4 wheel drive lube question

Hey guys, I'm new around here and really love reading all your threads. I just purchased a 2014 Double cab TRD off road with 4X4 a week or so ago and I have a question for you all. Now back in high school and college I have owned a couple of old chevyy 4X4's and loved them. I could not drive passed a wet field without ripping through it, good times.

Fast forward to today and I am a 40 year old man with 3 kids who just purchased his dream truck and I plan on making it last for many, many years. I have never really read the manuals, but my new Tacoma has s many features that I have never owned before so I figured I should.

I was reading about the 4 wheel drive system, trying to figure out the A Trac, rear diff, downhill assist etc and read that Toyota recommends "exercising" the 4 wheel drive system monthly. The manual states to drive aprox 10 miles monthly to keep all parts lubricated appropriately.

So my question is, does anyone actually do this?

Now I live in Arizona, so there is so much area to explore with the family. I just don't know if during the mid summer months when it is 100 at 9 am how much 4 wheeling I will be doing.

I am so excited to own a 4X4 again. My kids can't wait to explore all the awesome areas around the valley and up in the woods. This truck is going to be awesome with the kids, I just love it.

Thanks.

 

Fairly common question asked here...

Do you HAVE TO DO IT? Short answer is no. If you want to do it for peace of mind, like me, just engage it when you can. Never turn on any high traction surface in 4hi, but you can go straight. Just try to engage and drive around a little every once and a while. You don't have to do 10mile minimums each time...you just dont want it to sit for months on end. It's a machine...it wants to be used..

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/te...uto-lsd-explained-easy-understand-i-hope.html

http://www.customtacos.com/tech.old/files/05FSM/repair.html

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/te...hift-kit-shift-recalibration-kit-2nd-gen.html

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...-transmission-low-fluid-directly-factory.html

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

To answer your question, yes absolutely.

 

I had an 03 Taco 4x4 for ten years and maybe use the 4wd 10 times. I never had an issue engaging 4wd in those 10 years. I have used my 13' 4wd once so far. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Same here. Use it as often as you can but I've never had any problems. Also be sure to engage the locker whenever you go off road. That is more likely to get stuck if not exercised once in a while.

 

The electric transfer case actuator on gen 2 Tacoma works much better if I exercise it frequently, especially for shifting into 4lo. The electric actuator is a step back in my experience, the transfer case with a lever always shifts when one wants it to.

I have also found it best to shift into 4lo before I really need it since it is sometimes hard to get it to shift if I wait until I really need it.

 

The more it get's used the easier it is to activate and the more likely it will activate when it's needed.

 

This...I think the whole 10 miles a month thing is more for this reason...


Either that, or Toyota is just trying to get its drivers to have more fun...