TRD O/R 4wd functions

I'm not used to the myriad of different 4wd functions in my TRD O/R. A lot of times I'll be faced with an obstacle on a trail, and not quite sure what to go with. Locker on or off? ATRAC on or off? 4lo? 4hi? VSC? Has anyone ever made a guide or anything?

 

Too many different situations to give a clear answer. Use whatever gets you through or unstuck.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...lsd-trac-off-vsc-off-a-trac-rr-locker.577229/

this guide (not mine) might help you out. it breaks down what each mode does, then you can likely use that to inform your decision on the trail.

 

4hi, LSD, VSC for on-road
4hi, 4lo, atrac, locker for off-road

 

Learn how to do obstacles with just 4hi or 4lo first no lockers no atrac nothing. Learn to 2 foot drive. Getting harder and harder trails and obstacles then start adding the fun switches as the circumstance is required. Once you know how to drive the truck offroad and what it feels like in certain situations, line choice, etc having those aids will only make you even more capable. The rig can be the most capable thing out there but it is no smarter or skilled as the computer between your ears and your skillset as a driver.

 

She stays in 2wd for the most part.

4HI gets used pretty much only for snowy/icy roads or high speed stuff in the desert where I want the front and rear axles locked together as the rear has a tendency to lock up before the front when braking.

Pretty much any other time when im under 35mph off road is on some trail, and I just keep her in 4lo, More gears to choose from, easier on the drive train, less load on the motor and trans and the ability to use things like atrac / locker. Ill stick with no traction aids in 4lo as i crawl through things then as soon as i start to slip ill pop on the atrac or lock the rear.

 

It all depends on what you’re tackling. Only time I ever really use low is for steep rocks or really thick soupy mud. These trucks do give you lots of options though.

 

Same here. I pretty much only use 4HI on snowy/icy roads.

I live deep in the Rockies and all my off road use is really slow going and rocky. That's where 4LO and the locker come in

 

NO!!! This is why I hesitate to buy used 4X4's. NEVER use 4X4, hi or lo range on any dry surface with good traction. That includes pavement,(wet or dry) or even hard packed dirt. For short distances (that means 10-15') in a straight line OK. On a slick boat ramp yes, even though it is pavement but shift back to 4X2 as soon as you get back to dry pavement. If you're on loose dirt, gravel, sand, mud, snow, grass or any other surface that will allow your wheels to spin on the ground without damaging anything yes.

Driving in 4X4 when traction is good will cause wear on components and premature failure. The failure shows up sooner when you try to turn corners. In some cases catastrophic failure on the spot. People who do this may never see a failure, but they are damaging drive train components. It may not show up until the next owner drives it.

AWD vehicles are designed to send power to all 4 wheels at the same time, and at different speeds. They do great on wet or dry pavement, light snow, mud or sand. But they struggle as conditions get more severe.

Your 4X4 sends power to all 4 wheels equally which is great in harsh conditions. But if traction is good, and you try to go around a curve it stresses the entire drive line. U-joints, drive shafts, transfer case, and the transmission. When cornering all 4 wheels take a different path to arrive at the same place. When in 4X2 they are allowed to turn at different speeds to get there. In 4X4 they all turn at the same speed. Which means the inside wheels need to slip some on the ground. If traction is good it really binds up everything.

I use 4X4 sparingly and as needed even off road. Snowy and icy roads are OK, but if the snow is patchy you have to watch out and shift out of 4X4 when you get on clear pavement.

Low range doesn't help you get unstuck. It simply reduces the gear ratios by about 2.5X what they would be in high range. This is for pulling heavy loads or for those times when you need to creep very slowly over rugged terrain. It also allows you to creep down steep hills without using the brakes in slick spots. When in high range you need a lot of engine speed to get torque to get through rugged terrain or up steep hills. You end up driving too fast. Low range allows you to have the engine speed needed for the torque, but you're just creeping along.

 

Your 4x4 in 4hi absolutely does not send equal power to all 4 wheels at the same time. We have open diffs so that you can go around corners. Riding in 4hi for short periods in non parking lot maneuvers will not destroy your 4wd. It's only when you do extreme tight turning maneuvers that it puts any undue stress on any of the driveline. You need to go learn how differentials work. Also how are you switching out of 4wd on the fly at speed there is no way even on a manual, autos you'd have to come to a stop even at 35 mph that shit ain't happening to throw it in park and shift to 2wd. I ride 4wd somewhat often on pavement probably have over 10k miles of 4hi on dry pavement. I do agree that if used in an improper manner you could damage something but the way you describe it as a fragile piece of glass is wildly inaccurate. And in fact some of the owners manuals say to exercise the 4wd by putting it in Hi range every do often even on dry pavement just warns about parking lot maneuvers.

 

While yes we have differentials in the front and rear axles that can account for a difference in rotational speed left to right, there is no center differential to account for differences in net rotational speed of the front vs rear axle, hence why you should never use part time 4x4 on high traction surfaces in anything other than a straight line where everything is spinning at the same rate.

Also, manual or auto you can shift from 2hi to 4hi at up to 60mph without issue. (I do it all the time when traveling to the mtns to go ski)

 

Well come tell that last part to my 05 because that doesn't work on mine!

 

Ill bet it does, cruise in a straight line under 60mph, flip to 4hi, let up off the throttle to unbind everything and it should pop right in.

 

Newp have to come to a complete stop and put it in park. Have to be in park to engage it also. 4lo to 4hi I can put it in under 10 mph

 

4lo yes, you have to be fully into 4hi and be in neutral (auto) or clutch to the floor (manual) and under 3mph for it to go in.

4hi though has always been shift on the fly.

 

Not on mine. I just get a flashing light and beeping. Stopped and park shifts into 4hi from 2wd just fine

 

I can switch to 4H on the fly in our '05, I've done it many times.
Just have to let off the gas and not be turning too much as @nd4spdbh said.
Ours is a manual though, maybe that's the difference.

 

My 05 MT shifts on the fly no prob as well

 

Mine never has. On the card of instructions for shifting into 4wd it even says for autos you have to be in park.

 

You sure thats not under the 4lo section.