General Questions (newbie here)

[bcrouse330]

Hey Guys!

Just bought a '93 4runner and I have some general questions about 4WD for when I take it up to Tahoe for the winter.

When should I use H4, L4, H2, or N (Neutral i assume?)

Do i need to be stopped when shifting in to 4WD? What are the speed limitations for each gear?

Do I leave my truck in H2 or N when doing normal city driving?

Thanks for your patience with my newbie questions!

 

[SV_Dude]

Some people have different opinions on when to put your 4runner into 4wd from 2wd. Some guys say to use 2wd until you have to have 4wd. Some say to use 4wd if something is questionable. My take on this is why not just use 4wd if you have it? If you get stuck in 2wd because you were trying to say you did it in 2wd, then how do you know for 100% sure you aren't going to be stuck still if you put it into 4wd?

As far as the 4lo, if you need the lower gearing when climbing something then throw it into 4lo.

Speeds of shifting... that kind of depends on you. Sometimes I'll throw it from 4hi to 4lo on the fly if I am trying to climb something with some speed (going up a hill) then I'll throw it into 4lo when I start to slow down and want the lower gearing. Go wheel a bit and you'll learn for yourself on what's a good speed to shift from hi to lo. However, at any speeds above 15mph I wouldn't shift from anything. All of your 4hi-4lo shifting should be done at really low speeds. The neutral on your transfer case is just that. It puts your whole drive train in neutral. It's a useless position really.

 

[thatoneguy]

The neutral on your transfer case is just that. It puts your whole drive train in neutral. It's a useless position really.

Sounds useful for flat towing. I'd rather have it than not have it.

Plus, in cold weather, if i want to hit a convenience store with the truck running, i'll put the transfer case in neutral and leave it there. Anyone trying to quickly steal it isn't gonna be able to figure that out before they're on the ground.

 

[fourwd1]

Hey Guys!

Just bought a '93 4runner and I have some general questions about 4WD for when I take it up to Tahoe for the winter.

When should I use H4, L4, H2, or N (Neutral i assume?)

Do i need to be stopped when shifting in to 4WD? What are the speed limitations for each gear?

Do I leave my truck in H2 or N when doing normal city driving?

Thanks for your patience with my newbie questions!

H2 for normal driving.
H4 or L4 should not be used on a hard surface like pavement. The drivetrain will bind up if there is not some give in the surface, like dirt/mud/ice/snow.
L4 is low speed only.

You really shouldn't shift the t-case unless you're stopped, but it can be done while moving.

The neutral on your transfer case is just that. It puts your whole drive train in neutral. It's a useless position really.

Actually not. Neutral disconnects the t-case from the trans.
But the t-case itself is actually in 4WD.

 

[BucknutBob]

I've had a '94 and a '95, and the manual on those states you can shift into 4HI while moving at normal road speeds, as in if you see an icy section coming up and don't want to stop on the road (I wouldn't do it much above 40 or so). Surprisingly, it also said you could shift into 4LO at up to 18 MPH (personally, I would rather be stopped for LO, though). You can pop it out of 4WD at any speed and not hurt anything. 4HI is for general traction assistance where extra torque is not necessary, or for softer offroad surfaces such as sand and mud (keeps the tires from digging downward). 4LO is for extra torque, and for more control at very slow speeds (rock-crawling, etc.). As was stated, that system should never be in 4WD on a dry road, as it will bind up and eventually break things--you should have some sort of moisture on a paved surface before using. As for the now-or-later question, if you use 4WD before you need it, you are more likely to not get into a bad situation, whereas if you wait until you need it, 4WD alone may not be enough to get you OUT of that bad situation. I prefer to put the odds in my favor and use it first, ask questions later.

 

[4runnin83]

The only time I've needed 4LO is when super stuck in mud or pulling someone out who's stuck fenders deep in mud.

 

[thatoneguy]

It only serves the purpose of 4wheeling for me. Although back in the day my friends' mom got scared of the snow and took him to school in 4Lo in a Cherokee.

 

[KidVermicious]

In my auto, I could shift into and out of 4hi and 4lo on the fly. With the manual in the 85, I can go 2hi to 4hi while rolling, but I have to stop to get to 4low.

Regarding the OP - one thing my poppa always told me was that 2wd was for getting into trouble, and 4wd was for getting out. Most of us here are recreational wheelers and don't mind getting into trouble, but we normally have a buddy around to help us out and we're not trying to get anywhere, or out in the middle of a snowstorm either. If you're not normally in a place where you can afford to get stuck, I'd put a TrueTrac limited slip in the rear, wear Duratracs and/or carry tire chains, and keep it in 2wd until you can't go anywhere. Then if you get to a point where you can't make progress or it's just not safe, you always have the option of shifting into 4wd and going back the way you came. If you go as far as 4wd will take you, you're stuck until help arrives unless you have a winch or comealong or something handy. That's my 2 cents anyway, welcome to the forum!