Need a 4 wheel drive lesson and when to use what

I am going to NYC with my wife that weekend or otherwise I would definitely be in. Sounds like a blast.

 

I'm sure we can work another weekend out.
I've got a season pass so whenever y'all want to go to URE lemme know. I may go to Gulches Nov 7th, Idk how their easy trails are for stock guys though.

 

Yes, keep me in mind. Like I mentioned to you before I just got out of back surgery so don't know when I will feel comfortable rocking my back but by mid to late November I think I'll be ok.

@acmccart8 - I'll keep you in mind when I do one of those classes. I'd love to take a structured class like the one offered and then get some real world practice after with @Sandman614 and others. Although, i got the truck for running around town and towing the pop up camper (works awesome but my previous tow vehicle was a Honda Minivan so all relative), I plan to slowly get into some off roading and use the truck for what it's partly intended for

And thanks to @David K - very helpful. Think I'll print out a cheat sheet for the truck so when I'm in a "bind" I can whip it out and not press the wrong button

 

@David K Excellent post, thanks for that! I didn't realize a quick press of the VSC Off switch did anything, I always thought you had to hold it down 2-3 seconds for it to disable the traction control. Hmm, learn something new every day.

It sounds like the you'll be getting the maximum traction from the drivetrain in the following configuration: 4LO + Rear Locked + ATRAC going <3mph because going >3mph disables ATRAC on the front when the locker is engaged.

Cool stuff.

 

I seriously think the A-TRAC works great alone... so do press the A-TRAC button the first time you go into L4, and never again (unless you see it isn't on). With the 2010 Tacoma I only use the locker for testing it in different scenarios (for information here) or when pulling a 2WD vehicle that can't make the climb... because I did not want to have any hesitation once we had momentum pulling another truck up a grade (A-TRAC can cut power as it activates to stop spin).

The Rear Locker is an emergency only (per Toyota) system, and yes... if you are stuck or going to get stuck without it, then use it. However, with A-TRAC you have all four wheels with traction getting power. The Rear Locker will spin both rear tires even it there is no traction... and spinning tires can cause problems or bury you. SPINNING is BAD!

Use A-TRAC only first... climb that hill, cross that mud, forge ahead. The locker is in your back pocket if the A-TRAC ever fails to get you to the other side!

It also goes without saying that if you have a 4WD, then USE IT! People who go off pavement, and don't go into H4 until they are in trouble could regret it. L4 is for steep hills, big rocks, deep gullies, mud and other challenges where more power or lower gearing to control speed is useful.

Once the graded or smooth dirt road turns into a soft/ rough/ slippery dirt road then press the VSC OFF button quickly (2012+) to go into TRAC OFF MODE, which is TRACtion Control with the engine regulation turned OFF [ie. more power to tires with traction as you have stronger braking on the non-traction (spinning) tires].

When the slippery/ soft/ rough dirt road becomes steep/ big rocks/ deep gullies then go into L4 (stop the truck, put the transmission into N (manual depress clutch), rotate dial to L4 (with A-TRAC on if you are an Off Road TRD). Not an Off Road 4WD? Pray! LOL, you can do the 4 Lo Trac Mod (yellow wire mod) to fool the computer into giving you TRACtion Control in Low Range.

Note: in sand, you do not want more power you want to float on top. More power will bury you in sand, so Low Range is NOT recommended by me except if you got stuck, then the A-TRAC will bring you out. If you go into sand (in H4/ TRAC OFF) and the truck begins to bog down... then stop and AIR out of the tires to increase the footprint... 10-20 psi depending on the type of sand, type of tires, weight in the truck, and weather conditions. Of course, having an air pump is essential to re-inflate once you are off the sand.

 

I have 10 and i have a 2011. Unless because i have a TX model.

 

Explain please. You have a TRAC OFF light that comes on in H4 with a quick press of the VSC button?

 

Im not sure. I thought from the post above that having A-trac with a locker was your 10 mode.
I will try what you have stated here. And report back. If i understand this whole 10th mode thing.

 

Ok no. I stand corrected. Have to hold the button for it to activate.

 

Understand that 10 is the quantity of modes available (to 2012 and newer Tacoma Off Road TRDs) and not levels of traction.

2009-2011 in H4 the engine regulation is off, no button pushing, it does nothing with a quick push. It was called "TRAC", but worked the same as AUTO LSD in 2WD, just on 4 wheels now.

2012+ they changed TRAC in H4 to have engine regulation (as it does in 2WD) and added the quick push of the VSC button to turn the regulation OFF... and added a light that says "TRAC OFF". In fact, it is TRAC turned ON with the regulation turned OFF... just as it was in 2009-2011 without pushing a button.

Stopping the truck, pressing and holding in the button for a few seconds turns the VSC and TRAC (BOTH) OFF... no limited slip and no stability control (unless you drive crazy, and it will come on anyway to save you).

 

Yhea i noticed doing dounuts in 4hi you have to turn it off or it its constantly trying to correct the slide.
I found that leaving it on in the rain is fun.

 

^ Yep.

 

Good morning Sandman. I'm new to NC and living in Greensboro. What are the dates that your group is heading down to URE. Is there much stuff for a mostly stock truck to run. I've been thinking about taking a ride down that way to check it out.

 

Well be there Fri-Sun and yea there is a lot for stock.

 

David: Sorry to bring this up again. Most of this I can follow. The only question is with respect to the VSC Off. I thought VSC is "always" on when driving and will trigger on its own if my rear wheels start to lose traction. I understand the "press and hold" to turn it completely off but the "quick press" is confusing. Does the "quick press" actually turn VSC on? All my other cars have VSC (with the same switch) but as far as I know it's always on - maybe I've been wrong but I have had the VSC indicator flash when fishtailing in the mountains before in other vehicles.

I know the dealer told me if I wanted to have fun in the snow and spin the truck out to press and hold VSC so it turns off and doesn't create traction.

Thanks again

 

Thanks.
Cheers

 

Hi John,
Thanks for your interest... let me see if I can clear it up!??

VSC is stability control... to help you drive straight when the truck wants to spin or slide sideways.
TRAC is traction control/ limited slip to help the truck move forward when a tire begins to spin from loss of traction.

2012+ models (2009-2011 do not have TRAC/TRAC OFF selection in H4, they are normally in TRAC OFF in H4, but they called it TRAC 'on'!):

Quick Press of VSC button: Changes TRAC to TRAC OFF (TRAC with engine regulation OFF) for more aggressive/ stronger limited slip action. VSC also goes off to 30 mph, then comes back on.

Press and hold VSC button for 3 seconds (while stopped): Turns off TRAC and VSC for NO limited slip action. However, if you drive dangerous it will come back on automatically.

 

Thanks. That makes sense but just to clarify a bit further. The TRAC has nothing to do with the ATRAC button, correct?

 

Correct.

TRAC is a 'lighter' limited slip with two levels: TRAC with engine output regulation and TRAC OFF (AUTO LSD in H2) with no engine output regulation, ie. uses brakes only to slow wheel spin.

A-TRAC is more like lockers, in that wheel rotation is matched across the axle equally dividing the power to both tires instead of losing power to a spinning tire. The hydraulic brake booster is required for the force needed by A-TRAC to halt wheel spin.