4WD Actuator Shift Times?

Hi all,

My 2018 TRD Off Road seems to have difficulties switching into 4wd...but not all the time. Scenario: 45 - 50 mph, straight-line driving on the same exact stretch of road. Switching into 4wd in that case will sometimes take a minute or more, at other times it will take a few seconds. Switching back to 2wd is generally faster. I live in Texas, so the temps are high...but it also doesn't seem to matter if the truck is warmed up or not. I had this happen in Colorado as well at about 10 degrees...in the morning while trying to get the truck moving on a snow-covered driveway. Couldn't get it going with 2 wheels, so switched into 4wd while standing still...several minutes later it finally shifted into 4wd.

What's the general consensus - how long does it / should it take? Is the system that finicky and are the actuator times that unpredictable?

Thanks,

Bernie

 

In my opinion, not a minute. If you are driving at a speed, 5 seconds or so is my opinion, any significantly more is wrong.

I would personally jack up all 4 tires free, and bench test switching 2 to 4hi, etc with ignition ON. If you turn the wheels free in the air, it should switch easily.
If it doesnt, something is wrong.

 

I found the best way is to be moving and typically foot off gas is the fastest way for me. Takes under 5 seconds each time. Takes longer if accelerating. I tried it standing still and it never engaged (granted I only waited 30s).

 

Hmmm...I would assume that this test wouldn't be that conclusive, as it only happens occasionally that it takes forever....but I'll give it a try next time I have the truck jacked up.

 

I miss the days of manual 4wd shift levers - little bit of wiggling and you always got it to engage. Kinda sucks when you NEED 4wd but can't get into it. Next time this happens, I will try 4wd Lo and see if that works...

 

This is what works best for me. Load and the unload the drive train. Works every time. I consider it today's way of "wiggling."

 

X2 I find in varying the accellerator pedal while engaging or disengaging makes it instantaneous.

 

Thanks all for the feedback..I guess I never consciously tried varying the accelerator...will give that a shot and report back

 

So the key seems to be variation in petal positions as suggested above. I will monitor over the next month to see if I encounter longer 4wd shift times...

 

I miss my Ford shift on the fly. It was shift on the fly but it used a transfer case motor and it just matched the transfer case speed and transmission.

There was no sensor other than that motor. In and out in seconds and no fancy computers.