Manual vs auto affect future mods?

Hey everyone,

Couple basic questions from a Tacoma newbie. I’m looking to buy a trd sport 4x4 dcsb mt.

I want to eventually lift it and do new wheels and tires eventually, making for a decent fun off road machine that I want to start getting into.

Would getting the manual vs auto trans affect any future mods? Might be a dumb question as it’s only transmission, but wanted to double check. I want this to be my DD, as well as a new hobby!

 

are you asking if you can lift a MT and change the wheels and tires? or other mods?

 

Both. I’m pretty sure the transmission doesn’t affect the lift or wheels though, right? Maybe the question is which platform is more “mod-able”

 

you can do anything with either. they are the same platform. you can lift and modify however you like.

stickaround and browse some and it will start to get clear. and welcome to TW.

 

Awesome, thanks! Only other question I had was the 4x4. Ive read that it’s only activated when needed? Hasn’t it always been like that? A 4x4 switch (instead of constantly all wheel drive)

 

on demand 4 wheel drive. it is 4x2, rear wheel drive with an open differential for normal street driving. you activate 4x4 with a switch and manually deactivate it.

 

And that is still considered real 4x4?

 

Correct, All Wheel Drive is different than 4 Wheel Drive.

 

Its the definition of a 4X4 in the classic sense. I take it this will be your first? MT will pull larger tires better stock due to lower rear end ratio.

 

Yes,4x4's always have either an electronic switch or manual lever in order to engage or deactivate it. AWD (All wheel drive) is a whole other animal.

 

And another thing to consider with AWD is it usually has a center differential that can move torque to the front and rear axles independently. 4WD locks both the front and rear axle together and both spin the exact same speed. AWD can be used on any surface while 4WD is limited to loose stuff because you don't want to bind up the axles when turning. 4WD also has a low gear set that allows for crawling and greater torque to be placed at the axles for tougher terrain. AWD's also have many many other classes under it ranging from always on like Quattro in Audi's, and Subarus own style, to more active management style systems like the Ridgeline that engage both axles at low speeds or when a wheel speed discrepancy is detected such as wheel slip but cuts out the rear wheels later for economy sake. Ferrari's AWD that uses two transmissions, one at the front of the engine and another at the rear. You can go on forever about different AWD systems, but 4WD's are manually selected and come with a low range set. That's pretty much a standard requirement.

 

You’ll pay approximately 50% more for diamond plate pedals. Other than that, it should be relatively comparable.

 

Thanks all. But just so I’m clear an taco with 4x4 on it is 4x4 and NOT AWD? Which is what you want in a real off road vehicle?

And yes, this will be my first off road. Just been with friends before in jeeps.

 

Correct.
If you buy the 4wd, it will be a 4x4 not AWD.
As such, you will not be able to drive around on the street in 4wd Hi or 4wd Lo range, as you can with a AWD systems. For normal street driving it is 2wd usage only. It also means that it has both Hi and Lo gear in 4wd mode, which applies an additional lower gear set in line with the transmission in the drive train, which AWD systems generally do not have.

AWD systems will generally have 3 differentials, a center diff a front diff and a rear diff, depending on the system. (These may be open diffs, limited slips, or open diffs with electronic brake simulated limited slips). The center diff allows front axle and rear axle to turn at different speeds to allow driving on normal streets.

The Tacoma 4wd will only have 2 diffs. In place of a center diff is a transfer case which is NOT a differential. The front drive shaft and rear drive shaft are forced to the same rotational speed when 4wd is engaged. This is what makes it inappropriate to drive in 4wd on the street. However this prevents a single wheel spinning in 4wd if you have a single wheel in a hole, etc. You will get at least 2 wheels turning in 4wd at the minimum.

The Tacoma OffRoad or Pro models have a rear differential locker, which means that now you have one open front differential and transfer case and rear differential locked.

All 3rd gen Tacoma come with brake actuated simulated limited slip differentials, where the brakes are actuated on any spinning tire to simulate a limited slip differential. The OffRoad and Pro models come with more powerful hydraulic braking actuator to allow more powerful brake simulated LSD.

The jeeps you are familiar with may have had mechanical lockers front and rear like the OffRoad and Pro have on the rear ONLY.

More questions?

 

Thanks! So then what if it’s really snowy out on the road, is it still not a good idea to go into 4x4 mode?

 

As long as road conditions can allow slippage on the tires (i.e. snow, ice, dirt, gravel) then it is fine to use 4x4 on the road. I used it the other day when it was snowing.

 

I can drive on a snowy road. But, u would not want to on normal driving conditions. Also, the rear locker makes the rear wheels move in tandem. Rather than each wheel turning separately, it will turn as one. Much better for situations such as if u r stuck and need that little extra help to get out.

 

OK, so basically there's no reason to use it anyways unless traction is limited (thus where 4x4 is appropriate). Can you do damage on the regular road or if the road isn't completely slippery? Or is it more a long term damage type thing?

 

It is rare I use 4wd, even in snow. These truck have awesome traction in snowy conditions. However, the manual states to sue 4wd for a bit each month. I try to do this in snow conditions, just to keep it lubed I suppose.

 

Anecdotally it is unlikely to cause damage on a single basis unless you do something pretty stupid, or hit something, or something like that. There certainly aren't gobs of people saying their transfer case fell out after they accidentally left it in 4wd on TW. The needle bearing/ECGS bushing is the only thing which likes to die when lifted.

And it doesn't hurt anything going in a straight line with 4wd on a road. Long term it will destroy tires, wear stuff out, and probably eventually destroy cv joints, and give horrible mileage due to the binding when turning. The first time you leave it on and drive in a parking lot you will know it. Truck will not want to move, as the tires bind up horribly.

If it were expected to cause instant damage, the owner manual would definitely be more warning about it.

Pg 250 http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/om-s/OM04013U/xhtml/OM04013U.html?locale=en

■Caution while driving
●Never shift the front-wheel drive control switch from “2WD” to “4H” if the
wheels are slipping.
Stop the slipping or spinning before shifting.
●For normal driving on dry and hard surface roads, use “2WD” position.
Driving on dry and hard surface roads in “4H” or “4L” position may cause
drive component oil leakage, seizure, or other problems resulting in an
accident. Further, it may cause tire wear and increased fuel consumption.
●Avoid turning suddenly in “4H” or “4L” position. If you do turn suddenly, the
difference in turning speeds between the front and rear wheels may have
a similar effect to braking, thus making driving difficult.
●Do not shift the front-wheel drive control switch when the vehicle is turning
or when its wheels are spinning freely off the ground.