Gx470 part-time 4wd!?

[Jaysen4runner]

I been looking to buy a lexus gx470, I currently own a 3gen 4runner and 3 gen pickup SAS blaaa anyways. I been searching high and low for information for a t-case swap. I know these thing come with full-time 4wd drive like the FJ80 yes full time 4wd not (AWD) please do your homework. Will anyways, I dislike the full-time 4wd I would like to know if anyone done or look into swapping a Fj or 1 gen tacoma j-pattern case in? (Fit pro and cons) Lmk I feel like I'm not the only guy here thinking the same thing.

 

[IanB]

I know these thing come with full-time 4wd drive like the FJ80 yes full time 4wd not (AWD) please do your homework.

I've never seen anyone do a part time conversion on a GX470, so I can't help you there.

I do own a GX470 and HDJ81, both are MARKETED as full time 4wd, but both are in reality full time AWD. My homework is all caught up on this.

Both have a center diff lock, which when locked sends power 50/50 to the front and rear axles, otherwise known as 4x4 = 4wd. When the CDL is unlocked, which is how you would normally drive around, it is functionally full time AWD.

The GX has a fancy center diff that acts as an LSD, so if a tire on the rear axle slips it can transfer power to the front, but this is not the same as 4wd. The GX is also equipped with ATRAC which acts as an electronic LSD for the front and rear axles.

My HDJ81 is triple locked, but with all diffs unlocked, if you lift one tire and put the truck in drive, it won't move, only the lifted tire will spin. This is in-line with AWD functionality. If you lock the CDL, power is sent 50/50 to the front and rear axles, and it would drive away with one tire lifted as there would be power routed to the axle with both tires on the ground. Again, full time AWD. FZJ80's got a viscous coupler in the center diff, which acts as a LSD in the center diff, but still not the same as 4x4.

School's out.

 

[Jaysen4runner]

I wonder if you took the case apart and remove the locker in the case, what would happen? Would it act normal? It's just the case locker that makes the 4wd full-time. Like a rear end being open or lock. Hmm...

 

[IanB]

I wonder if you took the case apart and remove the locker in the case, what would happen? Would it act normal? It's just the case locker that makes the 4wd full-time. Like a rear end being open or lock. Hmm...

You don't have to take it apart, you could just disconnect the CDL button, if that's what you're getting at. Being ABLE to lock the center diff does not = "Full Time 4wd".

The reality is these TC's provide full time AWD, with selectable 4x4. The excellent center diff in the GX470 (same unit Audi uses in their Quattro systems), makes for an excellent AWD system, plus ATRAC, plus VSC, these are very capable trucks with the center diff open, but it's still not 4x4 until you lock the center diff.

 

[KidVermicious]

You have a transfer case with low range. It's not AWD.

School's out.

 

[IanB]

You have a transfer case with low range. It's not AWD.

School's out.

What difference does that make? The transfer case switches between high and low range gearing in this application, it does not affect the center diff being open or locked and the routing of power to the axles.

The argument isn't that the truck lacks 4x4, rather that it's not "full time 4x4/4wd". With the center diff unlocked, it's not in 4x4.

Summer school for you.

 

[alia176]

I been looking to buy a lexus gx470, I currently own a 3gen 4runner and 3 gen pickup SAS blaaa anyways. I been searching high and low for information for a t-case swap. I know these thing come with full-time 4wd drive like the FJ80 yes full time 4wd not (AWD) please do your homework. Will anyways, I dislike the full-time 4wd I would like to know if anyone done or look into swapping a Fj or 1 gen tacoma j-pattern case in? (Fit pro and cons) Lmk I feel like I'm not the only guy here thinking the same thing.

You sound like me when I first got into my rig. I did a part time conversion on my 80 but left this one alone. From what I've read, the full time 4x4 isn't consuming a whole bunch more fuel than a part time 4Runner. My main motivation of doing this on the 80 was 1)reduce birf wear/tear 2)eliminate front DS vibes. Neither of which is an issue in the 4Runner so I left well enough alone.

It'd be interesting to poll the FJC crowd on full time vs part time MPG numbers.

 

[kylebacc]

Aside from the Full-time 4WD vs. AWD discussion, which some people clearly seem to be confused about, depending on what you are trying to do, this may or may not be helpful:

If you remove the front driveshaft from t-case to front diff, and lock the center diff, you can run RWD all the time. I know this is not very handy for on-the-fly changes, but it worked for me on my 4th Gen when I was in school and knew I wouldn't be wheeling for months at a time. Gotta tell you though, the MPG's didn't seem to give half a dang about whether it was RWD or not lol

 

[Bob22222]

Aside from the Full-time 4WD vs. AWD discussion, which some people clearly seem to be confused about, depending on what you are trying to do, this may or may not be helpful:

If you remove the front driveshaft from t-case to front diff, and lock the center diff, you can run RWD all the time. I know this is not very handy for on-the-fly changes, but it worked for me on my 4th Gen when I was in school and knew I wouldn't be wheeling for months at a time. Gotta tell you though, the MPG's didn't seem to give half a dang about whether it was RWD or not lol

Why someone would want to is beyond me. But the RV industry has come up with an "affordable" drive shift quick dis-connect for a vehicle's driveshaft. They are used for dingy vehicles or cars towed behind large RVs.

 

[kylebacc]

Why someone would want to is beyond me. But the RV industry has come up with an "affordable" drive shift quick dis-connect for a vehicle's driveshaft. They are used for dingy vehicles or cars towed behind large RVs.

Yeah. I was under the impression it would give me better gas mileage. If it did, it wasn't noticeable to my wallet. Also, I thought pulling doughnuts would be cool.

Towing I guess makes sense if the wheels are on the ground?

 

[alia176]

Towing I guess makes sense if the wheels are on the ground?

It's ALWAYS a good idea to tow with all wheels on the ground :crazy::lol:

 

[Bob22222]

Yeah. I was under the impression it would give me better gas mileage. If it did, it wasn't noticeable to my wallet. Also, I thought pulling doughnuts would be cool.

Towing I guess makes sense if the wheels are on the ground?

I meant I don't understand why anyone would want to turn a 4Runner into a 2 wheel drive vehicle. Why not get a beater pickup to do your juvenile stunts in and leave the poor runner be. But to each his/her own. For some strange I used to like to destroy pricey dirt bikes in the sand and surf when I was younger. Something I really couldn't afford at the time either.
I fully understand why you disconnect the drive shaft(s) when a vehicle is in tow.

 

[aznxfactor]

You guys realize that honestly the biggest reason why the mpg is less is due to weight.

The 4x4, transfer case, awd, part time 4wd, full time 4wd, multimode 4wd, etc has more weight so hence the less mpg than say a 2wd. The transfer case isn't a light piece of equipment on top of atrac lsd in the front for 4x4 vs only lsd in the rear for 2wd.

Hope this helps on the mpg topic.

Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

 

[IanB]

You guys realize that honestly the biggest reason why the mpg is less is due to weight.

The 4x4, transfer case, awd, part time 4wd, full time 4wd, multimode 4wd, etc has more weight so hence the less mpg than say a 2wd. The transfer case isn't a light piece of equipment on top of atrac lsd in the front for 4x4 vs only lsd in the rear for 2wd.

Hope this helps on the mpg topic.

Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

ATRAC is all electronics, there's nothing physically additional that would add weight due to the ATRAC system.

Guys in the 80 series Land Cruiser world that convert to part time from full time AWD report at most a 2mpg increase in fuel economy, which isn't much, but it is something. And the weight hasn't changed. FWIW.

 

[aznxfactor]

ATRAC is all electronics, there's nothing physically additional that would add weight due to the ATRAC system.

Guys in the 80 series Land Cruiser world that convert to part time from full time AWD report at most a 2mpg increase in fuel economy, which isn't much, but it is something. And the weight hasn't changed. FWIW.

I was just speaking for 2wd vs 4wd. Part time 4wd and full time 4wd has same mpg.

Full time 4wd will have better handling vs 2wd

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[Bumbo]

Weird request... people spend premium money to get the transfer case that is in a GX or Limited 5th Gen...

The torsen locking center is great... I don't miss a single thing when compared to my other 4Runner with part time 4WD.

You still get all the flexibility and off-road worthy performance from this system, with the ability to also use it on paved roads. I prefer it over the current TC they are using in the Trail and Pro.

If you want more capability just add lockers.

The gas mileage argument is a bit silly to me... if I want MPG ill drive something else that day. Its a truck, and even with part time in 2WD I don't see much of a difference to even make a thread about it.