4wd Monthly

I recently bought a 2010 Tundra 5.7 4x4 and so I was reading the Owner's Manual (I am one of those people) and it said you should drive 10 miles a month in 4wd to keep those parts lubricated. I thought that is genius, but I have never heard that before and I do not know anyone does this. I don't know if I will go 10 miles but I will put this bit of knowledge into practice and do a little fourwheelin monthly. Any thoughts from the group?

 

I do it, been doing it since owning a 4x4 circa 1987. Not every month, but close.

 

I have the 2010 as well. I usually put it in 4 hi in stop and go traffic on the freeway. Speeds at this point rarely goes 40 mph. At work in a big parking lot, I would put it in 4-lo. I just want to make sure the actuators don"t get stuck.

 

Many will argue that even going straight on paved roads damage the system.

I have a straight 6 blocks coming up to my house. I usually exercise 4hi on that stretch after getting gas. Use 4lo to crawl a block or so.

In the winter I'll go full send on unplowed roads.

 

All I know is I went to use 4-lo the other day (first time in 6 months maybe) and acuation was ‘sticky’. Probably a good call to switch in and out on a PM.

 

Many will argue the earth is flat.

 

Hmm. Where are those Toyota specialists at. Maybe they only stick to the "real" forum aka Facebook.

 

Welcome aboard from SoCal.

 

You mean it's not??

 

https://www.tundras.com/threads/newbie-from-ky.70607/#post-1821064

 

I suppose since Yota felt the need to write it in the book it can't hurt!

 

Thanks i almost let that get by me

 

I engage my 4x4 anytime I am on a gravel road to “exercise” everything. This typically happens 4 to 5 times a year with all my previous trucks.

 

Yes, if the tires are different sizes.

 

I do it a couple/few times a year.

My 1997 T100 I'm pretty sure I've gone 100,000 miles without putting it in 4WD. Still works just fine at 263,000 miles.

I've always believed the owner's manual note for monthly 4WD engagement is about Toyota's new truck warranty management.

 

Who's running different sized tires on a 4wd?

 

You probably have a lot more issues going on than worrying your transfercase gears get no discernible wear if that's the case.

 

I go into 4hi every month. I keep a note in my phone with the date I last used 4wd to keep track of it. I think it’s a good idea to keep the actuator from sticking.

I’ve never used 4lo- I don’t ever plan to use it, will I be ok to neglect that part?

 

I have to admit, I thought this thread had something to do with FourWheeler magazine at first.......

 

that makes two of us. and my second thought was, "who the hell still reads magazines?" lol.

to answer OP's question, i try to remember to use 4 hi and 4 lo every other month or so. good excuse to find a dirt / gravel road when i live in the middle of a concrete circus.

 

There is a 1.2 mile stretch of 45mph straight road with one traffic light on it on my daily commute.

Whenever it rains I toss it in 4wd for the mile or slightly less.