4-wheeling possible issues

I am very inexperienced in 4WD so I don't know if this is a problem or if this is normal....

When I put the truck in 4WD and then crank the wheel in one direction I get a big vibration as I start to turn. Is this just how the 4X4's act when in 4WD or is this a problem that I need to have looked at?

 

Depends on the terrain your on. With the wheel turned all the way starting from a dead stop its possible that it is just the 4x4.....when you have all the wheels pulling together there is not much give at all unless you are in very soft ground. A little more info on your Taco and what conditions you were in will help to explain the problem.

 

It may be the abs kicking in, if you are on loose terrain maybe thats causing the vibration, one of the guys that went to the carolina meeting this year (i think ND) experienced something like that....

 

I was on wet grass and I had to go up a hill and make a steep turn down so I just put in 4WD just incase. When I started turning the wheel really hard I got this vibration. Also I had to make a U-turn that I just did in 4WD and the vibration came then too.

 

Basically, yes, 4x4's can easily do this.

On my 4WD Scout I have lockers front & rear with 4.88 gears. In 4WD low, in a full-lock turn in the dirt, the inside front wheel is literally plowing up dirt as it skids sideways. If I was on hard ground or pavement, it would be hopping and squeeling rubber, and I'd be breaking axles in short order. On soft ground it's no problem.

Anyhow, I think yours was doing this because of the automatic traction control. The outside wheel wanted to spin, and the traction control braked it, forcing the inside wheel to spin, and making it do so in short hops as it skidded sideways.

 

And like someone already mentioned.... making tight turns on high traction surfaces is a bad idea. Avoid making tight turns while in 4WD.

The driveline/CV joints are under a lot of stress when you make tight turns in 4WD, can cause things to bind up.