4x4 driving questions/concerns

You can push and hold your buttons all day long BUT regardless of the position at about 30 MPH of wheel spin it all reengagesthe TCS/VSC/AUTO LSD then when wheel spin goes below 30 your previous settings reengage.

I know this because I have seen it happen.

 

you've seen it happen ?

 

Normal

 

Push

AUTO LSD on
VSC off

 

Push and hold for 3-5 seconds

AUTO LSD off
VSC off

Ermahgerd , I'm going 50mph and VSC is still off

 

Yep mine stays off after 30 if ya do it right!!

 

Your not holding your mouth right, and I think you have to be stopped to turn all the way off, but It goes off

 

That's not what I was saying. I agree with you mostly. But have you ever lost traction in 4x4? It's far worse than the ass end kicking out. That ass end comes back really quick if you let off the gas a bit and steer appropriately. Slide in 4x4 and its a different deal. That's 4x4 not awd or some other system. My point is be conscious. Not you, im sure you are an excellent driver. But someone (op) with no 4x4 experience should know that.

The ass end doesn't just kick out. It slides from too much/sudden power or braking. It's easier to cause that spin in 2wd. However in 4wd the traction at the rear tires is still the same...

 

Yes I have lost control in 4wd, black ice is black ice, even with the best soft rubber compound winter tires with lots of siping like Bridgestone Blizzaks sometimes its just too slick. But once you learn how to control the side slide that happens in 4wd its pretty easy to overcome. Counter steering at high speeds while your ass end fish tales is recoverable if you are good but most drivers aren't good. All I am saying is that if the roads are slick it is much safer to be in 4wd than 2wd, and not just when slowing down and taking off..... that's it. To become a good winter driver takes time and experience and the ability to make decisions very quickly but deliberately. We had to do Emergency Vehicle Operater courses every winter as mandatory training operating our fire trucks. We would take the big Airport fire trucks and spray down long stretches of unused taxiways and let it freeze over, then we would set up slalom courses with cones and have to do all kinds of emergency maneuvers, and even amongst many seasoned winter drivers some are just better than others.

 

^^ yeah but you only put the trucks in 4x4 to stop and start right ?

 

No, I sense the loss of traction is about to happen and engage 4WD. Sometimes I just a bit late and engage just as the back end begins to come around, I use 4WD to pull me straight and then go back to 2WD because it's better on icy roads.

 

I just wanted to clarify something for you guys. Despite VSC being disabled via the VSC off switch, it is in fact true that the VSC system can still engage but only for speeds above 30MPH and ONLY if your truck is skidding sideways, indicating a loss of control (Yaw Rate Large). Both of these conditions must be true in order for the system to engage.

This all came about from a foot note in the brake technical document that was released when the 2009 trucks came to market. This foot note generated lots of discussion and debate. In an attempt too settle the discussion, I placed a phone call to Toyota. I've verified the foot note with a Toyota Drive Train Specialist who took my phone call back in 2009.

To put this another way, yeah you disabled VSC, but know that it's monitoring the truck at speeds above 30MPH and can and will intervene if you have lost control or it believes you're about to loose control of the truck.

 

Myth #1 Your truck will explode if you shift into 4HI while traveling above 62MPH. Nope. It will just beep at you indicating you're doing it wrong. Reduce speed and try again. (It works fine for any speed under 62MPH.).

Myth #2 You cant drive fast in 4WD. This is wrong. I've driven my truck up to 100 MPH on a dirt straight away road, helmet, flame suit, closed course and all that.

Myth #3 The Tacoma can't go into outer space. This is wrong too. My truck has made routine trips into space.



Okay. The first two are true, the third one just hasn't happened yet

 

Once you do, we'll have tons of "space shuttle build!!" threads.
Actually, I'd like to see that as a title/goal.

 

Right, "understeer" should only be used when referring to powered front drive wheels, otherwise it's just confusing.

If you're in RWD and you slide through a turn, call it "sliding", not understeer. Do you really call it understeer when you slide through a turn? I doubt it.

 

My own little mind? I've never heard anybody use the terms understeer or oversteer except to refer to the respective powered wheels.

You're just confusing the issue if one uses the terms to simply sliding of the non-powered wheels. But keep on trying to sound superior, tool.

 

RWD cars understeer too, you've been saying the same thing over and over and you're wrong

 

I like cereal.

 

Personally I disagree. I think for the average driver. Controlling the ass end slide is easier than the 4x4 slide. I will saw vsc does a fairly decent job of both jn these trucks.

My rationale here is that in a rear slide the front hasn't lost traction. In a 4x4 slide all four wheels are more likely to have lost traction.

That's not all cases. And in certainly not saying 4x4 isn't more difficult to slip. Just that drivers need to be conscious.

That slalom course a single obstacle can be coast through at the same speed you can navigate in 4x4. (I've conditions, snow increases resistance but the principal part applies).

The key is the smooth speed. Slam on the brakes or gas and you will lose control. 4x4 definitely helps keep the heels spinning and with correct driver input it's great. But it does react very different from what a non 4x4 driver is used to.

4x4 is a momentum aid. If 2wd is insufficient to maintain momentum of corse you need 4x4. Should probably slow down a bit too but everyone knows that.

In cases like the photo above, if you can maintain steady momentum in 2wd then 4x4 can make some maneuvers more difficult..

 

Again, it doesn't matter which wheels have power. Yes, you can call it a slide, but its caused by understeer.