4x4 Proper monthly maintenance

In the manual for the 2008 4x4, it says that I should be driving 10 miles a month in 4WD to maintain good lubrication.

Since I don't have easy access to an open field, I use 4WD once a month as I go to work (approx 8 miles), turning it on once I get on the road, then off when I get near work.

Am I safe in doing it this way, or am I 'required' to drive somewhere for a gravel/dirt road? Mind you, the closest good spot is 45 minutes - I'd love to be doing more 'off the beaten path', but you know how that goes...

 

im not really sure that its a good idea to use the 4x4 on a dry road, torrential rain may be different. a dirt road is a great place to use the 4x4 each month if you have a dirt/gravel road close by. using it on dry pavement may really hurt your cv axles.

 

Why is this?

 

i think there may be too much grip on dry pavement, especially if you turn or something that could possibly damage the cv's. i could be wrong, but i think thats correct.

 

It's not a good idea to drive in 4WD on dry pavement.

However - if that's all you got to work with - go in straight lines, like on the highway. LONG sweeping turns if needed. But don't make any turns.

Why?
When you turn, the inside wheel doesn't turn as far as the outside wheel. When both wheels are turning at different rates (distances) - that puts major stress on the drivetrain, especially the front CV joints. If you've ever been in 4WD and tried to make a turn, you'll feel the truck start bucking and it won't wanna move at all. That's the driveline binding.

I'll generally wait for a good hard rain. I'll put it in 4WD when I'm on the highway for 9 miles going to work and kick it back into 2WD when I get on the exit ramp.

 

Being in Hillsboro there are dirt roads not far away. Go out to Forest Grove and drive a dirt road once a month and no worries! On the way back stop at the Grand Lodge and have lunch and make a day of it!

 

That kinda sounds more like it. I figured it had to do with turning rather than just the actual surface on the ground.

I had a truck once that slipped into 4hi but I didn't know it for a few days. But I kept wondering why it jerked so bad when I tried to back in somewhere (while turning). ...dumb ass college kids...

 

I'm not familiar with anything out there except Hagg Lake and Brown's Camp... If you have anything special in mind give me a PM Otherwise I tend to go to Mill City, which is much further away these days

Thanks everyone for responses!

 

Those are a couple of areas...there are some great places out around Roy and all those back roads around the berry fields berry close to Hillsboro.....you can also go out towards the Roloff's farm as well.

 

so use a construction site.... plenty of dirt road there!

 

And plenty of nails, screws, metal shavings, covered pot holes, and other not-so-good items that could potentially damage your truck. I'd advise against this. Go out to a park at mid-night and have some fun.

 

dude, i got the ones only has the dirt pile only... not with material laying around...
plenty of that in NJ.

 

damn, i wish i would of read this earlier! i had mine in 4x4 while trying to turn into my narrow driveway... couldn't figure out why the truck felt like it was struggling... do you think any serious damage occurred?

 

If it still drives normal and 4x4 works, you should be good, just be carefull. Look under the front of the truck see if all is well.

To the OP for what you are doing you should be fine. Go easy on the turns preferrably put it in 2wd before making a turn, as you can disengage it while coming to your turn. Make sure to engage and disengage while driving straight only. Better yet if you have a long straigt rode ues it there multiple times a week instead of only once a month.

 

Crap! I'm at 5000 miles and had my truck since May and haven't even put it in 4WD yet. Oh well, snow is on the way!

 

Thanks for the reminder! It's raining today, so I'll try to get some miles on in 4x4.

 

so the 4x4 locks both front and rear? I thought diffs were torque sensing and biased. Not a full lock. I know taco's came with RR diff lock but that is for the rear. Not so sure this is accurate to cause driveline and cv axle stress. think about the stress is put on it when people do extreme 4x4's.

So what is the difference between the taco's 4WD vs my wifes 4runner 4WD.? Does that mean the 4runner's driveline and cv axles are stressed on the road?

 

A basic 4WD has OPEN diffs front & rear which means they 'differentiate' for side-to-side variances in speed/distance in the wheels (especially when turning). However - CV axles can and will be under stress if they are turned too sharply while applying 'drive' through them. The other concern is the transfer case. The 'drive' that comes out of the transfer case is the same front to rear. If each driveshaft experiences differences in speed/distance to eachother, that can cause binding in the t-case itself. Damage is rare but in theory, totally possible. FULLTIME 4WD systems are completely different - they have a t-case that's designed for 4WD all the time. Subaru has a 'center differential' (for example).

Chances are - your wifes 4Runner has the exact same 4WD system & setup as the tacoma. HOWEVER - if she has Fulltime 4WD, then her 4Runner was designed to run on pavement because the system can 'differentiate' front-to-rear AND back-to-front.

 

Exactly my point. There is alot of "terminology" and understanding of them. Case in point with cars vs trucks, cars like to go by the term of All Wheel Drive such as Subaru, Mitsu, Saab etcetc.. But trucks/suv's go by 4WD, 4x4 etc. Is 4WD the same as 4x4? 4x4 i think of as off-roading big tire trucks etc with full locking diffs.

All V-8 4th gen 4runners are fulltime 4wd. You cant switch it off unless you have the V-6 4th gen 4Runn with 4wd. Are there alot of CV axle failure and breakage from running 4WD with taco's? For 4Runners there is slim to none. Center diff on the 4runner is torque sensing and biased based off of its Toyota's Torsen limited slip technology. I know the front diff is not full lock. You would be able to feel the skid and hard turning during tight locks. So at best it is not full locked until load is beared.

I am still looking at a 4x4 Taco and curious that in 4Hi is the front diff locked up? Do taco's not have a center diff in the t-case? Taco's have about a zillion diff options to chose from with its TRD packages. Some 4x4's have the RR Diff option, some don't. Why what is the difference? In 4Lo for my wifes 4Runn it definitely locks i think front/rear and center diff because you can hear the front tires spin when it shouldnt be. Which is odd as there is a center diff lock button anyway. Havent used that on 4Hi before.

Conclusion, I am confused with the taco's 4wd system.