Should the differential lock be exercised?

[rwh963]

i have a 2007 v6 4wd, and have heard that you should exercise the 4-hi and 4-lo
every now and then. i have never pressed the differential lock button (owned since new). does it matter?

 

[y=mx+b]

i have a 2007 v6 4wd, and have heard that you should exercise the 4-hi and 4-lo
every now and then. i have never pressed the differential lock button (owned since new). does it matter?

Yes, exercise anything you'd like to work consistently. I haven't heard of it giving trouble as much as 4lo, but it takes 5 minutes to engage and disengage it a couple times every month. You can even engage the CDL on pavement, as long as you stay more or less straight. I t ypically engage 4hi while driving on a straight road and engage and disengage CDL a few times, then take CDL off. Then pull off into a parking lot to stop, put in neutral, put in 4lo, drive a bit, CDL, drive a bit, unlock CDL, back to 4hi. Repeat parking lot procedure 2-3 times for some exercise. Drive home in 4hi with CDL unlocked and take out of 4wd whenever I feel like it.

 

[4RunnerAquasport]

I found a stretch of road that is not traveled very much with a good shoulder on both sides to exercise my systems. Makes this process a little easier because sometimes a parking lot just isn't big enough.