4x4 vs. AWD

Is subie paint thicker though? Plenty of bitching about thin paint on the gen 5 outback forum.

 

Not sure, but after 13 years it still looked good.

 

Subie paint is hot trash. As is just about everything made in the last 20 years.

 

You have a link for that? I was thinking that a transfer case from an MT FJ with the Torsen center diff would be kinda a cool swap but I saw that it specifically would not work in 2nd/3rd gen Tacomas. I guess the 4Runner case must be different though because the FJs have no 2wd.

 

If I've learned anything from top gear is that subies are overlanding snow plowing monsters.

 

Don’t have a link. But myself and a few I know of have installed a 4th gen 4runner v6 case in a taco.
The fj has 2wd on the v6 but dosent have the Torsen. The v8 has the Torsen but is full time awd.

 

Since, 1981 I have pushed a lot of snow with the front bumpers of my Subaru's... I'll let you know if I get the chance to do the same with the Tacoma.

 

The FJ does have a torsen on the V6, but only on manual transmission examples and I don't think a 2wd mode, just full time 4x4H, locked 4x4H and locked 4x4L. Automatic FJs were the typical 2h, locked 4h, 4L. There was no V8 FJC. Is the 4th gen 4Runner an electronically or manually actuated transfer case? The only reason I'd do an FJ swap is to get the manual T-Case and remove a failure point.

 

The 4runner is electronic shift.

 

Subarus are great till the head gasket blows.

 

D.I.Y. for less than $500.00 once every 150k mi. or another way to look at it is, only once in the lifetime of most vehicles. The question is if you're willing to deal with this happening ?

 

After 2012 new design, but before that it was definitely a problem
Kinda like rusty frames in Tacos

 

Eh, oh well. An AWD taco would be cool for the snow but I'd only do a t-case swap if I had a problem with the actuator(I've heard of it happening) and that would be to a manual shift case.

 

Not to derail this thread from Subies and Tacomas, but...
Does anyone have any experience with Toyota's AWD vehicles (Highlander, Sienna, RAV4)? How well does Toyota's AWD system work? I've heard a lot of good things about Subaru, but not much about Toyota.

 

Part time AWD systems like Toyota and Honda are basically 2wd all the time. I’m sure they’ve changed a little in newer models but all of the older models I’ve worked on only turn on as a reactive system after you’re already slipping and even then they turn off above something like 18mph once they get you moving. It’s basically a gimmick to get old ladies moving again at 4 way stops with a little ice patch. Not even remotely comparable to Subaru’s all time AWD system. Don’t know what’s new these days, but I do know they still don’t even remotely compare just from side by side comparisons.

 

The wife has an awd rav4. It’s been good for us. I know the “locker” to make it go into 4x4 is a viscosity coupler.

 

While the exact mechanics and software no doubt vary, Toyota's awd in those vehicles I don't think is substantially different from any other company's awd. They're front wheel drive until a cpu detects slippage, at which point it throws power back to just one of the rear wheels, whichever one has best traction at any given moment. The driver has little or no agency in the awd settings. I live in a mountain/foothill climate that varies quite a bit from one neighborhood to another due to dramatic elevation changes. Down in the valley where the snow is most likely melted by noon, they love their Ravs, Highlanders and CRVs. At around 5000' the ratio of Subarus and true 4x4 trucks and SUVs rises sharply.

Also fwiw the Rav is a truck chassis, while Highlander and Sienna are car. Some folks don't like a truck's stiffer ride and feel they get the best possible situation out of a Highlander-type faux SUV, they have no intention of going off road. (I still can't figure out why Americans are almost pathologically anti-wagon to the point that these companies have to market Outbacks and Highlanders etc as SUVs. Friggin crossovers.)

When I lived in the valley, we had a 1998 Volvo awd and a 2003 VW Passat awd. The Passat was far better in the snow. I also had a Lexus IS250 that had a basically worthless "snow" mode. I don't know what that means, but just an anecdote.