Burnt Clutch Smell When 4x4 engages

Howdy to everybody. This is my first post here as I have only been lurking up until now. Right around the time of my join date I bought a 2000 SR5 V6 4x4 5-speed. I bought it with 200k miles and in overall good condition since it was from a second owner female driver who never took it off-highway.

I went out to the desert today to show some love to my rifles and I finally had the chance to put it in 4x4 while driving out to set up the targets. I put it in 4H to make it up a hill with loose gravel and rocks and when I got to the top it smelled like clutch. It was in 1st gear while going up the hill and I initially thought maybe the clutch was done, but it worked just fine with no signs of slippage and didn't give me any troubles for the rest of day. Every car I've ever owned has been manual trans so I know it's not me. It only smelled like that each time I would put it in 4H and I didn't need 4L at all, so I don't know if it would be the same for that as well. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

 

Thats a new one.

I'd first check if the front diff has gear oil in it.
Then grease the front drive shaft u-joints.

 

Clutch smell??? Damn that's a tough one... Could be undetectable but increased microscopic clutch slippage and only enough to get you to smell it under the added load of 4wd and wheelin. Last time the clutch was changed? If ever? Could be going out, early signs...

 

X2, and I'd do a whole once over on the entire truck, all fluids and grease points, but I don't think a dry diff or prop would get you clutch smell IMO,

 

I'm gonna be going up to the mountain trails in the morning so I'll have to get up a little early to check the diff oil. According to Carfax, this thing has been regularly maintained, but it just shows that it's been serviced so I'm not sure if any of those services were a new clutch.

 

Good luck and welcome!!