how bad is it to drive in 4wd if you dont need it?

[cweta37]

I am curious how bad it is to drive in 4wd if I dont really need it. I have never driven my sr5 in 4wd except the day I drove it at the dealer. even then I was just so freakin excited that I was finally getting it that I didnt really pay attention.
we're havin really bad weather and I know the grade I live off of has accidents every time it rains. usually it doesn't effect suv's but trucks are being prohibitted from driving on the bridge right next to it... so I'm takin a precaution.

Thanks for any advise.

 

[Thai]

I am curious how bad it is to drive in 4wd if I dont really need it. I have never driven my sr5 in 4wd except the day I drove it at the dealer. even then I was just so freakin excited that I was finally getting it that I didnt really pay attention.
we're havin really bad weather and I know the grade I live off of has accidents every time it rains. usually it doesn't effect suv's but trucks are being prohibitted from driving on the bridge right next to it... so I'm takin a precaution.

Thanks for any advise.

what year is your 4runner??

 

[cweta37]

I have a 05 sr4

 

[cweta37]

I have a 05 sr4

I mean sr5, I'm typing in the dark, sorry

 

[GatorGreg]

I have a 05 sr4

Well in that case if you have a V8 you're always in 4x4. And if you have a V6 you could stick it in 4x4 Hi all winter and forget about it, the system functions just like the one in the V8 once you put it in 4x4. If you had a 3rd gen then we would need more info (the specific year and whether or not you have a Limited). But since you have a 4th gen you can drive around in 4x4 permanently if you like.

 

[cweta37]

Hey, Thank you! I have a v6, btw. I'm happy I found this site! I drove through about 4 feet of water on the freeway (at about 40mph, I had no idea it was coming) earlier cause it is so flooded over here and couldn't see for about 20 seconds.
I have a feeling after the branches and trees have been down... we're gonna start to see mud slides... thats what I wanted to be ready for.

 

[shawner2713]

In response, I've got an 01' limited and I am also not sure when to use which function. As far as the little manual, I assumed 4hi w/out the cent. diff locked was fine at anytime, though i haven't used it.

when should I use the center diff, when would using it cause serious damage?

 

[CJ3Flyr]

In response, I've got an 01' limited and I am also not sure when to use which function. As far as the little manual, I assumed 4hi w/out the cent. diff locked was fine at anytime, though i haven't used it.

when should I use the center diff, when would using it cause serious damage?

Lock the center diff only when you're on a semi-slippery surface. Lower traction than a wet, paved road is a good rule of thumb. If you're going more than 20mph with the center diff locked be careful. You won't hurt the T4R but you won't have the advantage of VSC either. VSC only works when the center diff is unlocked.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

Don't the '01+ all have a similar to AWD stting so you don't even need to use true 4hi?

I know my mom's '99 Limited hasn't even seen 4hi exept for a couple of big snow days and she just uses the push button on the shifter. The rare time any 4wd is used is just is just to keep all the moving parts in order since 4lo and the rear diff lock are never used.

Driving in true off road 4wd on the street is a waste of gas and hard on the parts isn't it?

With my truck I hardly use 4hi on any dry/wet pavment period but I also don't have any fancy center diff setup.

 

[shawner2713]

I have the button on the side of my shifter "4wd" which I assumed puts it into 4hi. Then I have to shift to get to 4lo.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

The '99-'00 limited you just push the button on the side for "AWD" then you pull back to engage true 4hi then for low it must be put into N then shifted over to 4lo which is for low traction,low speed situations and off road.

 

[magnumfan]

Driving thru deep water

Hey, Thank you! I have a v6, btw. I'm happy I found this site! I drove through about 4 feet of water on the freeway (at about 40mph, I had no idea it was coming) earlier cause it is so flooded over here and couldn't see for about 20 seconds.
I have a feeling after the branches and trees have been down... we're gonna start to see mud slides... thats what I wanted to be ready for.

Hi Kate, Joe here

since no one else said it...

you need to be VERY careful driving thru water over about 18 inches deep, deeper than that and it can float the car, possibly lifting the wheels off of the ground, if the water is running (not standing still) it can push you sideways - Ive experienced this a couple of times, its pretty scarey

Other things, driving in water, your diffs and gearbox, transfer case can suck in water (Im sure someone is going to point out the breather tubes in the 4gen T4R) anyway the point is, water inside those systems is very bad

just be cautious driving in deep water

 

[Falls]

Lock the center diff only when you're on a semi-slippery surface. Lower traction than a wet, paved road is a good rule of thumb. If you're going more than 20mph with the center diff locked be careful. You won't hurt the T4R but you won't have the advantage of VSC either. VSC only works when the center diff is unlocked.

You can drive with the center diff. locked without issue on "lower traction than a wet paved road" . If you know how to drive a 4x4 it's not an issue. IMO opinion it was designed for people who can't drive under these conditions. I learned how to drive on a snow covered lake in 2wd station wagon.

I've been driving 4x4 since i was 16 (30 years) without any of this ele.crap and never an issue. When driving in a snow storm and traveling on a busy hiway doing 40-60 mph , then i keep it activated because it's there. Once I'm off the freeway and on rural roads in deep snow storms I lock the diff. so the fricken power does not shut me down and cause accidents crossing intersections.

VSC = Great feature in some situations , VSC = horrible feature / dangerous feature in some situations.

 

[simple]

You can drive with the center diff. locked without issue on "lower traction than a wet paved road" . If you know how to drive a 4x4 it's not an issue. IMO opinion it was designed for people who can't drive under these conditions. I learned how to drive on a snow covered lake in 2wd station wagon.

I've been driving 4x4 since i was 16 (30 years) without any of this ele.crap and never an issue. When driving in a snow storm and traveling on a busy hiway doing 40-60 mph , then i keep it activated because it's there. Once I'm off the freeway and on rural roads in deep snow storms I lock the diff. so the fricken power does not shut me down and cause accidents crossing intersections.

VSC = Great feature in some situations , VSC = horrible feature / dangerous feature in some situations.

Without being too subjective... what do you mean 'know' how to drive a 4x4? When I was drving up in the snow this year, max I went was 30 MAYBE 40 before I noticed and slowed down... but the only thing I did different was very slowly applied brakes.

And thats smart locking the dif to deactive vsc in town (in icy conditions)! I'll have to remember that.

 

[magnumfan]

Falls I couldnt agree more....re VSC

You can drive with the center diff. locked without issue on "lower traction than a wet paved road" . If you know how to drive a 4x4 it's not an issue. IMO opinion it was designed for people who can't drive under these conditions. I learned how to drive on a snow covered lake in 2wd station wagon.

I've been driving 4x4 since i was 16 (30 years) without any of this ele.crap and never an issue. When driving in a snow storm and traveling on a busy hiway doing 40-60 mph , then i keep it activated because it's there. Once I'm off the freeway and on rural roads in deep snow storms I lock the diff. so the fricken power does not shut me down and cause accidents crossing intersections.

VSC = Great feature in some situations , VSC = horrible feature / dangerous feature in some situations.

After I bought my 06 V6 T4R, I was struggling to get my mind around VSC/ATRAC/Open Diffs/Torsen Locking center. I made a direct complaint to Toyota about it, since my local dealer could not explain it sufficiently that I could understand (and Ive been in technology product development for over 25 years).

Your point about VSC - VSC = Great feature in some situations , VSC = horrible feature / dangerous feature in some situations.


Is in my opinion absolutely correct

I think Toyota did it that way - because the majority of folks who buy these cars never use 4X4, Dont understand it, Dont want to understand it and so the best compromise to protect people from themselves is the way Toyta designed it. Otherwise they wouldnt be using this VSC/ATRAC system on so many platforms.

I know for a fact that every manufacturer of any product will get suied once they become successful, I would bet this system cuts down on the number of times Toyota gets suied.

just my opinion

Joe