Did I likely damage the Taco 4WD?

Hi guys:

New Taco owner here and first time 4WD owner. I JUST found out about the whole deal where you aren't supposed to drive in 4WD on dry pavement (and know I understand all the reasons why, thanks to some YT vids that explain everything).

Up until I found this out, I would periodically switch the taco into 4Hi and drive maybe 30 yds or so (on dry road of course).

1) Did I likely damage anything?
2) Since the owners manual wants you to drive in 4H periodically every month to keep things lubricated (and I never will be offroading), is it okay to do just what I did, namely, drive maybe 50yds in a straight line in 4H (dry pavement, the only thing around me), or is that a garunteed transfer case binding situation?
3) Also noticed that 4H only seems to want to engage and disengage when in DRIVE and moving slowly. The 4WD light keeps blinking if I'm at a complete stop or in neutral. Is this normal?

Please help. freaking out..

 

Straight line on dry pavement did not hurt anything

 

You’re fine. Straight line driving on dry pavement won’t hurt anything.

 

Straight line is fine. Just don’t want to be taking corners on pavement. It’s good to click it in like you did just to get things moving. If you ever turn on dry pavement slow you’ll know the feeling of why it’s not good immediately lol. Happy driving

 

Ditto to the above responses, don’t exceed 45 mph (that’s me) try for a mile, this will circulate the fluids and heat it up to drive our any moisture. Enjoy the new toy.

 

4WD and dry pavement don't mix... if you can't find a dirt road do it in a straight line for a short distance on wet pavement. The main concern is binding up when turning.

 

One last answer, the blinking light means the gears and splines are waiting to mesh, no big deal. Sometimes it will mesh up at a stop but more so you need to be rolling. Sometimes you may read about trucks stuck will off road and can’t engage because of that.

 

So everyone here is saying that short distance, straight line is okay for dry pavement, but I thought that was still bad because there is no center differential that allows the front and read wheels to spin at different rates. So, did I likely mess anything up going about 50yds in a relatively straight line in 4H???
So worried...

 

The answer is still NO, as mentioned in every previous post. You can stop worrying. Everything is ok.

 

When mechanical systems break, you know it. What is it you think you would have damaged? If something binds, it breaks or it doesn’t.

Everyone likes to talk about what could happen but everyone fails to mention anyone who has ever had something happen.

 

Stop worrying. Its fine. Its the sharp turns on dry pavement in 4x4 thats bad.

 

If it doesn’t feel or sound broken nothings broken from driving in 4WD on pavement for a short time

 

It's not the best option (you need slippage) but if that's your only way to engage 4WD once in a while it's better than nothing. You didn't hurt a thing... just be sure to go straight and if you can wet pavement is better than dry.

 

i drive in 4x4 a few times over the summer if i am spending most of my time on highways just to "exercise" the system. 1/2 my drive to the office, about 20km, is dead straight 2 lane road so that's when i'll engage it. I'll turn it off before i have to make my turns.

 

You ever watch tremors where they are driving the 4wd jeep and the graboid catches the jeep and they put it in 4wd and the wheels hop on the concrete? That's what you don't want happening. Otherwise you are fine.

 

Thanks guys! You are the best! Love the Tacoma.

 

They are not spinning at different rates when you are driving straight. Only when turning and you will feel the resistance in your steering wheel when turning in 4WD, even on dirt roads if the dirt is hard.
I have owned many 4x4s, including three Tacomas... none have failed because I used 4WD on pavement driving straight.

 

It takes a lot more to damage things. Just think of how people abuse their trucks off-roading. What you’re doing (even if you’re cornering) didn’t do anything.

 

Now put it in 4L, turn on the locker, and gun it on dry pavement and do sweet wheelies and doughnuts!