E-locker issue / periodic 4wd engagement

to note:

if your tires are not all evenly worn, don't keep it in 4wd on pavement even if driving straight

a diameter difference between front and rear causes a ton of stress on the transfer case, so be sure
to rotate tires often. awd don't care but pt4wd does...
worry less on snow and dirt but I use 4wd on pavement
now and then driving straight, but I make sure I rotate my tires every oil change too

 

i have only ever done it myself in a MT vehicle. but it is true that the system is indeed impressive. those calling it a gimmick haven't tried it in something similar to a stock truck.

 

Exactly what I was getting at when I made the OP I was simply saying "hey guys FYI maybe some of you are like me and don't have a brand new trail rig , maybe your gonna get the miles up on it before you try to go serious off-roading, so you should lubricate your 4wd periodically so that when it does become more of a toy than a Dailey driver nothing is seized. "And well like you said , doom and gloom followed. I know I'm not a veteran tacomaworld member but I have never had a single issues with driving in 4wd on pavement and your exactly right I don't see how the guys beating there rigs up and down rock trails are somehow using there 4wd more appropriately then me, ha. I guess I should have put up a disclaimer with my top speed, angle of turning, how long I was turning , what was the temperature outside , how much dirt was in my air filters , tread depth , and how many G's I was pulling coming out of my driveway. Ha .

 

ironic, isn't it? at my last forum i had half the guys saying i was beating up my car too much because i spent too much time on the road instead of the racetrack. and they had a point, too.

 

I don't want to beat a dead horse or split hairs here; but the dry, smooth rocks of Moab and many similar trails (especially desert mountain ones) still have way less traction than asphalt does. If you don't believe me, try walking down a big, steep rock normally without slipping, then try walking down a steep hill paved with asphalt...two very different kinds of traction.

For the most part though I agree, too many people on here act like the gates of Hell are going to open and swallow both you and your truck whole if you accidentally drive on pavement in 4wd. I've done it a few times on accident when leaving a trail, some of the trails around here dump out right onto a paved main road. Of course if you're in 4lo you aren't going to forget about it, but being in 4hi it's easy to let it slip your mind.

 

Actually, you are not correct in the first part of your post. The Coefficient of Adhesion of dry slickrock is 0.8 or higher. The Coefficient of Adhesion of normal dry pavement is 0.6 to 0.8. Wet pavement is 0.4 to 0.6. These factors are observed and tested constants that are used in calculations to determine torque required to spin or slide a driven wheel under different ground conditions.

 

I had to have my rear differential replaced due to incorrect installation at the factory. The issue was that the e-locker did not engage properly. After the first "repair" the dealership thought they had solved the problem because they got it to engage. I also got it to engage and later found out it would only engage intermittently. When the e-locker is trying to engage, which can take a moment, the dash light will blink at a slowish pace. I discovered that mine also flashed quickly sometimes, which was the signal that the attempt had failed.

I took me some time to trust that I had a working e-locker. As has been said, you should be engaging these elements intermittently, preferably on a low-traction surface.

My real point, if anyone is still reading this, is that if your locker indicator is flashing quickly, you have a problem.

 

The ATrac System that we have is pretty good too.

 

yeah i tried it on the same stuff. this is at the turn around up top.

 

Some funny reading here. I have been driving vehicles with automatic locking differentials for over 20 years. It will not hurt anything to leave the locker locked off road. It will make it more difficult to turn sharply, but you can turn it off if you need to. The Taco elocker takes a second but works as well as any I have used.

My advice is to not wait until you are stuck to engage 4x4 or the locker. It might be too late by then. Cheers.