This is why you don't drive around town in 4wd

Looks like a GM front diff.

 

How long was that truck running around in 4WD ?

 

4LO works great for decending too , actually when I use it the most .

 

I agree. But I was trying not to over complicate things.

 

3 days. I don't know about mileage

 

All on dry pavement ?

 

For the most part. We got an inch or 2 of snow friday night. But even this craptacular f150 rental did fine in 2wd.

 

Thats a lot of turning

Less than awesone

On snow there's lots of times trucks here are in 4WD fot a week

 

there is binding which causes no problems...then there is abuse

I can drive circles for hours in my tacoma tires squealing 4x4 on pavement it won't break it, if I go easy

no damage...not right away. it will if I stomp on it and/or continue like that for
days maybe it's gonna blow (or leak)

tcase is plenty strong to overcome tire friction at walking speeds but I also don't
leave it in 4wd I go to 2wd as soon as conditions require it

 

My key take away from this is keep the truck out of 4wd, except on slick surfaces like ice, enough snow to make the pavement slick, and sufficient mud or sand, to make forward progress an adventure. When I "exercise" the 4wd, I do it on a wet pasture with soft dirt, and I drive slowly in 4 high and then 4 low. I've never felt the truck "hop" or heard it "chirp". I never use the other truck in 4wd unless it's pretty obvious I'm about to be stuck. Does all this sound about right?

 

The hop associated with the binding will only happen when turning and even then it tends to be limited to tight turning / steering clocked

 

Sigh.

4th gen... (note the 1st gen between them)

 

Good to know. I've been around 4wd vehicles and 4wd tractors all my life. Never seen anyone use 4wd on pavement, unless they forgot to disengage it after getting back out on the pavement. I'm just real particular about my Tacoma is all.

 

Covered under Warranty? What is approximate cost of parts and labor to repair this type of damage? Just want to know in case I decide to drive around the neighborhood in 4LO for awhile...

 

that's not my call. Parts alone to fix it are $2400. Its cheaper to replace the whole unit for $1500. About 3 hours labor since steering gear also has to be removed.

 

Newbie q's here, so trying to understand why this happens, why this doesnt happen to Subaru vehicles which are all AWD.

 

And that's why I specified 4wd not AWD. AWD uses a center diff winch allows for variations in front and rear speed and does not create driveline bind

 

Last year, I drove to the airport one night. I needed 4wd in town but when I got to the pike, it was clean. I forgot I was in 4wd and drove 20 miles at about 50 mph on the highway. I almost died when I noticed. I am still going fine today and have 92K on it. I don't recommend doing what I did.

 

Hydro-viscous clutch right?

 

That's my understanding. I've never worked on a Subaru