Advice please on 4x4 vs RWD first time buyer

When I heard about this 10 mile a month recommended 4x4 engagement I researched briefly online and thought I read you should never use 4x4 in a straight line on pavement? If it is OK to use it this way then it wont be a problem at all for me to make sure I get the 10 miles a month in.

 

mine does great in the rain, in 2wd of course, but oddly the lower control arms howl when it rains, but rarely when dry....odd

 

I've had no problem from doing it. I used to have a 4x4 F250, the card on the visor said "Do not corner on dry hard surface roads in 4wd." It had the same basic 4wd setup as the Tacoma. I rebuilt the transfer case so I know what's in there. Going in a straight line on pavement doesn't hurt anything because the front and rear axels are going the same speed. When the truck turns the axels aren't going the same speed so it binds up if you turn and the wheels can't slip. 4wds meant for use on hard surface roads have a center differential which 4wd trucks don't have.

 

I used to own a 4x2 Prerunner several years ago, got the off-roading bug and went out a lot with 4x4 guys. Got sick and tired of always needed help getting unstuck and/or having to sit out certain trails.

Got my 4x4 Tacoma this year and absolutely love it, night and day difference. For some people, the recreational aspect of 4wd doesn't appeal to them but I love it. Plus, if you're into camping, fishing, hunting, etc. you could very easily run into circumstances where the difference between having an awesome trip and having a terrible time could all come down to whether or not you have 4wd.

 

Good info thanks

 

Keep in mind the rear lockers only work at 5-mph. I find it totally useless as I go faster than that thru mud to let momentum carry me thru. Lockers maybe better suited for rock crawling in some instances.

Yes they are.

I wouldn't recommend that on dry pavement.

Our trucks are par-time 4WD systems, meant to be driven off-road or slippery surfaces only, no dry pavement.
The front wheels turn faster than the rear wheels so either pair needs to slip to keep your tires from wearing out prematurely and or putting additional wear and tear on the system. If it’s raining or snow, it maybe slippery enough to engage.
See links below.
Hope that helps.
Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN6-gCxI60g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dh0VQxprJA

 

Is it possible you are driving too aggressively? I had an S-10 that would only do this when giving too much gas in the rain.

 

The front and rear wheels turn at the same speed on a stock truck, they have the same gear ratios in both axels.

I have heard of people putting different gear ratios in the front and rear axels to make the front wheels turn faster but that's not stock.

 

OP, I wouldn't sweat the 10 miles of 4x4 a month. It's just to make sure everything is coated with oil so it doesn't rust. I suspect that's pretty conservative. I don't go out of my way to make that happen. If I'm on a dirt road I will engage 4x4 to take advantage of the opportunity to run the system. Some months I get 100+ miles of 4x4, some months it's 100' and some months it's nothing. You just do what you can.

I do not run it on dry pavement, but I do occasionally run 4x4 in heavy rain (A rare thing in drought stricken California). Not so much with this new truck since it has tires that are exceptional on the road and don't need much help. In addition, the new computer nanny's provide some assistance with traction and stability that further reduce the usefulness for 4x4 on wet roads. There are some downsides to running 4x4 on pavement, even when wet, and you'd have to accept that. All that said, I wouldn't hesitate to use 4x4 on a straight section of wet road at relatively low speeds (not thinking freeway) to get some run-time.

 

Certainly do not let having to use 4WD monthly stop you from getting one. I agree, that 10 mi would be very conservative. If you get a chance, put it in 4WD every once in a while even for 100' If not I doubt it's going to hurt anything. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong

 

Who said anything about a non stock gear ratios??
The info is for a stock setup!!
But since you didn’t get the last memo, I’ll send you another, one last time.
If you don’t get this one, your dumb A$$ is Fooking FIRED!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSfCIjO3FoY

Hope that helps!
Cheers!

 

Thanks!

 

Appreciate your input. That helps ease my concerns.

 

For $1500 its worth it over 10 years.. $12.50 a month for 10 years...

Just for the sake of providing a different prospective 4x2 Tacoma is very capable vehicle. I have a 2016 TRD off road 4x4 with the crawl control, lockers, multi terrain select and only used 4wd 3 times and the locker once on my last trip to off roading in Colorado during June. Only mod I had was APEX slidders and the vehicle was on dirt trails to slippery rock up to 18" dia. The truck handled amazingly in just 2wd with no electronic aid on rock trails at 30 degree pitch and roll for a week. The only time I used the locker were the path was half snowed on and it was tight road with a 300 ft drop off and wanted to make sure I had traction with the side of the truck driving on rock since I knew the other side was going to slip in 1'-6" of snow. Besides the snow and 3 spots with 30+ degree pitch I needed 4wd the 2wd handed everything with out a tire slip.

The number one upgrade for any vehicle car or truck are tires and the number two upgrade are tires. Pick the right tire for the surface you will be driving on and it will give more capabilities than some 4wd vehicles. The 4x2 tacoma should have ALSD which uses brakes to limit slip and if you are really worried about getting stuck in remote areas bring some recovery gear.

I would say half of the trucks in the Tacoma of Houston club are 2wd and can run circles around most full size trucks. We mostly drive through swamp mud and soft sand beaches.

 

I've rebuilt 4x4 running gear, the front and rear wheels turn at the same speed on stock 4x4s including the Tacoma. When you turn the truck the wheels are trying to turn at the same speed but can't as they are following different tracks leading to binding on dry hard surface roads. This is what differentials are for, there is no differential between the front and rear axel.

You're the one who doesn't get it.

 

OP, just realize you don't need 4wd for rain, period. These new trucks are much heavier than your ranger, with better tires it will be fine and drive much better. An occasional snow or bi yearly ice storm shouldn't be enough to justify 4wd unless you are in a job that requires you to be there 24/7, even then if they have plows and you know your area only you know what will work.

With that said if you aren't going to recreationaly use it then why buy it if the weather doesn't regularly require it? It is a $3k option up front. Those that say the resale value makes up for it have no idea what they are talking about. Unless you live in a heavy snow area that is what drives demand, not the value as the truck; the value is the value of the truck is determined by those sites such as KBB. You can figure you get about half the up front costs back at resale time. In the meantime for that added money you spent you can figure the added costs of financing that $3k, plus the 1-2 mpg hit, on top of the added maintenance, more expensive insurance and the possibility of more stuff to break and need replacing. Know how much a transfer case is or a dealer replacement of a CV axle is?

Just know a good portion of the guys in this thread commenting 4wd or nothing are doing it for the ego, period. If they aren't off roading and don't deal with a ton of snow it is so they think they can impress others with how macho they are (that is big these days, look at the amount of off road luxury packaged trucks there are running around, think they have ever even had that knob turned for 4wd living below the mason dixon line?). Only you know if you need it. You know the roads, the weather, how you drive and what you will be doing with it. Financially 4wd is almost always a poor choice unless you really use it. A tow out of a place in town can be free from a buddy or passerby or might cost $150ish from a towing company. You won't spend that in tows over the life of the vehicle compared to adding and the associated costs of 4wd.

Just figure what your budget allows, what you want and what you will be doing. For the added costs just to say you have it is a horrible choice financially and you will not come out ahead like some others think. All a 4wd will do is maybe allow it to be sold quicker, but if you trade it in that is a moot point as the value is what the value is (which is a little higher than 2wd because it cost more to begin with).

Good luck. The people on here can be very opinionated. I saw some guy who was originally looking in to a 2wd sport or SR5 but got talked in to a 4wd OR. He lived down south with no off roading or snow and mostly all because of what people put in his head; even though he said he would most likely rarely if ever need it. Were is the value in that? Make your own choice, let us know which route you go.

Tyler

 

..."I've rebuilt 4x4 running gear"...

Well then go back and re-build a thousand of them, and if you get no comebacks in two years, I’ll re-hire you.
But as of right now, you’re fooking FIRED
Have a nice day!
Cheers!

 

Ok, first thing that needs to be addressed, is that 4WD does NOT improve your SAFETY, except if you are actually STUCK in the middle of the night in a snow bank a hundred miles from nowhere and you'll freeze to death before help arrives. DRIVING safety is NOT affected.

In fact, far too many people who try to apply 4wd for normal driving in inclement weather, end up a bit overconfident, and crash, because it REALLY DOESN'T help you stay safe.

Which isn't to say that it is a bad thing to have, but you really have to go into it with the proper mindset and truly understanding how it is impacting your drive, so that you do NOT push it too far.

If you CAN'T use it, then you DEFINITELY won't crash it, which is the safest thing of all.
But I'll tell you something; if you can't use a 2WD, then you really should NOT use a 4wd, because how the heck will you be able to trust it to STEER?

If you're going to be keeping it for 10-12 years, then resale value is a very low priority. Don't worry about that.

For me, 4WD does precisely this; it allows me to go through a certain DEPTH of snow that cannot be driven through with just 2wd. I avoid using 4wd on the roads, since 2wd helps you to really feel the condition of the roads. If needed, you slow down.

I also do some snow plowing, and it is simply impossible to push a plow in 2wd.

 

4wd, bought a 14 prerunner, then a year later traded up to the 4wd. it nice to have, and is a beast when needed.

 

I'm one of the 2WD guys, but then again my purchase was subject to a somewhat unusual flowchart of decision-making...

$3k was more than 10% of my purchase price- keep in mind my utility package MSRP was 22,600. I paid less than that, AND I walked out of the dealership owning the car debt-free, which is important to me right now. Also, I needed it for mostly hauling shit in the bed. On top of that, I'm considering relocating to somewhere warmer (Florida, Arizona), and the most severe road conditions I've seen here in the past 10 years was still manageable with my old Golf GTI with appropriate tires. So for me, 4x4 landed squarely in the "99% not necessary" case.

I did throw down some of the money I saved on a set of Falken Wildpeaks for a year-round tire I could trust in the snow, and a cheap set of almost-new TRD OR takeoff bilstiens because the very occasional rural gravel road.



I friggin' love my truck, its so cool. And no, I didn't need a tow out of this.