noob question...

[JohnInPA]

k - this 4Runner is my first ever 4WD. I have a dumb question. I know my 4Runner is equipped with the RR Diff feature (per the button to the left of the steering column). And I do know very elementary things about what diff's do. However, I'm wondering if I'm doing something 'wrong.'.


When I push in the toggle switch for the "on-the-fly" 4WD, at say 25 mph, my 4wd display in the dash flashes and soon thereafter shows 4 green wheels.

When I engage the 4wd while not moving, say in my driveway that's covered in snow, I pull the 4wd level back towards me. When I put it in Reverse, it engages, and the 4wd display in the dash shows 4 green wheels and the orange light in the middle, all steady.

The feel in the second is different, especially when I come to a stop in reverse, like everything is very stiff. Can you explain what the orange light indicates and why this feels different?

 

[MARSHALLMAY]

green 4 wheel light indicates locked transfer case. which in turn means that 4wd is engaged and one front and one rear wheel must spin. the rear diff lock is only engageable in 4 lo. when engaged one front tire must spin, but 2 rear tires must spin because the differential is locked.
It feels different or "tight" because when you turn and accellerate, the wheels further from the center of the turn want to spin faster than the ones closer, thus creating drivetrain bind. That is why 4wd is recommended for off road or slippery conditions only.
i'm not too sure about the orange light. Yours is newer than mine. Might be traction control

 

[lee]

k - this 4Runner is my first ever 4WD. I have a dumb question. I know my 4Runner is equipped with the RR Diff feature (per the button to the left of the steering column). And I do know very elementary things about what diff's do. However, I'm wondering if I'm doing something 'wrong.'.


When I push in the toggle switch for the "on-the-fly" 4WD, at say 25 mph, my 4wd display in the dash flashes and soon thereafter shows 4 green wheels.

When I engage the 4wd while not moving, say in my driveway that's covered in snow, I pull the 4wd level back towards me. When I put it in Reverse, it engages, and the 4wd display in the dash shows 4 green wheels and the orange light in the middle, all steady.

The feel in the second is different, especially when I come to a stop in reverse, like everything is very stiff. Can you explain what the orange light indicates and why this feels different?

4 green tires w/ no center orange = 4wd hi / AWD
4 green tires w/center orange = ctr diff is locked.

when you shift into 4lo with your 4wd shifter, your ctr diff is engaged automatically.

i believe the rear diff (rr diff lock) engages separately.

the reason it feels weird is as marshall said.

 

[JohnInPA]

Re: Re: noob question...

4 green tires w/ no center orange = 4wd hi / AWD
4 green tires w/center orange = ctr diff is locked.

when you shift into 4lo with your 4wd shifter, your ctr diff is engaged automatically.

i believe the rear diff (rr diff lock) engages separately.

the reason it feels weird is as marshall said.

thanks for the replies...i have a couple more questions based on what you said.

unless I'm mistaken, the 4wd shifter has a 4LO and 4HI setting. I don't think I've ever driven in 4LO since that's for when I'm in a pretty bad spot - have yet to be. So my reasoning until now about using 4HI (pulling the shifter all the way back) was just for snow or icy conditions. I would click the push button switch for 4HI if I was already moving and encountered slippery conditions.

Am I following the "norm" for using the different modes? I tend to keep the truck in 2WD 97% of the time. But occasionally i click on 4HI/AWD mode in crappy, rainy, slippery city conditions.

Point is, I want this thing to last. It's got 65K miles on it, I bought it with 54K eleven months ago, and I need it to last so I can buy myself a toy in another year. So far it's run great.

 

[lee]

yes, youre doing what is the 'norm'.

4hi can be used at any speed in any condition. i say this assuming you have my same push-button awd/4wd system.

i only use 4lo when im wheeling (locks the ctr diff).