Shifting from 2H to 4H?

I picked up my 2016 in June and am just getting around to driving in the snow.

There's lots of mixed driving here in Colorado. You'll be driving down a road that's got a few inches of snow/slush/ice, turn the corner, and be driving on a road that's bone dry. It'll snow 1ft here and then it'll all be gone 3-4 days later.

Anyway, I find myself switching between 2WD and 4WD (Hi) a lot. Have a few questions about switching back and forth.

Can you switch from 2H to 4H while not moving? For example, I'll pull into a parking spot in 2H that's got 6 inches of snow/slush. When it's time to leave, it's hard to get out sometimes in 2H, so I'll try to switch to 4H while not moving. Today I switched to 4H while not moving and I cranked the wheel all the way to the left to get out of the spot while it was still transitioning from 2H to 4H (i.e., the 4WD indicator was still flashing on the dash. Kind of "popped" into 4H while I was turning out of the spot with the wheel cranked. Any concerns with this technique?

Anyway, this is my first part-time 4WD vehicle so am I doing any damage by doing this? Would it be better to just leave it in 4WD while parking on snowy/slushy roads?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

You can switch between 2H and 4H pretty easily and any time you want. I used to live in CO myself and even in ice conditions here in VA I just leave 4H on while driving. You won't run into any issues driving in 4H even if road conditions change to dry. You can however experience binding if making tight turns like pulling into your driveway, parking, U-turns, etc while in 4H. You will know when it happens.. Just switch to 2H when making tight turns on dry pavement.

 

Sometimes it takes a bit for it to click into 4H, perfectly normal

 

Transitioning to or from 4h with the wheel cranked will be difficult because you're turning front and rear at different speeds. 4h will be aggressive and going to 2h while binding is unlikely to disengage.

 

If there is 6 inches of snow just pop it into 4h as you roll into the spot and leave it in 4h? Will still be in 4h when you turn the truck on and if conditions have changed for the better turn back to 2h.

Or other option is roll in with 2h, when you start truck, turn to 4h, roll forward a few inches or backwards a few inches straight to get it into 4h. Then pull out as normal. Just what you have to do with an electronic 4wd switch.

 

Noob question, somewhat related: have noticed when I am in 4H and am at full crank with the wheel tight turning, feels like I am grinding to a stop...that because all 4 wheels are engaged, whereas in 2wd it's only rear propelled? First time truck/4x4 owner...

 

I noticed sometimes switching out of 4H if under power like accelerating moderately or going uphill there is a clunk when disengaging. To prevent this I try to engage or disengage under with as little load on the drivetrain as possible.


J

 

Front and rear are locked together to turn at same speed but if you're turning the wheel, front want to turn faster than rear. Causes binding.

 

Thanks! That's what I figured. Binding going to cause damage?

 

Just make sure you don't use 4WD unless you are on a surface that allows the wheels to slip (dirt, gravel, snow, ice, etc.). You don't want to use 4WD on dry pavement as it can damage the transfer case (someone here grenaded a case almost a year ago by using 4WD on dry pavement and making a sharp turn).

 

Never, ever, run 4WD on dry pavement at low speeds, unless you are going in a straight line. There is no "slip" built in to compensate for the wheels turning at different speeds. Google 4WD versus AWD.

 

This is why I don't buy used cars

 

both 2nd and 3rd gens seem to click in to 4HI quicker if you are moving. I usually try to unload the engine when switching, ie. no acceleration and no deceleration when switching. click over wait a second and then apply some power and it clicks in right away.

 

Lol, gotta learn somewhere right? Plus, I give it back and exchange it in a coupme years anyways.

 

Is it safe if you constantly toggle between 4H to 2H vice versa?

Example: I live in a community where there is a lot of snow and very low traction due to ice. I use 4H,
But as soon as I leave the community, it's a highway, and then I switch to 2H. I do this twice a day, every day.

I can't read anywhere in the manual if this practice is okay. What do you guys think?

 

Its fine. 4H is designed to be used 'on the fly'. Just make sure you never engage it when the tires are slipping (ie - you start to slip and decide to suddenly hit the 4hi button, good way to break things). A good rule of thumb is to just remember to take your foot off the gas when engaging/disengaging 4hi.

And keep in mind the speed limit for engaging 4hi...I don't know what it is for 3rd gens. 55 or 60 mph maybe. Once its engaged you can go as fast as your heart desires, or conditions allow.

 

Right around 60mph. That's a lot of mass and speed for the syncro to spin up, so slower is better if you can.

 

Switching it all the time is actually a good idea. Toyota still uses a brushed motor for the ADD and Transfer case actuators and the commutator will be kept free of corrosion by having the motor spin. Also the small gears that actuate the shift forks will have the gear lube redistributed. I would say a well used system would easily outlast one that is seldom used.

 

Totally fine. I often do the same. My community doesn't usually plow residential streets so it's often deep or rutted snow. Then I hit the highway and it's bare and dry.

While it is fine to do, and it's good to excercise the 4x4 every now and then, don't feel you need to be in 4x4 just because there is snow. When you need 4x4 you'll know. Same goes for 4Lo. It becomes quickly apparent when you need, or will need, 4Lo.

 

4lo can save your transmission from overheating on long ascents, and you’ll have baked your tranny before you get any warning. Some times it’s good to anticipate as well.