Offroad capabilities of 2015 Limited 4WD

[Masaro]

I have a '14 LE and the only change I've made to it is replace the 20" wheels with 18" LE 4th Gen wheels and Michelin ATXs. You will be pleasantly surprised at how capable this thing is stock. I've done deep dry beach sand, steep dirt roads, highway sleet and snow, deep and thick clay mud pit right after a massive storm. Not once has the LE hesitated or shown signs of stopping. Like [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] said, we would probably wimp out of some situations before the 4R does.

Last week I saw the light, and purchased my 4th 4runner after a time away with other vehicles. It is a 2015 Barcelona Red Limited 4WD. I will post pictures soon. This is my first 4WD 4Runner.

What led me to this one was the full time 4WD, the climate control, leather interior and sunroof. 2 of my previous vehicles had all of these and I really do enjoy these.

While I was away from 4runners, I was introduced to adventure motorcycle riding with a BMW GS Adventure by a buddy. I really didn't get into it but in October of last year, I did ride it to Yellowstone, Lake Tahoe and the Pacific Coast highway. This did introduce me to our great National Park System and the West.

What I see myself doing over the near future is driving my 4Runner to explore our National Park System and other areas similar to that. I'll be getting off the beaten path a little on dirt roads and gravel roads, but I don't see myself climbing rock bolders and doing some of the things I see in the pictures on this website.

I live in Texas so I have to drive a good 700 miles just to get to some interesting places, so I want to keep the stock features of my 4Runner.

What I plan doing soon is replacing my stock rims and tires with the great looking new rims and 265/70/17 tires.

So my question to you is with the addition of the tires and rims above, what is the off road capability of my 2015 Limited 4WD? Also, how will it do in the snow? as I plan to go to Colorado and surrounding areas in.

Also, I'd like to thank everyone for the pictures and information that is on this site. This is a great place.

 

[BS Goodwrench]

Differences in the hardware?

So I want to bump this as I am very curious as to the AWD system and its differences from the SR5 and TE models.

Can I assume the front and rear diffs are the same but the transfer case is the main difference? Just trying to figure out why Toyota would manufacture two different systems? Or is the AWD the system carried over from say the 100 series or Lexus.

Does it really help locking a center diff? When you still have open diffs in the front and rear?

I like the idea of heated and cooled genuine leather seats! Lol...

Front end has got to go and so do the running boards.

 

[1engineer]

So I want to bump this as I am very curious as to the AWD system and its differences from the SR5 and TE models.

Can I assume the front and rear diffs are the same but the transfer case is the main difference? Just trying to figure out why Toyota would manufacture two different systems? Or is the AWD the system carried over from say the 100 series or Lexus.

Does it really help locking a center diff? When you still have open diffs in the front and rear?

I like the idea of heated and cooled genuine leather seats! Lol...

Front end has got to go and so do the running boards.

Read the links in the "Are you a new or prospective owner? Read this first" Sticky thread. You will find the answers to all your questions there.

 

[BS Goodwrench]

10-4,

Thanks

 

[AudiTech]

The Limited's full time 4WD gives it a substantial advantage over all the other models in terms of driving in the snow. Living in Colorado and routinely driving Berthoud pass in the snow to get to Winter Park is what made me choose a Limited. The pass is tight switch backs, winding steep narrow road, snow covered in the shade but completely dry in the sun... far from ideal for 2WD or for 4WD with a locked center diff.

 

[CO-Cygnus]

The Limited's full time 4WD gives it a substantial advantage over all the other models in terms of driving in the snow. Living in Colorado and routinely driving Berthoud pass in the snow to get to Winter Park is what made me choose a Limited. The pass is tight switch backs, winding steep narrow road, snow covered in the shade but completely dry in the sun... far from ideal for 2WD or for 4WD with a locked center diff.

+1, Icy Mtn Passes are what full time 4WD was made for.

 

[ArmedBear]

The Limited's full time 4WD gives it a substantial advantage over all the other models in terms of driving in the snow. Living in Colorado and routinely driving Berthoud pass in the snow to get to Winter Park is what made me choose a Limited. The pass is tight switch backs, winding steep narrow road, snow covered in the shade but completely dry in the sun... far from ideal for 2WD or for 4WD with a locked center diff.

Doing Berthoud a bunch last Winter was a little hairy shifting in and out of 4WD as we switched from dry to packed snow/ice. I slid out towards a guardrail once on one of the tighter switchbacks. Kept it together, but was a little nerve wracking. Couldn't power through, and had to back out of it, in downhill traffic, on a Saturday afternoon. Super fun.

 

[AudiTech]

Doing Berthoud a bunch last Winter was a little hairy shifting in and out of 4WD as we switched from dry to packed snow/ice. I slid out towards a guardrail once on one of the tighter switchbacks. Kept it together, but was a little nerve wracking. Couldn't power through, and had to back out of it, in downhill traffic, on a Saturday afternoon. Super fun.

I have a set of Blizzak DM-V1 snow tires on the stock wheels for winter, those tires with the full time 4 wheel drive is incredible. The truck is stays so solid and planted it almost doesn't seem like it should be possible.

The only thing missing a turbo diesel. It has tons and tons of traction but at 11,300+ feet n/a gas engines are way down on power.

 

[Jhalko]

I have a set of Blizzak DM-V1 snow tires on the stock wheels for winter, those tires with the full time 4 wheel drive is incredible. The truck is stays so solid and planted it almost doesn't seem like it should be possible.

The only thing missing a turbo diesel. It has tons and tons of traction but at 11,300+ feet n/a gas engines are way down on power.

Bolt on another 400 lbs of steel and then talk to me about "down on power"!!!

:help:

 

[CO-Cygnus]

Bolt on another 400 lbs of steel and then talk to me about "down on power"!!!

:help:

Yeah, but he's not wrong despite the weight.

Ask me how I know. :hiding:

 

[BS Goodwrench]

So where did the system that graces the T4R LE originate,

I read the linked info but it pertains to explaining the systems, does it well for the most part. I wrote service for 15 years, Honda/Acura and BMW. I understand some AWD systems in "cars" but really want to know what system Toyota brought it over from, I'm searching as I think it was a Lexus thing first or Land Cruiser I guess. Is it stronger?

I came across this, now I can dig into what makes the Torsen T3 40/60 diff what it is.

Land Cruiser 120/150/Lexus GX470, Toyota 4Runner (Only Limited V8 & 2010 Limited V6), Toyota FJ Cruiser (Manual Transmission Only), Toyota Hilux Surf (Year2013)

Torsen T3 (40/60) center differential with manual lock, low gear, hill descent control system.

 

[Toffees]

Last week I saw the light, and purchased my 4th 4runner after a time away with other vehicles. It is a 2015 Barcelona Red Limited 4WD. I will post pictures soon. This is my first 4WD 4Runner.

What led me to this one was the full time 4WD, the climate control, leather interior and sunroof. 2 of my previous vehicles had all of these and I really do enjoy these.

While I was away from 4runners, I was introduced to adventure motorcycle riding with a BMW GS Adventure by a buddy. I really didn't get into it but in October of last year, I did ride it to Yellowstone, Lake Tahoe and the Pacific Coast highway. This did introduce me to our great National Park System and the West.

What I see myself doing over the near future is driving my 4Runner to explore our National Park System and other areas similar to that. I'll be getting off the beaten path a little on dirt roads and gravel roads, but I don't see myself climbing rock bolders and doing some of the things I see in the pictures on this website.

I live in Texas so I have to drive a good 700 miles just to get to some interesting places, so I want to keep the stock features of my 4Runner.

What I plan doing soon is replacing my stock rims and tires with the great looking new rims and 265/70/17 tires.

So my question to you is with the addition of the tires and rims above, what is the off road capability of my 2015 Limited 4WD? Also, how will it do in the snow? as I plan to go to Colorado and surrounding areas in.

Also, I'd like to thank everyone for the pictures and information that is on this site. This is a great place.

Have you tried Big Bend? Sounds like the sort of action you'd like, unless you've already graduated to tougher trails.

 

[1engineer]

So where did the system that graces the T4R LE originate,

I read the linked info but it pertains to explaining the systems, does it well for the most part. I wrote service for 15 years, Honda/Acura and BMW. I understand some AWD systems in "cars" but really want to know what system Toyota brought it over from, I'm searching as I think it was a Lexus thing first or Land Cruiser I guess. Is it stronger?

I came across this, now I can dig into what makes the Torsen T3 40/60 diff what it is.

Land Cruiser 120/150/Lexus GX470, Toyota 4Runner (Only Limited V8 & 2010 Limited V6), Toyota FJ Cruiser (Manual Transmission Only), Toyota Hilux Surf (Year2013)

Torsen T3 (40/60) center differential with manual lock, low gear, hill descent control system.

Everything comes from Land Cruiser and Hilux Surf. Google Tahara Plant to see where the 4Runner, Lexus and Land Cruisers are born. The 4Runner is very similar to the LC Prado.