm totally new to part-time 4WD and I just bought my 2016 SR5. Love it. But please be gentle with me as I ask this question!

So.... I just read the manual and it says:

"You should drive in four-wheel drive for at least 10 miles (16 km) each month.
This will assure that the front drive components are lubricated."

And the H4 mode should only be engaged this way:

"Use this for driving only on tracks that permit the tires slide, like off-road,
icy or snow-covered roads."

So my question is... do you have some suggestions of where I can easily do my 10-mile monthly 4WD run? Before you laugh, while I intend to use 4WD in certain scenarios I planned for (one of the reasons I went with this awesome vehicle), those scenarios don't necessarily come up every month... this is a daily driver and my time is so slammed I can't get away very often right now... and I'm having a hard time coming up with a handy local road or surface that might be suitable for doing this.

I live in the suburbs of Washington DC, and I can't for the life of me think of quickly accessed slippery or dirt roads around where I live that are close enough to make this convenient (other than after a big winter storm)... the places I was planning on using it are 25-30 miles away.

So if I'm supposed to do this for 10 miles per month, what do you suggest? Do I need to plan to make a little trip each month somewhere I know has dirt roads? Any other ideas? I need something quick and easy, without driving too far for those months where I don't use the 4WD in my normal course of work.

Thanks in advance for any help...

 

[Salvo Jimmy]

Thanks for this thread -- I'm totally new to part-time 4WD and I just bought my 2016 SR5. Love it. But please be gentle with me as I ask this question!

So.... I just read the manual and it says:



And the H4 mode should only be engaged this way:



So my question is... do you have some suggestions of where I can easily do my 10-mile monthly 4WD run? Before you laugh, while I intend to use 4WD in certain scenarios I planned for (one of the reasons I went with this awesome vehicle), those scenarios don't necessarily come up every month... this is a daily driver and my time is so slammed I can't get away very often right now... and I'm having a hard time coming up with a handy local road or surface that might be suitable for doing this.

I live in the suburbs of Washington DC, and I can't for the life of me think of quickly accessed slippery or dirt roads around where I live that are close enough to make this convenient (other than after a big winter storm)... the places I was planning on using it are 25-30 miles away.

So if I'm supposed to do this for 10 miles per month, what do you suggest? Do I need to plan to make a little trip each month somewhere I know has dirt roads? Any other ideas? I need something quick and easy, without driving too far for those months where I don't use the 4WD in my normal course of work.

Thanks in advance for any help...

Go back and re-read the first post

And take a look at this thread

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/216517-4wd-exercising.html

 

[jamion]

Go back and re-read the first post

Thanks, Salvo, I just re-read it, but it doesn't quite answer my question. I also looked through the links listed, but unless I'm blind and missed something obvious (which is entirely possible!), all I'm mainly getting for my situation is to perhaps drive it straight on pavement. I was thinking of avoiding pavement altogether though since everything else I've read says that I should basically never engage 4WD on dry pavement. So that leaves me with local dirt roads or when the snow/ice comes... what am I missing?

EDIT -- Whoops, I posted this before your edit -- I'm checking out that 4WD exercising thread right now...

 

[jamion]

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/216517-4wd-exercising.html

Okay, this thread you mentioned is very helpful! Will post any follow-up there! Much appreciated!

 

[Salvo Jimmy]

Okay, this thread you mentioned is very helpful! Will post any follow-up there! Much appreciated!

I exercise my 2016 SR5 in 4HI on straight stretches of pavement in and around my neighborhood when I haven't been in the sand around Salvo NC and go to a closed/abandoned KMart parking lot and exercise 4LO.

 

[jamion]

I exercise my 2016 SR5 in 4HI on straight stretches of pavement in and around my neighborhood when I haven't been in the sand around Salvo NC and go to a closed/abandoned KMart parking lot and exercise 4LO.

Yeah, this is starting to make sense -- been reading a bunch of other threads and your approach seems like it should work for me! If I can't find a good dirt or gravel road nearby, I'll be doing the same thing you're doing. Thanks again!

 

[RysiuM]

My first 4x4 was (and still is) 95 Tacoma manual transmission with manual wheel locks. I wish auto wheel lock could be disengaged/engaged manually (something like override). So much more fun that auto.

To lubricate the front powertrain on dry pavement I can either engage wheel lockers without switching to 4x4 or by switching to 4Hi without engaging front lockers (switching to 4Hi must be done when vehicle is not moving). No "noises" :bravo:

I can also put 4x4 Lo with manual wheel locks off and have extra torque on rear wheels without worrying using it on dry pavement. Can't do it with auto locking hubs.

As for my 2012 4Runner I have the manual transfer case - lever type, not the knob. I noticed that even following the book procedure transfer case can make "grinding noises" when I try to slowly slide the lever to 4Hi or 4Lo. Somehow transfer case doesn't like it. When I move the lever fast, like flipping the switch, the the transition goes smoothly without any jerks or noises.

 

[wfo9]

My first 4x4 was (and still is) 95 Tacoma manual transmission with manual wheel locks. I wish auto wheel lock could be disengaged/engaged manually (something like override). So much more fun that auto.

To lubricate the front powertrain on dry pavement I can either engage wheel lockers without switching to 4x4 or by switching to 4Hi without engaging front lockers (switching to 4Hi must be done when vehicle is not moving). No "noises" :bravo:

I can also put 4x4 Lo with manual wheel locks off and have extra torque on rear wheels without worrying using it on dry pavement. Can't do it with auto locking hubs.

Technically you can do this with your 5th gen. It does not have auto locking hubs (that is the end result.. but the implementation is very different).

On the Hub side the 5th gen simply has drive flanges... The hubs engage the axles at all times.

On the driver side of the diff there is nothing in the middle. On the passenger side of the diff, there is a splined very short stub shaft coming out of the diff. The ADD (automatic differential disconnect) controls a collar via motor that engages the axle when a shift to 4wd is detected in the Transfer case.

So, if you physically disable the ADD motor wire leads. You can put the T-Case in 4H and spin the front drive shafts without actually being in 4WD. It is just like being in 4WD and having the passenger wheel up in the air. All the power from the drive shaft should be directed to the passenger side which will just spin the stub shaft. You should also be able to go into 4Lo. There will be no binding.

All this assumes you have the manual transfer case (but would also probably work with the electronic t-case actuator). I have never done this and I'm not really recommending it, but I think it would work and not hurt anything. You could simply wire in a NO relay and a switch to enable this capability whenever you wanted... It would however probably trigger some errors/lights with the 4wd ECU when the T-Case was in 4wd without the ADD activated.... But all should go back to normal once the ADD was re-activated.

Just though it was worth mentioning....if you had some strong desire to make you 5th gen function somewhat like your 95 with manual hubs. Still not the same though.. I would like some manual hubs just to avoid spinning the CVs all the time. Could gain some MPG that way.... and allow the CVs to last forever...

 

[RysiuM]

Technically you can do this with your 5th gen. It does not have auto locking hubs (that is the end result.. but the implementation is very different).

Thanks for the explanation. I had no idea.

Just though it was worth mentioning....if you had some strong desire to make you 5th gen function somewhat like your 95 with manual hubs.

I think I will pass I guess will keep all manual in my old Taco and all luxury auto in 4Runner

I would like some manual hubs just to avoid spinning the CVs all the time. Could gain some MPG that way.... and allow the CVs to last forever...

Now I know why 4x4 with auto locking hubs gets worse mpg than 2 wheel drive (for example 4x4 Tacoma vs Prerunner). Getting out of the cab in the mud just to turn both locks in hubs is not a fun, but on 90% highway drive manual hubs makes more sens than such auto design.

Many thanks for clarification.

So if all both shafts and front diff is spinning while driving 22 wheel drive, the only things that benefits in lubrication when switching to 4x4 is transfer case and front prop, right?

 

[coltm4]

And bigger tires require extra blinker fluid.

Holy crap! $85/qt for the special Toyota LED blinker fluid. Anyone know if there is a Redline/Mobil 1 equivalent?