1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

4x4 question

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by mwrohde, Nov 3, 2015.

  1. Nov 3, 2015 at 4:39 AM
    #1
    mwrohde

    mwrohde [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2014
    Member:
    #125160
    Messages:
    1,062
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Matt
    Sugar Hill, GA
    Vehicle:
    2003 Tacoma 4x4 5-speed 3.4 TRD SR5
    While driving in to work this morning I noticed the Jeep next to me had the front drive shaft spinning while he moved. My initial thought was "Why is he in 4-wheel drive?". Then I wondered if maybe my front shaft was spinning too.

    My understanding is that in 2-wheel drive the front hubs are not locked (whatever that means) and the transfer case is only spinning the rear shaft. Shifting into 4-wheel drive locks the front hubs and engages the front shaft.

    Is that right?
     
  2. Nov 3, 2015 at 5:33 AM
    #2
    ClevSix

    ClevSix Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2015
    Member:
    #158382
    Messages:
    1,392
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    John
    IL/IA
    Vehicle:
    01 DCSB SR5 TRD, 13 T4r SR5
    Suspension, 33s, some armor... Rust, Gray wire and 2Low, and more. T4r is stock.
    It all depends on exactly how the 4x4 is configured. On a stock Gen 1 Tacoma the front hubs are fully engaged and never unlock. The front drive shaft disengages at the transfer case and the front differential. When in 4x2 the tires will spin the front CVs but the front drive shaft should be stay still. Many other setups have lockable front hubs. If the front hubs are left locked the front tires will spin the entire front drive line.
     
  3. Nov 3, 2015 at 5:39 AM
    #3
    ecoterragaia

    ecoterragaia Everyone lives downstream.

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2011
    Member:
    #49786
    Messages:
    1,841
    Gender:
    Male
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2006 RC 4X4 5 speed & 2021 4Runner SR5
    Was it an older Wrangler? I know that some of them had issues with the vacuum switch for the front differential, so the cheap fix was to disconnect the switch and allow the front driveshaft to engage the diff. It is still disconnected at the transfer case from what I understand. Mind you, I am recalling from a conversation years ago with a friend who has a '97 Wrangler.
     
  4. Nov 3, 2015 at 5:44 AM
    #4
    jmaack

    jmaack Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2014
    Member:
    #131634
    Messages:
    4,894
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Justin
    Helena Alabama
    Vehicle:
    Skewped hood silver 4runner
    Ome, Sqeak free dakars, arms, skids, sliders.
    Dodges jeeps pretty much all new trucks solid axle you can see the u joints spinning in the knuckles. Unless they have manual hubs.
     
  5. Nov 3, 2015 at 5:59 AM
    #5
    mwrohde

    mwrohde [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2014
    Member:
    #125160
    Messages:
    1,062
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Matt
    Sugar Hill, GA
    Vehicle:
    2003 Tacoma 4x4 5-speed 3.4 TRD SR5
    It was a Cherokee. Maybe about as old as my truck. It sounds like maybe it's right for that truck.

    If I understand the answers correctly, on my truck the front diff is always spinning because the wheels spin the CVs which turn the diff, but the front shaft only spins if I'm in 4-wheel?
     
  6. Nov 3, 2015 at 7:33 AM
    #6
    Xbeaus

    Xbeaus Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2015
    Member:
    #166775
    Messages:
    1,573
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Beau
    Black hills South dakota
    Vehicle:
    98 Tacoma 3.4 5 speed SR5 limited TRD 4x4
    Toytec coilovers. Height adjustable Bilstein's. 265/75/16 MT. TRD wheels. Rebuilt r150f. Marlin clutch kit. All kinds of new parts...
    My 98 4x4 taco has manual hubs. When they are disengaged nothing up front moves. That's if my xfer case is in 2hi. When I'm in 2 Hi and hubs free I can go underneath and spin the front driveshaft by hand which in turn spins the CV axles freely. When hubs are engaged the driveshaft and cvs spin. Just have to lock in the xfer case to xfer power.
     
  7. Nov 3, 2015 at 7:41 AM
    #7
    Clay_916

    Clay_916 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2015
    Member:
    #160686
    Messages:
    1,501
    Gender:
    Male
    Fort Collins, CO
    Vehicle:
    2000 x-cab 4x4
    5100's, All Pro 3" Standard leafs, 32" KM 2's
    Front locker. Ideally the torque from the spinning wheel will travel through the axle, diff then through the free axle, leaving the drive shaft untouched. If you're locked all 3 outputs will be spinning together.

    Jeep and Tacoma 4wd work similarly. If you have ADD (not manual locking hubs) 2/3's of all your shit's going to be spinning all the time.
     
  8. Nov 3, 2015 at 9:51 AM
    #8
    vern650

    vern650 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Member:
    #111738
    Messages:
    837
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    brandon
    hyrum, ut
    Vehicle:
    '97 4x4 taco xtra cab 3rz/5spd
    HBS leveling kit, 31x10.50 mudders, header/imco exhaust, rear billies, LR ucas, home brewed onboard air, cb radio
    Yup, with ADD front end your driveshaft will most likely always be spinning. The driver front wheel is directly connected to the cv which is directly connect to the diff. which is directly connected to the front shaft. Only thing that dis engages is the tcase to driveshaft and diff to pass. wheel. So if the tires are spinning most likely the shaft is spinning. This is how most 4x4s work now days, but some I.e. Dodge and jeep have no axle disconnect so nothing dis engages but the tcase so the front shaft will always spin. With manual hubs you break the connection from tires to diff so the spinning wheels will not spin the diff which spins the shaft. This is why manual hubs are supposed to net you better mpg, you get less drag from not spinning all the extra components
     
  9. Nov 3, 2015 at 11:36 AM
    #9
    Xbeaus

    Xbeaus Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2015
    Member:
    #166775
    Messages:
    1,573
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Beau
    Black hills South dakota
    Vehicle:
    98 Tacoma 3.4 5 speed SR5 limited TRD 4x4
    Toytec coilovers. Height adjustable Bilstein's. 265/75/16 MT. TRD wheels. Rebuilt r150f. Marlin clutch kit. All kinds of new parts...
    manual hubs are good on 1st gen Tacoma's for less wear on the cv boots that tend to rip all the time. Lifted application of course.
     
  10. Nov 3, 2015 at 6:45 PM
    #10
    CodeSeven

    CodeSeven LOC: 33.781461, -115.867251

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2014
    Member:
    #136597
    Messages:
    2,186
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Serge.
    Coachella Valley
    Vehicle:
    '00 Taco 3.4 4x4 TRD ( <3), '06 Taco Prerunner 4.0 (totaled)
    3 inch lift. bluetooth stereo. blue transparent skulls shift knobs
    the other day I had my 2000 up on my buddy's alignment rack so i could inspect it for wear/damages. i grabbed the front axle and spun it freely while it was in neutral. i guess i was able to do so cause the front e-locker and transfer case were not engaged.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top