4wd prob

I have problems whenever I'm in 4 hi and get in a bind it makes a noise that sounds like a gear grinding or something also it only happens when I'm in reverse.

 

What are you descibing when you say "get in a bind"? Are you on asphalt or concrete road surfaces?

 

You shouldn't run 4x4 on concrete especially round bends.

 

no im not running it on pavement. for example last night i was playing around in sand and got my ass end buried down i locked it in 4 hi and put it in reverse and gave it some gas and all it did was struggle to go and then it makes a gear grinding noise

 

Did it fully engage before you gave it much gas?

 

yes it fully engaged it only does this in reverse i can go forward with no problem or if i put it in 4 lo i can back up. it has me stumped

 

is it "whining" or grinding?

 

You can run it in a straight line at lower speeds, but I agree that turning on dry pavement in 4wd is a big no-no.

Monthly, I engage my 4wd, even for 200-300 feet just to get the gears wet with gear oil.

 

me to now it sounds like a t case issue though if you can reverse in everything but 4hi.

 

yea i thought i messed up whenever i first herd it but i put it in 4 lo and it struggled but it eventually came out of my rut

 

yeah they say to engage your 4 wheel drive once a month to keep everything lubed up and in good shape. but as far as the rattle goes im not sure. sometimes in my 01 if im on a hill taking off and i let the rpms get really low (5 spd manual) it will make a rattle sound.. but its just the motor bogging. but yours is a auto so im not sure. maybe its low on fluid or something.

 

Its amazing how far 4wd/awd has come. Our Tacoma's really have the simplest T-case design. My truck is practically unusable in 4wd on dry surfaces yet these computer controlled awd/full time 4wd vehicles have no problem, don't bind up, still get decent mileage, etc.

 

Comparing the 4wd systems in our trucks to AWD systems in, say a Highlander, kinda seems like comparing apples to oranges. The two types of systems are so different, I don't see how they can be compared.

AWD systems utilize fluid coupling (similar to the way an automatic transmission works), a Tacoma's 4wd system is a direct drive system after the tranny where there is no slippage except between the tire and the ground.

When 4wd is engaged in Tacoma's, high traction situations like pavement are very hard on the system and a good way to break something.