new owner of 2003 4wd, makes grinding noises

Alright, so I'm new to the site. Yesterday i bought a 2003 double cab 4wd. My previous truck was a 99 prerunner Xtracab. So pretty much this is my first time owning a 4wd and operating it myself. the sales guy wasnt too informative on how to operate it. I sure wished that i was yesterday because i feel like my 4wd is messed up. Anyway, i cant figure out what gear i need to be in before i turn my 4wd on. Neutral? Park? Drive? do i push the button on my 4wd lever before i shift it in between 4h and 4lo? Yesterday when i was trying to figure it out, i could hear my lockers engaging and disengaging. however, only sometimes would my 4wd light come on, on my dash. Well when i was trying to figure it out my 4wd and shifter started making grinding noises and i couldnt get my truck out of neutral and if idid manage to my truck wouldnt move, like it was stuck. i couldnt find the directions in my owners manual. Which is why im here asking the question. The only thing my mind is going to is that i bought a 4wd truck with a messed up 4wd. Help a noob out. Thanks.

 

First off you have TRD sr5 if both elocker & 4wd, not prerunner, believe me this will confuse when trying to get info, for the E locker unless gray wire MOD has been done, it wont engage unless in 4lo, push elock button from stand still, for normal 4wd HI operation you can "shift on the fly" in drive dont need to be stopped, for 4wd LO ,must be engaged at stand still

 

Also to add on to what 4WD said, sometimes when you are stopped and engage the 4wd system the light may not always come on. However roll forward or backwards just a bit and it will turn on. The system has to line up and engage.

 

ok great, got it figured out. I need to push the button on my lever while im in drive. Whether im sitting still or driving down the road. That engages my 4h. Then to go into 4lo i shift to neutral with my foot on the brake and i can then move my lever forward to 4lo. Makes me feel a lot better knowing its not messed up. Thanks for the help!

 

Yeah, i saw that. I could hear them switch from 2wd to 4wd but my light wouldnt come on until i pulled up a few feet. Thanks for the help as well!