Did I Mess Up Big Time?

Part out INCOMING! How much for the headlights?

jk op! should be good

 

It's probably ruined. But I can help.
If you'll pay the shipping, I'll take it and give it a place to spend out it's days in comfort.

 

When I lived in Vermont 4wd was basically mandatory if you wanted to be sure you'd get to where you were going in the winter. There were also a ton of dirt roads where you needed to be in 4wd during mud season. Pavement with snow, even partially snow covered, was never a problem and I had it in 4hi a lot on them. The only time I used 4lo was when my plow guy would basically plow my truck in and I had mounds of snow to get over. Now living in south Florida and my rwd Taco will proudly stay a pavement queen used to tow my motorcycle

 

I’ve read on this forum many times suggestions that wet pavement is low traction enough to engage 4wd. Is that a warm dry state thing?

 

I believe that is just a disclaimer in the manual. If you could only drive straight in 4wd? That would mean, no rock crawling for Toyota's! (unless you're only doing straight lines?)

 

If you did any harm to it you would know it.

 

no. i've navigated hairpin turns in 4lo in rock gardens and everything went smoothly.

 

In truth, you could drop into 4H or 4L, crank the steering to RH or LH lock, do a slow 360* circle on dry pavement and not cause damage.

The truck will protest with chirping tires, bucking and resist holding the turn. I don't recommend doing this.

I did this on my test drive with the salesman in the cab on the dealer lot with the windows down. I was listening for unusual drivetrain sounds.

 

You're fine. You may have felt some binding or hopping, but nothing to worry about. Try and keep the actuator moving by using 4hi in a straight line. Enjoy the truck and don't sweat it. It's a truck, not a Christmas ornament.

 

SO all the people offroading and rock crawling must be on the edge of breaking their transfer cases.... Yeah... right.... Toyota trucks are reliable for a reason.

Don't worry....

Why do so many people think this is so bad? Watch some videos of people wheeling on the slickrock in Moab (Hint: it's the opposite of slick)

 

Find a gravel or dirt parking lot near your house and just use that as your area to engage the 4WD system in if you're not going to be using it routinely.

 

I don not miss the Vt mud season. I was in S Royalton for 3 years and lived on a dirt road. Hard to keep vehicles clean with all the salt and mud

 

I was up north of you in Johnson (Lamoille County) for 10 years. I don't miss the snow or the mud. In addition to not being able to keep the vehicle clean I also found it hard to go through a winter without a stone chip in my windshield!