When to use 4 High

I've got a 3rd gen TRD off road with the Automatic. Say I'm on a dirt trail and most of it can be done in 2 wheel drive but 4 or 5 times a mile there is a short obstacle where 2 wheel drive won't cut it. Is it hard on the tuck to switch from 2 hi to 4 hi and back several times? The speeds on said trail are 5-15 mph most of the time. Is it better to leave it in 4 Hi the whole time? Should I be in 4 low to avoid stress on transmission? Or does it even matter? Thanks.

 

No it's good for the truck to switch it back and forth. In fact you should be doing it at least once a month. On the trail you can leave it in 4h if you want. As long as it's loose material when turning.

 

Nothing to add to the above except I only use 4Low if I really want/need to crawl (less than 5mph, more like 1mph).

 

Gravel/dirt road up hill? Ill use it. Same road down hill? I don't. From there it just depends. You sorta get a feeling after awhile of when it helps and when you dont really need it

 

Thanks, I'm not trying to belabor the point but how loose are we talking? I'm in central Oregon the trails are kind of compact clay with dust and gravel here and there.

 

If its compact i wouldnt. More sandy like around fort rock and hole in the ground? Then id use it. Gonna be hiking a bit north of bend at smith rock tmr lol

 

Concrete or Asphalt is hard on the 4wd system. You should be fine on the trails. Enjoy your new tuck. You may find this helpful as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FZcmDGVEmE

 

Sounds good. I'll switch back to 2 Hi when not needed. Have fun at Smith Rock. I'm climbing Diamond Peak tomorrow and the road from Crescent Lake to Summit Lake is a real SOB in some places.

 

Thanks for the info, The Care Car Nut is great.

 

4high is for leaving stop lights in the rain and bumping the rev limiter.

 

If the road/trail is all dirt, just leave it in 4 hi. No need to switch back and forth until you get back on county maintained dirt roads or pavement. When the trail gets rough, switch to 4 low. Yeah sure you can coast down some gnarly shit in 2wd with the power of gravity but then you'll just be wearing and heating your brakes when not necessary. I'd rather save my breaking for when it's actually needed. Let the engine slow ya when going down hill.
Some guys like to get as far as they can then switch to 4hi or low when 2wd won't cut it. This makes no sense to me. If you are in too difficult of a situation your truck may not easily transfer to 4hi or 4 low without a little movent. If your stuck and unable to move, then you may not be able to transfer to get power to the wheels that you need them in.
If your speeds are 5-15, I'd be in 4 low the whole time and be able to use the low end torque which is why it's there in the first place, plus the engine breaking while descending. Makes a more enjoyable experience and you can focus more on your steering and tire placement than breaking and the gas pedal.
My 2 cents anyways

 

We had to cut and bring a tree down at my house down this past weekend. My job was to pool the tree with my truck while “Big Foot” was cutting it. I first used the 4hi, but that didn’t do anything, once I put it in 4 lo, the tree came down in a few seconds. I put a video on my YouTube channel if anyone want to watch. It’s a long video ,just fast forward to 19 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N11GW5e5c2s&t=27s

 

Good for snow on roads, patchy ice, saved me a couple times.

 

What i tend to tell the newer drivers that come out with us is....if you are spinning your wheels, you should be using 4wd. Once you get the feel for your's and your truck's capabilities, you will be doing it without much thought.

 

From another perspective ... you want to get home safely.

I do not have the years of experience some have off-road, but I have felt my Tacoma slipping towards the ditch even on hard-packed gravel road. I shifted into 4Hi if I was not already in because I do not want to side-slip into the ditch just due to gravel slipping under me or a small curve ion that gravel road. If I waited to shift to 4Hi UNTIL I went on that ditch-journey, I would probably be kicking myself for waiting too long while waiting for assistance.

4Hi and 4Lo push all wheels at the same speed, which is good when you do not have reliable traction. Asphalt, making a small bend in the road, stresses the transfer case and differentials because the "inside turn" tires must move slower than "outside turn" tires in a full-grip situation. 4Lo just changes gear rations to prevent a lead-foot from pushing too fast in dicey terrain.

Still drive in 4Hi at least 10 miles a month (rainy roads qualify as "low traction" and allow tire slippage) to keep the transfer case fluids lubrictaing all components.

 

Easy, when I don’t need a torque multiplier and I need high speed, Past 15kph.

Such as sand or snow.