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6spd and 4x4 question/problem

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by kxhansen, Jun 9, 2009.

  1. Jun 9, 2009 at 11:45 AM
    #1
    kxhansen

    kxhansen [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I've had my truck for about 5 weeks (2009 Dbl Cab) and since it was raining pretty hard, I decided to drive to work in 4x4 high....1st opportunity to put it into 4 wheel.

    When I was backing out of the driveway, it felt a little funny, but only for a second and I didn't think anything of it. I drove to work on the highway, got up into 6th (about 60 mph) and had no problem. When I got to work, I had to make what I learned as a 3 point turn (which all the kids today call a k turn). Due to the tight quarters, the 3 point turn was more like a 9 point turn. In both first and reverse, it felt like I had the emergency brake on and I even stalled once or twice. I could smell something burning. When I got into the building, the people in the office said they couldn't figure out what I was doing outside and why my engine was reving so much.

    I learned to drive with a car that had a 3 spd on the column and since 1975 I have not owned anything except a 5 spd (a Toyota truck, Corolla, and a 4x4 Explorer), so I am not new to manual or 4x4.
    I can't figure out what was going on........is this normal for this truck, or was I doing something wrong? If this is normal, what must it be like in 4x4 low? 1st gear is a stump puller as it is.

    Of course after I was done parking I realized I could have taken it out of 4x4, but at some point when I need 4x4 that won't be an option.

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. Jun 9, 2009 at 11:49 AM
    #2
    Krazie Sj

    Krazie Sj Resident Jackass

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  3. Jun 9, 2009 at 11:50 AM
    #3
    white91formula

    white91formula Well-Known Member

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    you shouldnt be driving on dry(i know it was raining) pavement with 4wd on

    the front was probably binding up and not letting the truck move. your only supposed to use 4wd off pavement or in the snow.

    people have had their transfer cases explode because they have driven their vehicles like this on pavement and it has over bound and let go.

    i wouldn't try it again. i was off road and had it on a few weeks back and noticed it almost instantly as soon as i got on pavement again and promptly shut it off.
     
  4. Jun 9, 2009 at 11:52 AM
    #4
    white91formula

    white91formula Well-Known Member

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    that was exactly the link i was thinking of.... just couldnt find it
     
  5. Jun 9, 2009 at 11:54 AM
    #5
    Janster

    Janster Old & Forgetful

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    Overall - you shouldn't drive 4WD on pavement (high traction surfaces).

    In the rain, I will often put my truck in 4WD on the highway only to keep things lubricated/functional. The highway is comletely straight and I put it back 2WD as soon as I hit the exit ramp.

    You DO NOT want to make turns while driving on pavement even in the rain. This can cause driveline bind up which will cause the driveline to buck,hop, and hesitate. If you force the issue, you could break something.
     
  6. Jun 9, 2009 at 12:01 PM
    #6
    Disorderly

    Disorderly Well-Known Member

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    The burning smell was your clutch!

    My manual says we're supposed to drive 10 miles? each month in 4wd. Kinda hard to do around here.
     
  7. Jun 9, 2009 at 12:02 PM
    #7
    Krazie Sj

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    Apparently ignore that. ^
    From what I gather, it constantly lubricates with the way 4x4 activates on our trucks.
     
  8. Jun 9, 2009 at 12:10 PM
    #8
    Disorderly

    Disorderly Well-Known Member

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    :confused:

    :der:
     
  9. Jun 9, 2009 at 12:10 PM
    #9
    Krazie Sj

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  10. Jun 9, 2009 at 12:19 PM
    #10
    Demoncleaner

    Demoncleaner Well-Known Member

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    A safe way to see what you did is get on the grass and make a turn in 4wd. The tighter you make it the more it fights and the more it'll scuff the grass up. Multiply that on pavement. Old school part time 4wd here...

    No worries though, lesson learned. I've got a few thousand miles in 4wd on this truck. In the winter I'm not always gonna shift in/out 4hi every mile as I go thru lake snow squalls. A few miles dry and mostly straight I'm not worried. You cant always avoid making a turn in 4wd on a drier surface, so in those situations try to make a large turning arc.
     
  11. Jun 9, 2009 at 12:25 PM
    #11
    Disorderly

    Disorderly Well-Known Member

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    2009 owners manual, section 2 page 173 second bullet point.

    "You should drive in four-wheel drive for at least 10 miles (16km) each month.
    This will assure that the front-drive components are lubricated."
     
  12. Jun 9, 2009 at 12:33 PM
    #12
    wiscdave

    wiscdave Lets Do It!

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    It was probably the overfilled front diff puking some oil on your manifold from the overflow hose that is right over it. Mine did it too after its first 20 miles in 4*4 - in the snow/ice pavement though. I've driven over 100 miles in 4*4, straight shot at 45-60 mph in a snowstorm this year, so its ok I think they overfill the front diff alittle much from the factory and when it gets hot..puke puke
     
  13. Jun 9, 2009 at 12:40 PM
    #13
    WNYTACOMA

    WNYTACOMA Well-Known Member

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    I would without question ignore that before making a '9 point turn' on pavement.
     
  14. Jun 9, 2009 at 12:47 PM
    #14
    kxhansen

    kxhansen [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Responding to multiple posts......

    I know not to drive in 4 wheel on dry pavement, but it was raining.......the manual says to drive in 4 wheel once a month to lubricate everything. Since I don't live in Alaska and I don't normally do off-road, that only leaves the rain .....my 5 spd explorer was the same (although I must confess I didn't do it every month - maybe every third month). I would drive the explorer in the rain and never had anything like this happen (never had any problems with the 4x4 in 154,000 miles).

    So......with the toyota, it's OK to drive in the rain on the highway (periodically to lube it), but I should take it out of 4 wheel when I come off the highway? I don't have many options since Staten Island is part of NYC, there is a dearth of off-roading opportunities (at least legal ones).

    God - I'm having a love/hate relationship with this truck, especially the 6spd manual <g> but that's a whole 'nuther thread.
     
  15. Jun 9, 2009 at 12:47 PM
    #15
    Disorderly

    Disorderly Well-Known Member

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    Agreed. Which is why I said, its kinda tough to do around here. We get 6 months of snow hell and 6 months of blistering heat.
     
  16. Jun 9, 2009 at 12:55 PM
    #16
    kxhansen

    kxhansen [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I quess upon reflection, my real problem was simply the 9 point turn :)
     
  17. Jun 9, 2009 at 12:59 PM
    #17
    Disorderly

    Disorderly Well-Known Member

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    I think the real issue is the degree of turning you have to make. When you make a turn, one wheel must turn faster than the other. Turn right, the right ( passenger) side wheel may make 1 revolution whereas, the left wheel must make 4 revolutions.

    If your truck has a limited slip differential, or a locker the wheels will want to always turn an equal number of revolutions. However, I have no experience with the e-locker or whatever they're called, and they may work differently.

    In order to turn with a LS dif, one wheel must slip. If it does not, something will break, eventually. You had trouble because one wheel was fighting the other. Your ford exploder probably had an open differential, which allows one wheel to make a revolution independent of the other. Which is Ok for the street but worthless off road, or when you're in the ditch and you only have 2 tires on the road because the 2 in the ditch will spin.
     
  18. Jun 9, 2009 at 1:47 PM
    #18
    kxhansen

    kxhansen [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I'm not sure what I had in the explorer - or even what I have in the tacoma <g> - but I guess the big lesson is don't do any tight turning when you're driving in the rain for lube purposes.

    The ironic thing is, I found that I never really needed to 4 wheel that much with the explorer and (since they were stick) never really had a problem with the corolla or the truck (I even spent a winter in Chicago with the truck). I actually didn't want the 4x4, but the 2wd option went out the window if you wanted a dbl cab.
     
  19. Jun 9, 2009 at 1:48 PM
    #19
    Krazie Sj

    Krazie Sj Resident Jackass

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    Yeah, and if you check the link I provided, there has be conclusive proof that with how our front differentials engage, it's not necessary to put it into 4Hi/lo every month for 10 miles.

    But do as you will. Kill your drive line.
     
  20. Jun 9, 2009 at 2:23 PM
    #20
    Janster

    Janster Old & Forgetful

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    YES.... I've been doing this myself. ON the highway only and I put it back into 2WD as I get off the exit ramp. No turns.

    It's not a toyota thing.... It's a part-time 4WD thing. If you have 4hi & 4lo range, along with CV boots/IFS - the chances of ruining something are much greater.

    I'm sure there are tons of people driving around in 4WD on dry pavement, making turns, etc. Most people probably don't have any problems and they don't even notice the issues that could develope. But here...on this forum... we are enthusiasts. We care deeply about our trucks and we try to prevent anything that might 'hurt' or 'damage' them.
    It's peace of mind....
     

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