Tales of "shifting from 4H to 4L" or beware of snowwakes!

[sunruner19]

I have had my 05 4wd for about a year n half and never had to put it in 4L until yesterday, trying to get out of my driveway. The previous day, we were blessed with 33" of light, fluffy and sometimes granular snow which caused considerable loss of traction. At the entrance to the driveway, the town plows graciously plowed a snowwake (new word i just made up) over 5' high. I was able to rock the truck back in forth in 4H until i had a good 20' run, figuring i would plow and knock down that nice snowwake, grrrrrrrrr! I was also gambling that no cars would be coming up or down the street and pull a nice slingshot (ya right! ) into the roadway, but that was not to be.
Well there i was, stuck with all my tires just flappin in the breeze, going nowhere, the rear bumper leaving a nice impression in that dang 5' snowwake! Mind ya, I noticed half the neighbors that occupy houses right next to me gawking out their windows, watching me. With the Tacoma's rep at stake here, i wasnt about to give up! So i figure, its about time i tried that 4L thingee and see if that would save both me and my truck from the gawkers. Opened up the glove box, got out the good book (toyota owners manual), chapter 4, verse 3, downed half a bottle of southern comfort (for medicinal purposes, mind ya) and proceeded to try it out. Truck was in neutral, clutch down (damn if i know why I did that) and turned that knob to 4L. what followed was this: Discovered i had a new light on the dash saying 4LOW which flashed ominously and also discovered a new sound emitting from said dash too!! That was kinda telling me 4L wasnt engaging so i went back to 4H which shut that sound off. Tried it a few more times and samething happened again...Then I figured maybe i should drive ahead in 4H, stop, and shift to 4L, and this time it engaged!
Gripping that steering wheel, throwin the truck into reverse, and praying no cars were comin from either direction, I went full steam ahead or backwards i should say, and rammed that damn snowwake with everything i had.
It didnt budge..................
However I did get to see what my truck would look like with a 5" lift on it as i had all 4 wheels off the ground at that point After a half hour or so, my friends showed up (in a chevy) proceeded to attached a chain to the rear (after considerable digging to gain access to it) and tried to pull me out of my predicament. The chevy's wheels spun and couldnt pull until I fired my truck up and in reverse 4L, gave the chevy some help. Within seconds i was free again! Once i composed my composure (another swig at that southern comfort) i tried to get out of 4L with the same problem trying to get into it. Had to drive forward a few feet in 4L, stop, and turn the knob back to 4H which it did go into.
Ya know, I wish toyota kept that 4H 4L shifter and the locking hubs, cause my gf (the blonde) was kinda pissed that I had a few swigs of that southern comfort!

[TheMaster]

Dude, you are destroying the Taco's reputation. To make matters worse, you bring a Chevy to rescue Taco.

[Ldytaco05]

What an adventure i would not like to wake up in that situation but i am glad you made it through. i guess there are pros and cons in living up north. reading that manual really helps, i would not even know if 4l would engage itself with that light indicator. it's good to know. thanks

[sunruner19]

Originally Posted by Themaster

Dude, you are destroying the Taco's reputation. To make matters worse, you bring a Chevy to rescue Taco.

There was a main point to the story here. First, I should have become familar long before i needed to use it, the operation of the 4H to 4L and back. How many other taco owners actually use 4L at any time, not off road but in snow conditions like this? This was a very loose type of snow that fell at the rate of 2-4" per hour and even the chevy, a 3500HD Diesel, had problems manuvering around.
The other problem was that I did something stupid which i should have foreseen, like trying to get over or knock down a 5' drift I chaulk it up to another learning experience in life, thats all

[Ldytaco05]

let's just use this experience as a learning curve now we are aware of what to utilize when caught up in those situations especially winter season. this info is a big help for all 4x4 owners

[TheMaster]

Originally Posted by sunruner19

....I should have become familar long before i needed to use it, the operation of the 4H to 4L and back. How many other taco owners actually use 4L at any time, not off road but in snow conditions like this?

Dont forget to exercise your 4X4 once every month. I remember reading it somewhere in the OM.

[topdec]

I was thinking of this story while helping a friend move to a new house yesterday.

I had to backup onto his driveway from the street. There was at least a foot of snow/ice that had accumulated where his driveway met the road.

With a leather sofa on the bed, I slowly backed into it, with 4x2 on the first try, just to see what would happen. As expected, once my rear tires got on the ice, the truck wouldn't move anymore. I then started over, with 4x4 this time. The difference was like night and day. It seemed like the puddle wasn't even there! And I was only on 4H.

[Ldytaco05]

I guess it depends on how deep you are stuck in the snow

[ANDYTACOMA]

Originally Posted by sunruner19

There was a main point to the story here. First, I should have become familar long before i needed to use it, the operation of the 4H to 4L and back. How many other taco owners actually use 4L at any time, not off road but in snow conditions like this? This was a very loose type of snow that fell at the rate of 2-4" per hour and even the chevy, a 3500HD Diesel, had problems manuvering around.
The other problem was that I did something stupid which i should have foreseen, like trying to get over or knock down a 5' drift I chaulk it up to another learning experience in life, thats all

i have the answer!

STOP DRINKING SOUTHERN COMFORT WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING!!

[xtreme450]

Originally Posted by TheMaster

Dude, you are destroying the Taco's reputation. To make matters worse, you bring a Chevy to rescue Taco.

at least it wasnt a Ford......

[45longcolt]

Originally Posted by TheMaster

Dont forget to exercise your 4X4 once every month. I remember reading it somewhere in the OM.

Book actually says 10 miles a month with 4WD engaged. Let's see I have had it 5 months, 6 trips to the lease in that time, so I am only 44 miles in 4WD behind.

[RedruM29]

i've used 4l in truckee twice this year, i just need some better snow tires and i will be fine.