Popping/thunks in steering wheel while 4-LO/locker engaged?

[DreadPirateMoyer]

I was out doing some light off-roading in some farmer's fields this weekend (about 1-2 feet of hay growing underneath the wheels) and decided to take the opportunity to exercise the e-locker as I don't get to use it often. Stopped, put it in neutral, shifted quickly into 4-Lo, popped on the e-locker, and waited for the blinking to stop/for it to engage. After 3 minutes, I slowly moved my steering wheel left and right and let off the brake to let the truck start moving, and the e-locker popped right on.

After about 10 feet, I stopped, turned it off and took the truck back into 2WD, and got moving again. The 4WD and e-locker took about 30 seconds to actually disengage, though (continued to blink), and due to the portion of the field I was in, I had to make 3x 180 degree turns (switchbacks through a wide hedgerow) as the 4WD/locker worked themselves out. During those turns, I felt no resistance in the steering, drove under 5MPH, and everything seemed fine EXCEPT I felt a few (3? 5?) thuds/light pops in the steering wheel. No other sounds, feelings, or symptoms -- just some pops and thuds I felt in my hands.

So...what did I do wrong? Is that normal/expected? Possible damage? I'm assuming I goofed somewhere.

For the record, I don't think my 4Runner did something weird or is broken from the factory. I'm sure it was doing what any other 4Runner would do. I'm assuming I made a newb move and those pops/thuds were the rear differential binding up or something. Thought I'd be OK since I was off-road in a thick, slippery hay field, but apparently not and wasn't sure where I messed up/what basic no-no of off-roading I committed.

Any insight would be appreciated. Would like to learn so I don't break something in the future.

 

[DreadPirateMoyer]

Figured I'd bump this for the weekend crew to see if anyone had any ideas.

 

[wfo9]

Yes, offroad with locker on, you will feel some hops and various thuds as the wheels fight to maintain the same RPM in a turn. Remember the front and rear are also locked together so chirps in the rear are felt in the front to some extent.

The locker will not disengage immediately. It needs to be in an unbound state where tension is removed (going in a straight line...)

I suggest you get out in real offroad terrain where a locker might be required and play around with it.

 

[Phoenix4R]

Yeah, your locker doesn't need to be "exercised" and using it in some dirt field somewhere is rather pointless. Those "pops" you're feeling is the drivetrain binding itself because the wheels can't turn at different speeds as you turn like they're normally able to. That's not good for the drivetrain in the long term, if you make a habit of it. This is why most people advocate only using 4WD in low traction situations, ideally so that instead of binding up the drivetrain like this, your wheels will just slip on the road surface.

 

[marshal]

have you ever owned a 4wd vehicle before?

basically as said above, the thunks and pops was the driveline binding because you were using it in a high traction environment. unless you heard something snap loudly, no harm no foul.

 

[RonJR]

Three things:
1) Sounds normal for a locked 4wd system
2) It certainly is a good idea to exercise those actuators periodically. They are very expensive to replace when they get sticky from lack of use.
3) Your neighbor's hayfield is plenty low-traction enough for you to run 4wd locked without a chance of damage.

 

[DreadPirateMoyer]

Appreciate the responses everyone!

1. I've owned a (real) 4WD vehicle before. Never took it offroad, however, and it didn't have a locker. Only used 4WD in icy conditions and such, so never noticed binding. Or maybe I did and didn't know to even notice it.

2. I was under the impression that since 4WD locks front and rear, and it's safe to use 4WD in offroad turns due to low friction, it would be safe to use the locker in offroad turns as well. Otherwise, I would've thrown the truck in R as I waited for it to disengage rather than plowing through the turns in the hedgerow.

3. I thought a hay field was low friction enough to count

4. I also thought I read on here (from [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] if my mind serves right?) in a discussion about the suggested monthly exercising of 4WD that it was also a good to exercise the locker so the actuator didn't seize up over years of non-use.

5. No snaps luckily, heard or felt. Just a few small clunks in the steering wheel, with no audible noise either.

6. I definitely need more offroad experience. There's no doubt about that. However, time to do it in the right places is hard to come by, so I'm left with goofing around where I can and gaining knowledge here where I can.

So, to parse it all down, it seems like this is normal 4WD/locker behavior, even on offroad, low-friction surfaces, won't cause damage, and the locker is OK to have on during turns offroad? Did I get that all right?

Thanks again everyone. Quite the knowledge bomb.

 

[wfo9]

Sounds like you got it.

And yes, I would engage everything from time to time.

Even if it is on the street. It won't hurt anything. These truck can take some serious abuse and binding is something that happens all the time in many off-road situations. Friction is not static in many off-road scenarios. One second you are spinning on loose sand and the next the tires are on very high friction rocks. The key is that it eventually has a place to release it so that the shift forks can move when going back to unlocked/2wd.

 

[RonJR]

Keep in mind also that when Acme Towing comes to tow your vehicle to the impound yard because you parked in some politician's private spot in front of City Hall they won't wait around for you to come and unlock the vehicle and put it in neutral. They'll just hook their winch to it and drag it along the pavement and up onto the truck.

Meaning what? The drive train is plenty strong enough to skid the wheels on dry pavement without damaging it. This sort of thing happens all the time with illegal parking and/or repo's.

 

[Victor_inox]

Keep in mind also that when Acme Towing comes to tow your vehicle to the impound yard because you parked in some politician's private spot in front of City Hall they won't wait around for you to come and unlock the vehicle and put it in neutral. They'll just hook their winch to it and drag it along the pavement and up onto the truck.

Meaning what? The drive train is plenty strong enough to skid the wheels on dry pavement without damaging it. This sort of thing happens all the time with illegal parking and/or repo's.

True but repo people don`t give a flying f uck about vehicle damage. Owner certainly does.
One time I`ve got my new infinity towed due to it being parked more than 1' off curbstone, they destroyed catalytic converter on process, I sued them but judge dismissed the case so I lost 3 grand for repair they caused.

 

[Ohio Hawk]

This discussion begs the question, if you live in an area that doesn't have a dirt or stone road within a reasonable distance, what is the best way to engage all the 4 wheel drive goodies to keep everything lubricated and moving?
Is a rain soaked road slippery enough or am I lifting it into the air on jack stands? This is my first 4Wheel drive in my current location. It wasn't a problem where I lived before.

 

[MSRP.]

This discussion begs the question, if you live in an area that doesn't have a dirt or stone road within a reasonable distance, what is the best way to engage all the 4 wheel drive goodies to keep everything lubricated and moving?
Is a rain soaked road slippery enough or am I lifting it into the air on jack stands? This is my first 4Wheel drive in my current location. It wasn't a problem where I lived before.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you have to necessarily make turns to give the actuator's "exercise".

Just engage it on a deserted straight road, drive in that straight line for a bit, pull off, disengage, and done. You have successfully given the actuator the second or two (x2) of exercise.

 

[mybabydaddy]

This discussion begs the question, if you live in an area that doesn't have a dirt or stone road within a reasonable distance, what is the best way to engage all the 4 wheel drive goodies to keep everything lubricated and moving?
Is a rain soaked road slippery enough or am I lifting it into the air on jack stands? This is my first 4Wheel drive in my current location. It wasn't a problem where I lived before.

I simply slide it into 4Hi when going down a nice, quiet back road that you are only doing 30-35 mph and dead straight. Drive for a mile or so, and slip it back into 2wd when you are slowing to a stop around 10mph. I do it at least once a month. Never had an issue.

Having said that, I've yet to put 4Lo (or E locker) to any real test since all that's been used so far is 4hi in inclement snow/ice days.






2014 TEP w/ KDSS / Bilstein 5100s (front at 1.75) / Cornfed 1 inch rear spacers / 265/70 Nitto TG G2s / FN Cntrsteer Type X / RCI Front skid / Yakima Cross bars / NFab Steps

 

[Maadcaap]

I have noticed some steering slop in 4low. Highway speeds and in 4hi on dirt the steering feels normal. While in 4 low at less than 2 mph its not noticeable.. But on the trail inbetween rough sections there was some steering slop at 6 to 8 mph in 4 low… feels like the variable power assist was just shut off in 4 low.. I could feel feedback from the front wheels rolling over loose rock and gravel..