Run in 4wd once a month?

You're fine to run it in 4H as long as you're driving in a straight line and are under 52 (say 50 for margin of error) MPH. Just pick a section of a road near you that's straight for a mile or two and click it into 4H.

 

I never go over 50 mph. Always maintain a margin of error.

 

Good call!

 

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the significance of 52 mph?

Thanks in advance.

Skip

 

You can go as fast as you want in 4wd. You just have to be under 62mph to engage it (at least in 2nd gens)

 

Wasn’t that a Gun’n’Roses album?

 

Nope, that was an Axl Rose album.

 

Wow, the 4wd systems on these trucks aren’t as sensitive as the feelings of some of the members in here....

 

Truth!

 

I know that because, well, I read my manual.

Still wondering why two people in this thread are recommending 52 mph.

 

My guess is they’re just confused and misread/misunderstood the manual.

 

This isn’t directed at you..it’s directed at every piss-flap that mewls and whines when one of us recommends reading the fucking manual before posting a question. This doesn’t apply to the OP...as the OP actually read the manual and was pointing out a legitimate source of confusion contained therein.

Again, the OP asked a question and to his credit, read the manual. The discussion has since veered into a combination of accurate and inaccurate advice. While the manual doesn’t tell you how to put your 10 miles a month of 4hi in, it does give you clear guidelines with regards to engaging/disengaging it.

In two places, the manual mentions 62 mph as the upper limit to ENGAGE 4hi. It even tells the reader that it will not shift into 4hi over 62 mph. It will buzz and blink.

While the manual does caution against running 4hi on hard and dry surface roads (the source of confusion to many who actually read the manual) no harm will occur if you put it in 4hi, once per month on a hard, dry surface road without making any turns, and going at a moderate pace.

 

I ran mine on pavement in a straight line at 55 and it started to get a weird vibe...I don’t do that anymore

 

Let me answer, hopefully and people will understand. Moab rock is "The sandpaper texture is notorious for inflicting severe abrasion injuries. The name "slickrock" was given by early settlers of the area because their horses' metal shoes had difficulty gaining traction on the rock's sloping surfaces."

This is not me below. I just googled MOAB 3rd gen Tacoma. You don't do this in 2HI. The guys who say your truck will explode don't have much experience off road.
This is a bit worse than the road to your local grocery store.

OP, you will be fine. Just don't do a lot of parking lot turns for several hours in a row.

 

Read to the end. Didn't see this addressed. I'm curious as well.

 

Good question, and hears why (assuming the 4x4 systems are the same on T4R and Tacoma)
The 4th gen 4Runner uses an electronic motor to “activate” 4 wheel drive, called an “actuator”. It has another actuator to engage 4lo, and if it is not used often enough the actuator freezes- an expensive repair because the transfer case needs to be opened to remove the actuator. Although it bolts onto the transfer case, it has internal parts. If you try to remove it by just unbolting it, the transfer case will be damaged. More $. One of the weak points of the 4Runner, and possibly the Tacoma if the same systems are used.

My 1st gen taco has all manual system, no issues since 1998, and I don’t drive 10 miles a month in 4x4

If your system has a manual lever to engage 4x4, then all this actuator business may be irrelevant.

If your Tacoma has a center differential then you would be able to drive it in 4x4 on dry pavement, turns, straight lines, whatever.

 

Your point? Wheeling puts stress on the truck in general. Wheeling Moab just puts more stress on the truck.

 

I'd say the stark (and entirely reasonable) differences of opinion in this thread is why this keeps coming up. There is no consensus.

 

The difference is the road to the grocery store doesn't ever have different traction under each tire. In this picture there is no possibility of binding, because one of the wheels is in the air.

My old boss grenaded the transfer case on an f-450 driving it down the highway in 4wd. Do people do it without damage? Sure. But it seems like an unnecessary risk.

 

Not directed at you at all. Just most people don't understand that a simple off road trip is much worse on the components than driving on pavement in 4HI. Sorry!