4-lo won't engage (solved)

Today I decided to try to engage 4-lo to make sure it still works since I have barely ever used it since buying my truck. I have been engaging 4-hi a couple times a month to keep everything working but have neglected 4-lo and the locker since I have very few opportunities to use them lately. Even so, I feel that there shouldn't be any problems this soon. I know to keep the clutch depressed and the speed below 2 mph but I tried like 15 times with no success. Is it likely that the ADD actuator is bad already? Or is there something I'm overlooking?

 

perfectly normal

 

Only half kidding. These trucks can be finnicky going into 4 lo. I would try going in reverse just a couple of feet and try again. I would be stopped when you try, but you may need to move the truck a bit back and forth to get engagement. This is why I did an FJ twin stick swap.

 

Haha. I just figured it out. My floor mats were making the clutch not depress all the way. I forgot that since putting them in I have been having to push it harder to start the truck. I didn't realize that I had to do the same for 4-lo.

 

Make sure you're at a complete stop. It will not engage if rolling. As the parts break in, it will go in easier. Mine was a pain in the dick to engage for the first 50,000 miles or so. It lead to me Pliny the clutch in 4 high numerous times. Now, at 95K+ miles, the t case shifts pretty reliably. It often helps to make sure you're pressing the brake pedal firmly, and the clutch needs to be pressed to the floor. Again, completely stopped only.

 

1st is the 4wd light (green light on dash with lil lines connecting all 4 tires) fully illuminated and not flashing when you are in 4HI?

FYI you CAN NOT go directly from 2wd to 4lo. You must get fully into 4hi first. Once you are fully in 4hi (easiest to do so while moving, you can technically engage at up to 60mph, only do so on low traction surfaces or in a straight line on pavement). Then come to a FULL stop, Push that clutch ALL THE GOD DAMN WAY TO THE FLOOR, not just in, im talking mashed to the floor. Then flip to 4lo. It might take a lil moving forward / slipping of the clutch to get it to go all the way in but it will go in. If everything is in and lights all solid on the dash, you are in 4lo.

 

We were typing at the same time

 

My 4 lo light blinks (yellow wire mod)

 

Yeah I just went out to try it once I realized the error in my ways. Lol.

 

Feels good to have atrac.

 

Yeah, I had the same problem w/ my last Tacoma and then I finally figured it out. You literally have to push the clutch ALL THE WAY, lol. After I learned that, no more problems putting it into 4Lo. My new Tacoma is also a Manual and now I know lol

 

Yeah the clutch pedal contacts my husky liners slightly so I just have to push it a little harder. I'm glad that's all it was.

 

I had this same problem several months back. I was baffled until I came back inside and did a little web surfing.

 

the switch that the clutch has to hit to make this happen should be adjustable. You should be able to dial it out a hair to make engagement easier.

 

I might have to take a look at it tomorrow. Is it pretty easy to adjust?

 

I've never done it. There's a thread somewhere about people having difficulty starting their man trans trucks due to similar issues. They figured out how to adjust this and it solved the issue.