New owner, 4x4 questions...

Hey guys I'm a new owner of 2011 taco trd 4x4. I have been told not to drive on highway in 4x4 but I am wondering why not? This question may seem basic but I have zero knowledge as this is my first 4x vehicle. I am driving through Denver on my way to Cali so the extra stability of 4x may help with icy road conditions.

 

Some guys have used 4hi on snow and ice roads on here. But all will agree to never engage 4wd on dry concrete or asphalt it will cause stuff to bind and break

 

You may use 4x4 on the road as long as it's slick, if it's dry and you try to turn you will bind up the drivetrain, causing one or more of your tires to skip over the concrete (best case scenario) or the stress will be to much on the drivetrain and your CV's or driveshafts or transfer case will break (close to worst case scenario)

The reason you're 4wd system binds and a AWD system doesn't is that you have a transfer case, a shaft goes into it from the transmission and spins both the front and rear driveshafts at the same speed (while 4wd is engaged).

AWD has a shaft going into a differential that drives the front and rear driveshafts and variable speeds.

When you make a turn your wheels are all moving at different speeds and a transfer case can't (or won't) give the amount of slip to let them turn independently at variable speeds.

 

if the road has snow or ice by all means use it. you are fine to use it in low traction situations (most anything not asphalt)

if you have it in 4wd on asphalt and your tires cant slip and you turn really sharp yes you have a potential to bind the driveline and cause damage. thats why

 

Welcome to TW

 

Thanks for the responses. I did drive in 4w a bit on dry asphalt in gas stations and noticed the tires slipping. After reading these responses I stopped. I hope I didn't wear anything out or cause significant damage. My truck is home safely now.

 

Welcome. I've learned a lot myself just by flipping through the forum and reading random stuff that looks like it may teach me something about my truck. There is A LOT of it to read.

 

I would have thought that asking if 4 wheel drive is OK on regular roads....but freeway...

Yeah that might be common sense to me now, but I feel ya, but you would be crazy to try and put your truck over 40 miles per hour in 4Wheel Drive, you don't even use it when towing a boat.

I remember my first truck, it had 4 settings, 4 hi, 4 lo, neutral, and I think a 4x4. I didn't know what any of them did, or how to use them. I thought I used them for towing, but no. Only for terrain like snow and stuff.

 

welcome to TW