4wd in the rain?

nothing, i figured is people will speak nonsense, so will i

 

If your tires slip enough on wet pavement that you can safely engage 4WD, it's time for new tires and time to throw some weight in the bed to aid traction.

There are plenty of RWD vehicles that handle great in rain (BMW makes plenty). So does my truck. No need to risk trashing your transfer case.

 

just my opinion.
new England, Upper NY, upper PA should not have problem using 4wd on rain in months Dec-first week of March. We get enough black ice spots to justify it. And truck will run fine. I would say anytime temp is around 32 F and there is moisture on the road you can use it.
just keep in mind to replace transfer case, diff oils atleast every 15K miles preferably with synthetics (not applicable if you have LSD in the rear)
EDIT: making sure tire pressure is correct is essential ...

 

I'm on my 3rd 4 wheel drive Tacoma and have never done this. I use the 4 wheel drive often from about late November to mid March or so, but use it sparingly if at all during the other months without any problems.

So for me, this would apply to 2 different trucks over a 21 year period.
87' - (87'-2000')
2000 - (2000 - late 2008 buy back)

Not suggesting you do as i do, just adding perspective.

 

Folks... Obviously some of you are new to 4WD or have rarely used yours, even though you paid a lot more for it... 4WD is BETTER in the rain than 2WD! Specially in a pickup with little weight over the rear drive axle. Binding is avoided if the tires can slip... and they do slip while moving in 4WD on wet pavement.

Because the front and rear are locked together, the front tires stay in control, and don't spin out 'on their own'.

The newer Tacomas have VSC, and that uses the brakes and sensors to control wheel spin and keeps the truck going where the driver wants it to... a big help for 2WD and even 4WD on wet or icy roads. But, if you have 4WD available to you... then use the thing! A wrecked truck is more a problem then worrying about 'binding' the transfer case gears. 4WD is good on WET, SLIPPERY pavement... not dry or wet spots, okay? The handling and control you will experience will be an awakening experience for you!

Four Wheel Drive Ain't No Jive!

 

Maybe if we were all from sunny CA we would think a rainy highway was worth using 4wd? Do it if you want, my truck can make it from one side of a puddle to another without 4wd.

 

i think what is worthed is to point out what needs lubrication. The matter of fact is that pretty much everything rotates in transfer case and front diff even in 2wd. Although it does turn slower then the rest of the drivetrain it still does. My main concern is always about the actuators and locking rings that sit above the oil level. So it is probably more of the deal of turnign off and on 4wd multiple times then just driving long distance.

4wd can run on dry pavement but tire pressure must meet factory specs so tire radius is the same front rear and driving straight does not bind too much of the drivetrain.

 

I'm not new to 4WD.....and I use my 4WD in the rain on the highway a lot. Usually in downpours. Why?

The primary reason, is to satisfy putting it in 4WD on a regular basis to keep things functional (as owners manual requests). Another reason, is to be a little safer - as 4 wheels driving/controlling is better than 2. We all know how squirrelly these tacomas can get in the rain regardless of tires. Believe it or not, it feels more 'sturdy' while in 4WD.

Aside from being careful & slowing down for the conditions at hand - which I already do anyway...putting it in 4WD is just added safety....there's nothing wrong with putting it in 4WD on the highway in downpours. As long as you are familiar with the system and don't abuse it.

 

Okay farmboy, I don't need 4WD either in the rain... but it can be used, without harming the system,... and that was the question. Also, we have hills, moutains, and all kinds of terrain and climate here that makes 4WD more useful... You can't find a mountain in Kansas... Now, out-running a tornado may be good use for your four wheel drive!

See you in Oz!

 

Fiesty! Oh, can I call you surferboy or something fun too? Like I said, use 4wd in the rain if you wish, but in my opinion any advantage it would give is not worth the possible wear on the truck and used gas. Hydroplaning is the culprit in rain, not breaking loose because you think you need to gun it. Drive smarter and slower and that's all there is to it.

Maybe I can join you in CA to outrun some earthquakes in 4wd?!?!?

 

I agree with Janster on one point. It is good to engage 4wd frequently to keep the parts moving and healthy.

I don't agree with the fact 4wd gives better control. It gives worse control for the reason that there is no center diff so the truck wants to go straight, not turn.

If you are concerned about hydroplaning, the only 2 things that will help is slowing down and better tires. The front wheels "pulling" don't help controlling the vehicle if they are hydroplaning. They are hydroplaning, therefor, they are not touching the pavement to assist in "pulling" or control.

Where I live (canada), we get lots of snow, ice, slush and rain. The only thing I do in rain is slow down.

If you want to use 4wd in rain, that is fine, it probably won't hurt your truck, and you probably will get there just as fast... I am just saying, I really don't think it gives you any advantage.

 

Assuming it's not cold out, 4WD isn't going to do much for you in the rain. What you're doing is dividing the torque by four rather than two, which would reduce the chance of wheelspin (such as in snow or on ice), but that's not really the issue in the rain. Me, in rain, I want the steering wheels spinning freely; I don't want any drivetrain drag at all when I hit a puddle. That's the way to get maximum steering control.

 

No problemo dude!

You can't see an earthquake coming, so you can't outrun one! LOL!

Have a great day!

 

I put it in 4WD on straight stretches of rainy road as well. Since the eco nuts have nearly any trail within 100 miles of my house shut down for the triple spotted coastal skink (or whatever the flavor of the month is), it's the only way to make sure the system gets used on a regular basis. If you're worried about hydroplaning, I think it's a bad idea, as any turn in the road will cause at least one tire to slip, potentially making things worse!

 

The bottom line is the OP said he's running wore out tires. 4wd will not help hydroplaning , good tires will.

 

It works well.... in comparison to 2wd... or just works well? Try not using 4wd in rain, I bet you'll find that it works just as well.

 

Agreed.

I don't understand this need to use 4WD in the rain on pavement at all. If you have problems with the back end breaking loose just because the pavement is wet, I recommend driving a little less aggressive and use a softer foot on the accelerator.

 

You must be crazy, how can anyone say it would make it worse? Has anyone ever driven an Audi quattro in the rain or snow, then talk. I remember I used to have a 99 GMC Sierra with automatic 4wd, it would kick in anytime the rear tires would loose traction and I could not get it to loose traction in the wet. And that is here in Vegas where it never rains so the streets get even more slick due to all the built up oil that surfaces when it does rain.

 

sound like a mallcrawler pulled up to a stoplight and hit an oil patch upon takeoff. got skeeeeered and shifted to 4h.. no offense to any1