When and when not to engage 4x4

While I'm totally not Kevinz girlfriend, it has been years since I've owned a 4x4, and it probably wouldn't hurt me to get some tips on proper usage.

First and foremost, how damaging is making turns on dry pavement? The truck definitely chugs around the corner, putting stress on the drivetrain. Is this something that absolutely must be avoided at all costs, or just minimized if possible?

The problem is, around here after a snow storm, our side streets are a constant transition from glare ice to pavement - all dependent on how good of a job the plows did. So I could be on ice at one point, but then 100 feet down the road, maybe a corner, it's pavement. In these conditions I feel like I'd have to practically leave one hand on the 4x4 knob, transitioning back and forth. Or would you guys just leave it in 2x4 and deal with the slippage??

Gracias.

 

Well since I don't have the snow here I guess I would not be much help to you.
I do get in the sand every now and then and I just keep the 4x4 engaged when doing so.
I would try to avoid using the 4x4 on a long stretch of hard dry road.

 

I can relate..... If majority of the roads are snow covered, keep it in 4X4. You are already aware of 4WD and turning. For the lack of having a better way of explaining it......

You should be able to FEEL when the driveline is binding up. When you feel it.... DO NOT FORCE IT!!!! If you're in a turn and you feel the truck acting weird...jerky, hiccuping, and doesn't want to move (no power)...DON'T force it!!! And what I mean is....don't put on the gas (gas will make it worse) and try to straighten out the wheel if you can.

For every turn that you make (say, 90 degree onto another street), make a mental note of the road condition at the corner so you'll have a sense of whether or not the driveline will bind or not. Personally ...I will make the turn without using any gas and let the truck simply coast thru the turn and when I'm able to straighten the wheel out - I'll get on the gas again.

In most turns that you make day-to-day from street to strett, you'll be fine. You just need to be aware of the binding issue so you can act accordingly.

If you're in a parking lot trying to make a tight turn into a parking space - take it out of 4WD before you make that turn. You should never make really tight turns in 4WD because it'll bind up regardless if there's snow on the ground or not.

Making really tight turns in 4WD (and forcing it) can blow out your CV joints. I've seen this happen countless of times on the trails....

 

The more I read up on it, the more it sounds like binding should be avoided at all costs. Which is fine, but becomes a bit of a pain on the road conditions I was describing above. Which, sadly, aren't all that uncommon here. Pavement -> Ice -> Pavement -> Ice....

So I guess a follow-up question: are there any dangers involved with frequently engaging and disengaging the 4x4?

 

none whatsoever, if it is smooth and not in a corner

in a corner, you'll bind, which does a few things

a) you can bind for a long time, it just wears out the tires a lot

b) you can bind for a long time, it wears out the ujoints a lot

c) you can bind for a long time, it wears out the transfer case

d) you can bind for a long time, and break something


these trucks can survive binding of the 4wd system, but it creates a ton of wear and if you are driving on pavement in 4wd constantly, tires will wear out and become junk, and if you left it like this for 15,000 miles you might bust something else. tight turns in parking lots while in 4wd is absolutely to be avoided

a little binding won't hurt it, it is expected and even on dirt roads it binds here and there....

engaging and disengaging 4wd is 100% fine as long as you are in a straight line. doing it in curves you'll feel the whomp, and that whomp is gonna wear out the ujoints and transfer case bits fast (by fast I mean in a year or two opposed to lasting forever)


a little binding is acceptable but when you feel it, stop doing what you are doing. binding is not acceptable if you are on dry pavement and don't require 4wd and just leave it there. these are part time 4wd, not full time 4wd.

 

^Simply put. Best explanation

 

When i have conditions like that, i try to "get rid of the bind" when driving on the ice (getting a little wheel spin to equal out the system) (it works in my eyes, or maybe i just like to slide the rear end out a bit? )

 

THIS

 

Great info. Stuff I can't really find in manuals. Thanks.

I'll learn as I go.

 

Depends on when and where you do it. Anytime the driveline is under torque - is probably not good to engage or disengage.

These trucks are very LIGHT in the rear end and they fishtail easily in 2WD in snow/ice regardless of tires. You have to LEARN & experiment with your truck, learn how your truck acts with whatever tires you have and the conditions you're in. It's a decision you have to make on how you want to deal with the situation.

For me... I'd personally stay on the side of 'safety'. If there's a decision between preventing an accident VS trying to protect my driveline - well...... my driveline is gonna suffer every time. I've been driving tacomas for 13 years - and my drive-lines have never had any issues (knock on wood).

 

To simplify the answer -

Dry or raining road surfaces - Do not use 4wd. The tires against the road will have resistance in their slipping, and in turn cause the undue binding to the drivetrain. You also have limited steering, even in 4WD HI.

Snow covered road surfaces - Actively use 4wd HI. - The tires will continuously slip as needed on this surface. Once you are off the snow covering on the same road, turn off 4wd. This of course is subjective (ie. if the road has that hazy light snow appearance). Don't attempt to use 4WD LO, ATRAC or the Locking rear diff in normal driving - you can try these out if you are severly stuck though.

Gravel/grass/sand/dirt/rocks (ie. off road conditions) - Do use 4wd (and all other aids) at will - tires will be free to slip as needed on these surfaces.

 

I've owned 4x4 trucks off and on for 20 years.

4x4 will only help you take off on snow covered roads, it won't stop you from spinning out in a turn. The only times I put it in 4x4 is getting out of my driveway(I'm too lazy to plow). 99% of the time I am not in 4x4. 4x4 gives a lot of people too much confidence and causes them to wreck.

Your best use of traction control is the gas pedal. Get a good feel for how much traction your tires will get, and practice. Every truck is different. I haven't driven my Tacoma in the snow as I've only had it 2 weeks. My Ram 1500 QC was a beast, I rarely ever had to put it in 4x4! It was so predicable about when it would lose traction or when it would slide I could counter it without thinking about it.

 

you guys are silly, treating the 4wd trucks like a newborn baby, no danger whatsoever running 4wd on dry wet or snow. its the locker engaged on dry pave you gotta worry about.

 

Key to engaging 4WD is both axles spinning at the same speed.

Don't engage it if you're spinning the back tires and don't engage it going around a corner because then you have one axle spinning slightly faster than the other.

Because it's a locked center diff, you can't have variances in axle speed.

Otherwise, no harm in kicking it in and out of 4HI often. I do it all the time.

 

How about we don't buy a truck with 4x4? No binding... problem solved

 

well U are right...but

it is the excessive wear of the entire drivetrain that can be avoided by not using 4wd until absolutely necessary. the transfer case can take a ton of torque without issue...but you shorten the life of all moving components in a part time 4wd system if it is binding all the time

worn tires, especially the fronts, and driveline slop will increase

but yeah slap it in 4wd the day you drive it off the dealer lot and never take it out of 4wd on pavement...you can do that too...it'll be wrecked/broken by 25,000 miles

only awd with a center diff can be left on without trouble, and tacomas don't have awd.

 

Yeah, after reading this thread a bit, I was driving around this morning on the side roads, pretty much doing this same thing. It's annoying to have to do, but lucky the roads aren't always this crap, and sometimes getting through an intersection quickly is in ones interest.

 

So why don't they make pickup trucks with center diffs? Cost?

 

Engage 4x4 when you need it

 

yep. cost and market segment

and they'd have to be extra beefy to do 'truck duty' vs '4runner duty'