Recommendations based on expected driving conditions

[Jetboy]

H4F = High range (1:1 gearing) awd open center differential.

H4L = High range locked center differential

L4L = Low range (2.67:1 gear reduction) locked center differential.

The SR5/Trail edition have the same transfer case. The only difference is that the Trail has a lever, SR5 has a rotory knob.

The options for the SR5/Trail

2H = 1:1 gear ratio - rear wheel drive only - front is disconnected

4H = 1:1 gear ratio - 4x4 center differential locked

4L = 2.67:1 gear reduction - center differential locked.


So the difference is that the Limited cannot be put in rear wheel drive. The SR5/Trail cannot be put in AWD mode with an open center differential. Otherwise they are the same. No model can run 2wd in low range, nor can any model run front wheel drive only. The primary difference is that the limited is awd during normal driving and the other models will be rear wheel drive.

I think it's one thing that we all wish we had is the old transfer case that used to allow everything including rear wheel drive, awd, and 4hi/4lo. That was once an option on previous generations. For me personally I prefer having the 2wd option. I think for most users having awd would be the first choice. It's really dependent on what you're wanting.

If you do go to a Limited - read up on XREAS suspension. All Limited come with it. It can be replaced. It's a pretty good system for ride quality at stock height.

 

[FrontRange4Runner]

First drive in the snow with my 2017 Limited was shortly after swapping to 17" wheels with new Blizzak DM-V2 tires. We ended up on a forest service road we never should have been on, in a snow storm, with some sections of road where we'd have needed 1,000 feet of cable to winch ourselves out of the "ditch".

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Don't forget that the deep snow performance of the Limited will be increased by locking the center diff. Not sure if you did or not, but it's something many people seem to forget.

--Also, I see a few people talking about KDSS. IMHO KDSS is not very useful on the wide straight roads Michigan has to offer. In Colorado it's awesome, but in Michigan it simply wont be noticed on road that often.

 

[Throwback]

The Trail Edition manual transfer case also offers a true Neutral position as well, which may be important to some and irrelevant to others.

 

[CbatEngineer1371]

IMHO. again in my honest opinion! I got the trail mainly for the multi terrain selection, not the crawl control, and the Lockers are an amazing bonus. However as most of us know 98% is the operator 2% is the capabilities of the vehicle.

I'm not the most experienced but I grew up in the Mt of North East Tennessee and for the most part I know what I am doing, my wife on the other hand is from the suburbs of Atlanta and let's say dirt roads are an obstacle for her. so I wanted something that we could both enjoy and appreciate. The driver aid of MTS is a huge help when my wife is driving out on the hunting trails and she is starting to get the hang of throttle control and what the vehicle can do.

However it is a Driver Aid and that's all it does is aid the driver so you can focus on the route ahead and not so much on your foot....

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[Throwback]

That's funny. I could not care less about CC and MTS.

The important parts to me are the manual TC and Locker (and water resistant seats).

 

[Spanky052]

Don't forget that the deep snow performance of the Limited will be increased by locking the center diff. Not sure if you did or not, but it's something many people seem to forget.

Yes, I went L4L with the center diff locked when we were plowing through the deepest parts. The LE specific benefit was driving with the unlocked center diff when the snow wasn't deeper than my clearance. It handled much better unlocked than in H4L on the narrow, twisty track.

In all cases, shifting the transmission manually was all the speed control I needed.

Down side to the LE is all the plastic that should come off for any serious off-road driving. I'm waiting until I end up somewhere like that before I commit to replacing bumpers and pulling the rocker trim pieces off...

Doesn't sound like that will be much of an issue for OP's stated driving patterns...



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[scanny]

I doesn't have to be serious off-road, just small ditch on trail and you're appreciate approach angle and hitch : )

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/55529-new-vids-40.html#post2655152

 

[JDM4LO]

H4F = High range (1:1 gearing) awd open center differential.

H4L = High range locked center differential

L4L = Low range (2.67:1 gear reduction) locked center differential.

The SR5/Trail edition have the same transfer case. The only difference is that the Trail has a lever, SR5 has a rotory knob.

The options for the SR5/Trail

2H = 1:1 gear ratio - rear wheel drive only - front is disconnected

4H = 1:1 gear ratio - 4x4 center differential locked

4L = 2.67:1 gear reduction - center differential locked.


So the difference is that the Limited cannot be put in rear wheel drive. The SR5/Trail cannot be put in AWD mode with an open center differential. Otherwise they are the same. No model can run 2wd in low range, nor can any model run front wheel drive only. The primary difference is that the limited is awd during normal driving and the other models will be rear wheel drive.

I think it's one thing that we all wish we had is the old transfer case that used to allow everything including rear wheel drive, awd, and 4hi/4lo. That was once an option on previous generations. For me personally I prefer having the 2wd option. I think for most users having awd would be the first choice. It's really dependent on what you're wanting.

If you do go to a Limited - read up on XREAS suspension. All Limited come with it. It can be replaced. It's a pretty good system for ride quality at stock height.

I'd love to get your opinion on how hard you think it would be to swap the rotary knob on the SR5 to the manual transfer case and shift lever found in the Trail? Would it be a direct bolt on if I sourced the manual transfer case and lever?


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[CbatEngineer1371]

That's funny. I could not care less about CC and MTS.

The important parts to me are the manual TC and Locker (and water resistant seats).

The manual tc was a huge deal for me aswell not that it is any different than the rotary nob on sr5, something about the nob makes me feel disconnected, like is it really in 4wd? or is my truck F'ing with me? I shift that lever I know something is going to happen good or bad, lol. But for reals unless your going super heavy on the mods, (arb lockers, 33s with regear crazy long travel BJ baldwin suspension) I thing the trail gives a really good bang for your buck. and you don't have to get kdss with the trail which is 1500 cheaper which is that much closer to the sr5[emoji1] [emoji6] [emoji1]

edit: just realized you aren't the OP! My bad! Rotflmao

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[Jetboy]

I'd love to get your opinion on how hard you think it would be to swap the rotary knob on the SR5 to the manual transfer case and shift lever found in the Trail? Would it be a direct bolt on if I sourced the manual transfer case and lever?


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Personally - I wouldn't do it. I think it's a lot of work for a pretty limited benefit. Toyota builds very good quality electronics. The servos on the transfer case rarely fail. I oversimplified saying they were the same. They're very similar - but have different shift mechanism. To do a swap you'd have to buy a transfer case from either a Trail or a 10-'13 SR5 model and the shift linkage and the interior trim parts. The internal shifting is the same, but on the servo activated version it's all done through a double rear shaft that moves both shift mechanisms with a single servo control box. The lever version uses the top plate for one shift fork and the rear for the second. Internally they work the same way and use the same parts. The electronic version has the top plate enclosed and is lacking a few internal parts to make it as easy as the older versions.

If I were considering any swap - I'd personally buy a "lefty" gear driven transfer case and add some lower gearing. It's going to be a lot of work and you might as well swap to a stronger case while you're at it.

Unless you have a donor vehicle for free - I wouldn't do it. Even then - I wouldn't do it. It's just not worth the effort to me.

 

[Ambros]

You all have provided some really great info that is really hard to winkle out of
the toyota or dealer websites.

I have a lot of looking to do, am in no hurry so what I end up with will be a result of the confluence of timing; when I see what I can live with for the right price and my patience has run out waiting for for exactly what I want For price only I doubt it will be a Limited.

That said I have come to realize that should I end up with a Trail I won't exactly know what capabilities to use when. Doesn't mean I don't want them anyway I am capable of some self-education, but also like to be taught as I am not looking to become even a part time gear head or off roader.
Do experienced guys ever do training/lessons/classes? For example I found a recently graduated biology student native to the UP who hires himself out for "eco-tours". Which sounds sort of grandiose but in this case it was far simpler. I hired him to ride and hike around with me for the day while answering questions about what kind of trees we are seeing, plants, fish, birds etc. In his case he had a biology degree for qualifications and I'm not sure there is any equivalent for off roading but it wouldn't be really necessary. Just someone with experience to go out for an afternoon, get in a few low threat situations and talk about the ins and outs of what not to do, how to use the capabilities of the vehicle etc.

 

[Bilbo]

You all have provided some really great info that is really hard to winkle out of the toyota or dealer websites.
...

Extra points for using the phrase "winkle out"!

 

[scanny]

You all have provided some really great info that is really hard to winkle out of
the toyota or dealer websites.

I have a lot of looking to do, am in no hurry so what I end up with will be a result of the confluence of timing; when I see what I can live with for the right price and my patience has run out waiting for for exactly what I want For price only I doubt it will be a Limited.

That said I have come to realize that should I end up with a Trail I won't exactly know what capabilities to use when. Doesn't mean I don't want them anyway I am capable of some self-education, but also like to be taught as I am not looking to become even a part time gear head or off roader.
Do experienced guys ever do training/lessons/classes? For example I found a recently graduated biology student native to the UP who hires himself out for "eco-tours". Which sounds sort of grandiose but in this case it was far simpler. I hired him to ride and hike around with me for the day while answering questions about what kind of trees we are seeing, plants, fish, birds etc. In his case he had a biology degree for qualifications and I'm not sure there is any equivalent for off roading but it wouldn't be really necessary. Just someone with experience to go out for an afternoon, get in a few low threat situations and talk about the ins and outs of what not to do, how to use the capabilities of the vehicle etc.

If you intend to go off the beaten track I'm pretty sure that sooner or later you will push your limits. Join an off-road club in your area, I think most of the clubs have runs for newbies and I'm sure that folks there will be happy to educate you about off-road driving.

 

[HRS4ME30]

You all have provided some really great info that is really hard to winkle out of
the toyota or dealer websites.

I have a lot of looking to do, am in no hurry so what I end up with will be a result of the confluence of timing; when I see what I can live with for the right price and my patience has run out waiting for for exactly what I want For price only I doubt it will be a Limited.

That said I have come to realize that should I end up with a Trail I won't exactly know what capabilities to use when. Doesn't mean I don't want them anyway I am capable of some self-education, but also like to be taught as I am not looking to become even a part time gear head or off roader.
Do experienced guys ever do training/lessons/classes? For example I found a recently graduated biology student native to the UP who hires himself out for "eco-tours". Which sounds sort of grandiose but in this case it was far simpler. I hired him to ride and hike around with me for the day while answering questions about what kind of trees we are seeing, plants, fish, birds etc. In his case he had a biology degree for qualifications and I'm not sure there is any equivalent for off roading but it wouldn't be really necessary. Just someone with experience to go out for an afternoon, get in a few low threat situations and talk about the ins and outs of what not to do, how to use the capabilities of the vehicle etc.

I'm in WI, purchased a 14' SR5 Prem. I've yet to put my truck in 4L. I do run a set of Duratracs, obviously I use 4H often when needed. I'm on the road regularly for work covering WI/MI, inspecting sawmills, rough country.... I have yet to discover any regrets for not getting more "computer equipment" on my T4R. Honestly the SR5 will get you anywhere you need to go in the upper Midwest and the premium package will give you some creature comforts.

GOOD LUCK!


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