1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

How do I use 4WD and not destroy my truck?

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by The Noid, Nov 6, 2022.

  1. Nov 7, 2022 at 8:47 AM
    #21
    Nessal

    Nessal Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2012
    Member:
    #94081
    Messages:
    1,433
    Gender:
    Male
    Texas/Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2003 V6 4X4 TRD DCAB
    It's a decision that people will have to make. Personally, after looking at the mechanics of it, the risk is minimal if driven straight for a short period.
     
    Bivouac likes this.
  2. Nov 7, 2022 at 8:50 AM
    #22
    Andy01DblCabTacoma

    Andy01DblCabTacoma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2021
    Member:
    #359086
    Messages:
    3,910
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Andy
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    01 Double Cab v6 4x4 TRD
    F: Kings SPC, R: 5100s+J59s. Custom armor.
    You're not going to grenade your 4wd system if you engage it on a dry road and drive a mile.. unless it's got some gnarly switch backs or sharp turns. I usually just engage my 4wd twice a month when headed out for an errand, from the end of the drive way until I make the turn onto the main road. Is it perfectly straight? No- there are some turns, but nothing that gives the 4wd system any binding issues.

    The bottom line here is, you can feel the binding happen- if it does reassess what you're doing, regardless of he surface. And just don't be stupid- don't engage 4wd in the parking lot and try to make tight turns.
     
    Nessal likes this.
  3. Nov 7, 2022 at 9:04 AM
    #23
    coopnugz

    coopnugz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2017
    Member:
    #223761
    Messages:
    190
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Cooper
    Vehicle:
    2022 Black Trail
    I always try to take an opportunity when it rains or on long straights to engage 4hi once a month (the manual says you should do like 6-10 miles a month, can’t remember specifically). Ideally you want to heat up the gear oil in the front diff.

    Also I second breaking down a tight turn into a few points whenever I’m 4wd, even if in the snow or mud/gravel. Figure if you’re using 4wd on slippery terrain you’re probably not in a massive rush anyway, so might as well take the extra time to avoid binding. You’ll feel the front end become unhappy through your steering wheel in any case.

    I like to engage the locker from time to time but from what I understand the locker is simply there to get you unstuck, ideally with front wheels dead straight. As others said the system is pretty robust and hard to abuse. Find an empty dirt lot after the rain and toy around with your system. Fun fact: I didn’t know the rear locker wouldn’t engage unless you’re in 4lo for the first 2 years I owned my truck :anonymous:
     
  4. Nov 7, 2022 at 10:13 AM
    #24
    OffroadToy

    OffroadToy old, forgetful, and decomposing

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2009
    Member:
    #22680
    Messages:
    6,931
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2007 Offroad DCSB AT- VSC,TRAC,HAC, & DAC
    Icon Stage 8, ECGS Bushing, Timbren ubolt flip, Crown extended brake lines, Overland Custom Design sway bar links, rear differential breather extension, oil filter drain hose, a/c drain hose extension & reroute, front windows tint, Cat Security, XPEL headlight/fog & grill protection, OEM block heater, RCBS illuminated 4X4 switch, Weathertech mats, Wet Okole seat covers, Sherpa Grand Teton/Crows Nest, Baja Designs S8 light bar, Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro fog lights, Method 305 NV Double Black, 275/70/17 Toyo R/T Trail.
    Yeah... probably ok if nothing offroad is close by. I guess i'm spoiled with hundreds of miles of dirt roads 10 minutes away and forget that's not always the case.
     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2022
    Bivouac and Nessal[QUOTED] like this.
  5. Nov 7, 2022 at 10:15 AM
    #25
    Extra Hard Taco

    Extra Hard Taco Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2017
    Member:
    #232419
    Messages:
    4,367
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    R.J.
    Devil's Island
    Vehicle:
    2012 Tacoma TRD OR, 2007 DC (sold), 2003 TRD OR (sold)
    ARB Bumper, SOS sliders, SOS rear bumper, SOS skid plate. OME Lift. Some other stuff.
    I saw the same thing at first: WD40.
    Lol
     
    eon_blue[QUOTED] likes this.
  6. Nov 7, 2022 at 10:17 AM
    #26
    Extra Hard Taco

    Extra Hard Taco Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2017
    Member:
    #232419
    Messages:
    4,367
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    R.J.
    Devil's Island
    Vehicle:
    2012 Tacoma TRD OR, 2007 DC (sold), 2003 TRD OR (sold)
    ARB Bumper, SOS sliders, SOS rear bumper, SOS skid plate. OME Lift. Some other stuff.
    I've forget on more than one occasion to shift out of 4wd after coming out of the woods and onto asphalt, didn't notice for several miles.Trucks still in one piece but yeah I wouldn't make a habit of it.
     
    Nessal likes this.
  7. Nov 7, 2022 at 10:29 AM
    #27
    0xDEADBEEF

    0xDEADBEEF Swaying to the Symphony of Destruction

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2019
    Member:
    #285037
    Messages:
    19,654
    Vehicle:
    2000 reg cab 4x4 flatbed MT
    True, but if you know how 4wd works on a mechanical level, it’s pretty clear why it’s okay, but you won’t find that kind of nuance in a manual. That’s why we have forums :)
     
    Bivouac likes this.
  8. Nov 7, 2022 at 10:31 AM
    #28
    eon_blue

    eon_blue Okayest Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2016
    Member:
    #180213
    Messages:
    69,350
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ryan
    Azusa, CA
    Vehicle:
    '04 TRD 3.4l 4x4 5sp manual Xtraca & '96 4runner 4x4 5spd manual
    It's just easier for the manual to say "don't do it", "only on low traction" and thereby avoid any liability entirely. If they say you can do it on a straight dry paved road, someone with 3 different sized tires on their truck will try it, blow up their drive train and then try and sue
     
    Bivouac and Nessal like this.
  9. Nov 7, 2022 at 10:33 AM
    #29
    0xDEADBEEF

    0xDEADBEEF Swaying to the Symphony of Destruction

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2019
    Member:
    #285037
    Messages:
    19,654
    Vehicle:
    2000 reg cab 4x4 flatbed MT
    Bold of you to assume anyone with 3 different size tires is reading the manual
     
  10. Nov 7, 2022 at 10:33 AM
    #30
    eon_blue

    eon_blue Okayest Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2016
    Member:
    #180213
    Messages:
    69,350
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ryan
    Azusa, CA
    Vehicle:
    '04 TRD 3.4l 4x4 5sp manual Xtraca & '96 4runner 4x4 5spd manual
    If they knew how to read they'd be very upset by this
     
  11. Nov 7, 2022 at 10:54 AM
    #31
    IDtrucks

    IDtrucks Unhinged and Fluid

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2010
    Member:
    #38254
    Messages:
    23,536
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mark "Buck"
    Jackson Wyoming
    Vehicle:
    96' X-Cab 4x4 TRD Off Road Clusterfuck
    JVC Deck, 10" sub mountd in rear seat cubby, 2 LED off road lights mounted in grille, amber raptor style grille lights, LED rock lights, square led bed light, custom made fuse block tray, 12 blade Blue Sea fuse block, 100a marine circuit breaker, black plasti dipped full grille, tinted tail lights + third, Uniden 520 with 4' firestik, Bilstein 5100s with 620lb Eibach coils, Diff drop, Chevy 63 leaf swap, TG creeper joints, 14" triangulated biletein 5125s, 8" extended steel braided brake line, TG Rock Sliders, CBI Moab 1.0 front bumper, custom fabbed bed rack, full TRD E-Locker axle swap and matching re-gear with custom stand alone wiring circuit, 29 spline pinion flange from an 06 wishbone runner, tubbed for 35x12.5" general grabbers on Ultra type 181 wheels, crush sleeve eliminator, Mini ARB compressor, front ARB locker, garage fab aluminum front skid plate, custom built high clearence rear bumper, removable mothafuckin doors
    So, how do I use the 4WD without destroying something?
    1. I understand tight turns should not be made in 4WD. Will my turning radius be restricted or will I physically be able to turn tight and end up grinding something up? -You can physically force it to turn with 4wd engaged in high traction environments (i.e. pavement). You will feel it (the steering and drivetrain) bind and fight you to go back to straight. This is your ideal limit. If you feel that, dont turn as tight, or take it out of 4wd. Try it in a parking lot and get the feel for it. You will not damage anything just engaging it and trying it and turning it off.
    2. What's considered a "safe" turn? 45 degrees? -see above. then the drive train binds. The angle is irrelevant. Pay attention to what the truck does and how the wheel feels
    3. What about with lockers on? Should I turn even less? -You can turn your rear locker on (assuming you only have a rear?) and drive around all day on dry ass pavement if you want. You're not going to damage anything except wear your tires down faster as they chirp and skip through the turns
    4. Does this apply anywhere or only on flat, smooth surfaces? I.e. If I'm on a bumpy, soft, sandy road, can I turn any tighter? -The less traction you have the less bind you will feel in the driveline/steering. If you're on a snow covered road you can crank the wheel as hard as you want and mash the gas and it probably wont bind, the tires will just spin. Again, given the terrain and amount of traction you have, you will need to pay attention to what the truck feels like. Note: this is where you have to learn how your truck works in off road environments. If you have the wheels cranked and you're on the gas with little/no traction (trying to get over a rock or get out of a ditch), and you suddenly grab traction (on the front tires for example) that sudden addition of traction under power could cause damage, like snap your cv axles (which are weaker the harder they are cranked in a turn) or in rare cases bent a tie rod end and fuck up your steering, or other less likley things. All of this us not likely to happen unless you start throwing large tires on the truck and really getting into hard situations. A mostly unmodified truck on a normal dirt/gravel roads...youll be fine. dont worry about it.
    5. The manual says can go from H2 to H4 if under 25mph. I tried that once at about 5mph and got a terrible grinding noise. Is something wrong? -you can shift from 2wd to 4hi at basically any speed, just let off the gas. No way im slowing to 25 on a highway with snow on it just to shift into 4, ill throw that bitch into 4hi at 45-50 and carry on my merry way. Do you have a J shift (lever with knob) or e shift (lever with a button) on your truck? If you have a j shift, and you are getting grinding going fro 2-4hi EITHER: your t case is in fact broken, or more likely you're shifting past 4hi and trying to go into 4lo. When you let off the gas, you should not get any grinding going from 2 to 4hi. In a j shift, you pull the lever back torward you, thats it. To go to 4lo, you need to be in N, and you pull the lever back toward you, over to the right, and push it back forward, then put the truck back in drive.

    Thanks for your patience and humoring my anxiety!
     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2022
  12. Nov 7, 2022 at 11:18 AM
    #32
    OffroadToy

    OffroadToy old, forgetful, and decomposing

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2009
    Member:
    #22680
    Messages:
    6,931
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2007 Offroad DCSB AT- VSC,TRAC,HAC, & DAC
    Icon Stage 8, ECGS Bushing, Timbren ubolt flip, Crown extended brake lines, Overland Custom Design sway bar links, rear differential breather extension, oil filter drain hose, a/c drain hose extension & reroute, front windows tint, Cat Security, XPEL headlight/fog & grill protection, OEM block heater, RCBS illuminated 4X4 switch, Weathertech mats, Wet Okole seat covers, Sherpa Grand Teton/Crows Nest, Baja Designs S8 light bar, Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro fog lights, Method 305 NV Double Black, 275/70/17 Toyo R/T Trail.
    Why is it ok? :crazy: I've always read otherwise.
     
  13. Nov 7, 2022 at 11:23 AM
    #33
    Andy01DblCabTacoma

    Andy01DblCabTacoma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2021
    Member:
    #359086
    Messages:
    3,910
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Andy
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    01 Double Cab v6 4x4 TRD
    F: Kings SPC, R: 5100s+J59s. Custom armor.
    Not sure if you're being serious or not.. but at a mechanical level, its ok to drive in 4wd in a fairly straight line on pavement because you're not creating enough differential between the front and rear "paths". It's only when the front or rear needs to rotate at a different rate do you get the binding. The transfer case is essentially a locked diff at that point being in 2wd vs 4wd is just sending power to one or both axle shafts (drive shafts). Same with a locker- locked on pavement is fine until you start turning and one wheel wants to turn at a different rate than the other. In an open diff this is fine, but with a locker, the same binding occurs, and one tire will chirp as it tries to catch up to the other.
     
    Bivouac, 0xDEADBEEF and eon_blue like this.
  14. Nov 7, 2022 at 11:33 AM
    #34
    eon_blue

    eon_blue Okayest Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2016
    Member:
    #180213
    Messages:
    69,350
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ryan
    Azusa, CA
    Vehicle:
    '04 TRD 3.4l 4x4 5sp manual Xtraca & '96 4runner 4x4 5spd manual
    wasn't there a thread on here a year or so back about a guy that blew up his t-case and had all kinds of carnage because he was cruising on the highway in 4wd during snowy conditions, but it was determined he had different sized tires on front/rear? Or am I misremembering that

    the carnage was pretty epic, I remember that much. I think he eventually got it all repaired though.
     
    Bivouac likes this.
  15. Nov 7, 2022 at 11:36 AM
    #35
    Gyrkin

    Gyrkin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2017
    Member:
    #227041
    Messages:
    2,374
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Steve
    Wyoming
    Vehicle:
    2000 Tacoma TRD v6 5-speed
    With a J-shifter and a manual transmission you can go in and out of 4lo on the fly.

    Shifting from 4lo to 4hi on the fly is pretty easy. Goes in easier if you double clutch, but it's not necessary. I do it all the time.

    Going from 4hi to 4lo is harder to do on the fly. You have to be going real slow for it to work, and you have to get the RPM's just right. Usually not worth the effort.
     
  16. Nov 7, 2022 at 11:37 AM
    #36
    Andy01DblCabTacoma

    Andy01DblCabTacoma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2021
    Member:
    #359086
    Messages:
    3,910
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Andy
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    01 Double Cab v6 4x4 TRD
    F: Kings SPC, R: 5100s+J59s. Custom armor.
    I've seen it happen before- someone I knew after high school- bought two new different (lets say 31 vs 32) size tires and put them rear of his jeep to save a few bucks. The first snowstorm that season, he puts in 4wd, and the case blew up.
     
    0xDEADBEEF and eon_blue like this.
  17. Nov 7, 2022 at 11:39 AM
    #37
    eon_blue

    eon_blue Okayest Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2016
    Member:
    #180213
    Messages:
    69,350
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ryan
    Azusa, CA
    Vehicle:
    '04 TRD 3.4l 4x4 5sp manual Xtraca & '96 4runner 4x4 5spd manual
    Definitely makes me want to check my tire pressure more regularly lol. I think the difference would have to be pretty severe to cause issue right away, but the guy I mentioned the size difference wasn't great but he had been driving for several hours if I recall correct.
     
  18. Nov 7, 2022 at 11:39 AM
    #38
    IDtrucks

    IDtrucks Unhinged and Fluid

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2010
    Member:
    #38254
    Messages:
    23,536
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mark "Buck"
    Jackson Wyoming
    Vehicle:
    96' X-Cab 4x4 TRD Off Road Clusterfuck
    JVC Deck, 10" sub mountd in rear seat cubby, 2 LED off road lights mounted in grille, amber raptor style grille lights, LED rock lights, square led bed light, custom made fuse block tray, 12 blade Blue Sea fuse block, 100a marine circuit breaker, black plasti dipped full grille, tinted tail lights + third, Uniden 520 with 4' firestik, Bilstein 5100s with 620lb Eibach coils, Diff drop, Chevy 63 leaf swap, TG creeper joints, 14" triangulated biletein 5125s, 8" extended steel braided brake line, TG Rock Sliders, CBI Moab 1.0 front bumper, custom fabbed bed rack, full TRD E-Locker axle swap and matching re-gear with custom stand alone wiring circuit, 29 spline pinion flange from an 06 wishbone runner, tubbed for 35x12.5" general grabbers on Ultra type 181 wheels, crush sleeve eliminator, Mini ARB compressor, front ARB locker, garage fab aluminum front skid plate, custom built high clearence rear bumper, removable mothafuckin doors
    the guy is asking how 4wd works, and if he can make tight turns in 4wd on pavement...so telling him he can shift from 4hi to 4lo if he rev matches just right is probably a bit above his pay grade, and not very pertinent or useful information for him. If there's anything he should avoid doing to prevent damage to his 4wd system, it would be what you have suggested lol. But thanks for the technical clarification
     
    Area51Runner and Gyrkin[QUOTED] like this.
  19. Nov 7, 2022 at 12:02 PM
    #39
    Gyrkin

    Gyrkin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2017
    Member:
    #227041
    Messages:
    2,374
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Steve
    Wyoming
    Vehicle:
    2000 Tacoma TRD v6 5-speed
    You make a good point. I agree.
     
    IDtrucks[QUOTED] likes this.
  20. Nov 7, 2022 at 12:12 PM
    #40
    Gyrkin

    Gyrkin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2017
    Member:
    #227041
    Messages:
    2,374
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Steve
    Wyoming
    Vehicle:
    2000 Tacoma TRD v6 5-speed
    It's a sad waste of a very capable 4wd vehicle that isn't off road for at least 6-10 miles a month in the normal course of driving. I don't want to know what percentage of these trucks this applies to, probably 90+%. :annoyed:
     

Products Discussed in

To Top