Stuck in snow, transfer case questions

[Kinnick]

Well after owning my stock 97 4runner for 8 years I finally got stuck in the snow. I was always amazed at how well it did in the snow and she has gotten me through some pretty deep stuff. Yesterday I went for a drive and ended up at my grandparent's farm. I decided to drive into a pasture that I was familiar with. The snow appeared to be about 6 to 8 inches deep. I entered no problem in 4HI then about 40 yards in I realized it was getting deeper. I made the mistake of letting off the gas a bit and when I did I lost momentum and sunk down into the snow. I tried getting on the gas but it was too late. I buried down in about 10 inches of crusted snow with ice underneath and I was hi centered. Thankfully I always carry a shovel and was able to dig myself out (sorry, no pics).

What caught my attention was that while trying to get out my rear drivers tire would spin but the front drivers tire would not move in 4HI. I couldn't tell what the passenger side tires were doing. I was under the impression that they should both spin in 4HI and that there are no nannies to cut power to them? I honestly have never had the need to use 4Low before and now I wonder if that would have made a difference? I thought I read something on here in the 4th gen section about some who never use 4Low and then use it for the first time and it can cause a serious problem with it not being used (something with an actuator?). Anyway, I would appreciate some clarification on why the front wheel wouldn't spin in 4HI. Thanks.

 

[Arn24]

I would have to assume that your passenger front tire was spinning if the driver's was not. Unless you installed an aftermarket front diff lock, it is still open, meaning if one tire spins the other will not, unless traction is equal. It would be possible that your passenger rear tire was not spinning as well.

As far as the actuator goes, it is used in both 4 hi and 4 low. The only thing that changes is the power gets routed through a different set of gears in the transfer case.

Hope this helps.

Aaron

 

[Coastal616]

Next time you are hopelessly stuck, put it in 4 low, Drive, or 1st if its a manual tranny....get out and have a look at the 2 of 4 tires spinning.

 

[jsukey]

Do you have the center differential lock on that model? I had a similar experience last year. I was coming down a steep embankment that dipped, then came up to the road. Both of my front tires were flat on the ground/pavement, but my towing package got hung up, so my driver side rear tire, was off the ground. Even in 4 Low, the only tire that would spin was the tire off the ground. I was perplexed because I had never been in that type of situation before. I did a full walkaround while having a friend step on the gas to try and figure out what was broken. It finally hit me though. I hit the center diff lock button on the left side of my steering wheel while in neutral, and it pulled itself right off the embankment. Whoopsie!

 

[cfranck1]

Just like in the flow of water/electricty.

It travels the path of least resistance.

Almost all 4wd only have two drive wheels when in 4wd unless you have a locker to lock the axles in.
It's the Right Rear tire and the Left Front tire that get power when in 4wd, until there is slippage and the power finds another tire with even less resistance.

ABS based traction control tries to limit this by applying brake pressure to the one tire that is spinning out of control and in turn, power gets sent to the other side tire on the same axle

When people do burn outs in their RWD vehicles without a limited slip or locker, always the Right Rear tire "your drive tire" breaks free (one tire fire,one legger)

 

[KidVermicious]

The differential is actually doing what it is designed to do, i.e. let one tire spin faster than the other. This is a hugely awesome thing when one is turning on pavement, the power is routed to the outside tire (the one spinning faster) and it helps you turn without all the wheel hop and skip that would have to happen if the wheels were locked together. When you lost traction, the differential "thought" you were turning and sent all the power to the wheel that was spinning faster, i.e. the one that didn't have traction.

Next time you're spinning wheels, give it a little brake. It seems counterintuitive, but a little brake action can simulate traction with both wheels and trick your differential into routing power to the one that has bite.

 

[jsukey]

Yes, but I had it in 4 wheel low. Both of my front wheels were flat on the road, and neither were pulling. The only wheel that had power was the one off the ground. I was just asking if he had the differential lock because that is what it took to get mine moving.

 

[02SE]

Yes, but I had it in 4 wheel low. Both of my front wheels were flat on the road, and neither were pulling. The only wheel that had power was the one off the ground. I was just asking if he had the differential lock because that is what it took to get mine moving.

The OP's '97 has a part-time transfer case. Unlike your '02, it has no differential in the transfer case.

When you shift a '97 into 4wd, the front and rear driveshafts turn at the same speed. It is essentially same as when you lock your transfer case differential.

 

[jsukey]

Gotcha! I wasn't sure about the earlier years. I was only comparing my experience to his. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Kurtis]

The differential is actually doing what it is designed to do, i.e. let one tire spin faster than the other. This is a hugely awesome thing when one is turning on pavement, the power is routed to the outside tire (the one spinning faster) and it helps you turn without all the wheel hop and skip that would have to happen if the wheels were locked together. When you lost traction, the differential "thought" you were turning and sent all the power to the wheel that was spinning faster, i.e. the one that didn't have traction.

Next time you're spinning wheels, give it a little brake. It seems counterintuitive, but a little brake action can simulate traction with both wheels and trick your differential into routing power to the one that has bite.

x2 on using the brakes for more traction. Yes, it works. It's a wheeling with out a locker trick.