Sharp turn in 4hi in drive pavement

No.

 

Some people talk like these trucks are made entirely of paper mache! They were built to take a decent amount of abuse, but don't make a habit of this OP.

 

Yeah, lots of trails in Wharton State Park, beautiful place to go wheelin’. I don’t personally live in NJ anymore.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YyANCxPjKK7ttpGS8?g_st=ic

 

It's each axle input that turns the same speed in 4wd and not necessarily each wheel. Driving on the highway is absolutely fine even with slight curves. At speed there is enough natural slip in normal tire operation to relieve the small amounts of bind without issue. It's slow speeds and turns where large amounts of bind build up quickly and need to be relieved over very little wheel rotation such that natural slip can't accommodate it and it turns into required scrub, which creates the bind you feel in the driveline.

 

No.

 

What happened to the OP happens sometimes to everybody. It is best to try to avoid it as much as possible and that is why I advise against getting in your 10 miles/month on pavement. The reward isn't worth the risk.

While technically you don't do any damage if driven in a straight line you are over stressing your driveline. Catastrophic failures are rare, but if you plan to keep the truck a long time you will wear parts out sooner if stuff like this happens often.

Read enough on various forums and you see trends. When you read about guys having to replace CV axles, they've been driving in 4X4 in areas where traction is too good. The guys who have trouble engaging or disengaging 4X4 have been using 4X4 improperly. If you need new U-joints, you've probably been using 4X4 improperly.

The most expensive damage is stretching the drive chain inside the transfer case. This doesn't happen overnight. But every time you put the drivetrain under stress the chain stretches some. It will eventually start slipping on the cogs and you'll need to rebuild the transfer case. I participate in several truck and SUV forums. This comes up more often than you'd think.

 

Depending on several factors, yes.

 

Negative. A common issue is the automatic differential disconnect actuator which doesn't come soldered from the factory. Normal wear and tear / vibrations / etc. from using one's vehicle in spec / within limits may cause the ADD actuator contacts not to touch +12V and ground. This connection should have been soldered at the factory but wasn't for some reason. Many who have trouble engaging or disengaging 4X4 are having trouble because of a design defect.

You can use your Taco within specifications and have your Taco stuck in 4X4 or unable to come out of 2WD because of this issue (among many others). You may consider putting that broad brush you are painting with away and stick with specific instances/examples you can point to.

 

Yes it actually makes the wanky FWD shift system work better with use. I'm in Maine it snows a lot it like the FWD to work for me. Yeah I have forgotten that it still was on in say a parking lot let me know right away just backed up a shifted it out no big deal.

 

You should absolutely use 4hi monthly as per the manual to keep the 4 wheel components lubricated and working properly.

You do not want to make shap turn in 4hi/lo on dry ground, you can damage the system.

I doubt you hurt it for the little you did in 4 hi.

I use 4hi monthly and my truck shifts in to 4hi and 4lo without issue, I also use the diff lock every few months and have 0 engagement or disengagement issues.

 

You drive in the snow, etc, Ya hit a dry patch and have to turn but wait 4wd is being used. Na, no worries.

 

Absolutely zero damage

 

I wait for a rainy day. Lucky for me, we've gotten a ton of them this summer...

 

Not likely. That said: don't do that anymore. You can exercise 2H/4H on dry pavement moving along in a straight line. Just remember to switch it back before making a sharp turn again. For 4L I only do it standing still in my driveway and maybe moving it 2 feet. I don't trust it to give me back 4H again in some remote east nowhere spot and now I have a 10 mile trip at 5 mph back to civilization. There should be a warning light that says: "Are you sure?" when you engage 4L.

The only other inviolate rule is never shut off the truck while it's in the middle of making a shift operation from 2H to 4H or vice-versa. You'll confuse it (and aggravate it) and it might just quit and start with the beeps and blinking lights show: because now you're not in either. (and you might end up having to take things apart to make it right again...) (or worse: paying someone else to fix the flashing lights and beeps.)

 

That's an interesting take. It makes sense, of course the Xfer case drive chain transfers a lot of torque and will be subject to a certain amount of wear. Haven't seen many complaints by Taco or Tundra owners having to replace this chain and/or rebuild the xfer case on TW forums. I'm sure that design/engineering choices about how big & beefy to make the chain & xfer case gears relates directly to how often this happens in a given make/model of vehicle.

Anyone have hard facts about the differences in transfer case chain/gear design among major models of popular off-road trucks, jeeps, etc?

Are Taco xfer case gearsets & chains notably bigger, smaller, or about the same compared to other part-time 4WD vehicles in the same weight class, i.e. 4000-5000 lb curb weight?

 

I can't speak to whether they are more robust in the Tacoma. What I can offer is that they are pretty tough and don't usually break.

 

Looks like we have about 15-20 driveline engineers that can't agree on shit.
Lol go to Moab where the rock is twice as sticky as dry pavement and watch the part time 4wd vehicles in 4lo or 4hi making tight turns and nothing usually breaks.
OP, you are fine.