4X4 slipping??

I might have a problem with my new 2021/1794 Tundra I bought in Feb, 2021 from PNW. Last the PNW didn't get alot of snow so I have not use 4X4 at all. This week in Portland,OR., snowed in past several days and when I used it yesterday on the freeway under 55 MPH, the 4X4 has no problem at all but when I am turning the corner or backing it up into parking lot, I notice some noise coming from the rear of the truck??

Help!!

 

Never heard the idea of '4x4' slipping...I would take to dealer if concerned and perhaps switch 4wd off in those 'slipping' situations until you know things aren't being damaged. Locker engaged when sounds are heard?

 

Oh, you sequoia guys . Tundra center diff is always locked, so if you are using 4 wheel drive in any situation with traction where your tires cannot slip and you try to make turns you will hear binding and popping from your drive train as something tries to relieve the pressure.

 

Apalmtree...now, i'm lost?? the control knob on the tundra "pushin" knob when you settting into 4x4., I just turn the knob to right!! am I using it wrong?? the thing is when the truck runs on 4x2, i have no issues backing it up., NO SOUNDS at all but when using 4x4 it does??

 

There's a difference between 4WD and AWD. You should avoid using 4WD where your wheels can't slip.

 

What he said

it does it exactly like he stated above. When you are going straight in 4 wheel drive no noise but when you turn on concrete noise! Because everything is locked up,, nature of the beast. Not recommended to drive on concrete turning sharp corners in 4 hi or 4 lo.

 

so you guys telling me "it normal" thing for tundra??

 

I should clarify. When you are in 4x4 your center diff (transfer case) will be locked. It will always split power 50-50 front to back. When you are turning your tires are traveling different distances but the transfer case does not allow for that difference. So for the tundra and any other vehicle with a locked transfer case, this will be the case. The sequoias like @Johnsonman was getting at in his reply have a selectable transfer case locker so it can be used on dry pavement. In 4x2 you are getting 100% power to the rear and you should have no issues.

 

well, this is my very 1st "truck" for me with center diff(locked transfer case) kinda weird having sounds coming from the back!! I'd had a 2005 sequoia and had never heard that sounds coming from TOTOYA.

 

so should I not taking into dealer and have them check out??

 

What the replies are telling you is that 4WD and AWD are not the same thing. They behave differently. Read up on the functionality of both. If after learning about how these systems operate, you still think you have an issue, by all means have it checked out by the dealer. Or skip the research, take it to the dealer and have them try it out with you and explain whether yours is operating properly or not. If you have that kind of spare time. Sounds like it’s normal, but we aren’t there to see exactly what’s happening.

 

Tundras don't like being in 4WD on concrete. If you are doing it in the snow, gravel, dirt, mud, and sand you will be fine.

NOTE: Since you are new to Toyota 4x4s, I highly recommend using your 4x4 at least once a month. I normally take my truck to a gravel parking lot and drive it a couple laps in both 4WD Hi & Low each month.

I know several folks that have Toyota 4x4 on the fly switch and have lost their ability to use 4x4 because they never engaged it.

Use it or lose it.


O.S.T.

 

There wasn't alot of snow at the parking lot...just wet

 

Pretty normal reaction.

While turning your wheels while in 4WD, it will make all kinds of noise when on the street.

In your situation that you mentioned above, I would just disengage the 4WD if not much Snow in the parking lot.




O.S.T.

 

hmmmm... it's more than $50K truck!! i'll take it to the dealer and have them take a look or maybe I'm NOT a truck guy!!

 

All 4WD vehicles do that, it's the nature of 4WD. 4WD binds up if you're on a high traction surface which it sounds like you were. Nothing is broken, it's just the tires slipping on the asphalt. If you want to confirm nothing is wrong, do the same maneuver in the dirt, if you don't hear any "weird" noises then everything is fine.

AWD vehicles do not have this problem because they have an extra differential between the front and rear driveshafts which stops any binding, the Tundra and the majority of trucks and offroad vehicles with a true 4WD system have more traction but to the point it's an issue if the surface you're turning on is not slippery. The manual should explain this too if you have questions of the operating regimes for 4WD.

 

snivilous...thanks. i'll try to find some dirt around PDX area and do the same maneuvering.

 

for the moment I thought I was gonna lose my baby tundra!!!

 

■ Four-wheel drive usage frequency
You should drive in four-wheel drive for at least 10 miles (16 km) each month. This will assure that the front drive components are lubricated.

From the owners manual

 

FWIW, I don't know anyone who actually does this personally. It seems excessive. And yes, I know that's from the manual.

I engage 4WD when I need to use it. Sometimes that means daily for a minute for weeks or months (winter), sometimes it means 6+ months without use. I've never had an issue, and don't know anyone else who has either.

 

First gen tundra owner here....but looong time 4wd user and principles are the same.

Your front and rear differentials exist, because when turning, your left and right wheels will travel different length arcs across the ground, which means the outside tires on whatever turn your making, have to rotate more in the same amount of time, to cover the same amount of distance, as the tires on the inside of the curve do. A differential is a really clever design that allows wheels on both end of the axle to turn at different speeds than each other, while still powered by a common driveshaft.

Your rear tires also have rotate a different number of rotations, than your front tires do when turning. On a 2WD vehicle, this doesn't matter as your front wheels are just on hubs without an driven axle in common and can turn however they need to.

What is normall called "all wheel drive" or "full time four wheel drive" vehicles have a clutch or differential not just between the left and right, but the front and back sides of the axle, to accommodate this, they can stay in AWD all the time, without an issue. The downside is that center diff only applies power once the wheels start slipping so you don't get 'as much' four wheel drive (to put it simply)

Our trucks, are true" Four wheel drive" vehicles, do not have this center differential, this means that when turning, at least one front wheel, and one rear wheel, will turn at the same speed, no matter if they have to travel the same distance or not.

When going straight, or close to straight, such as on a highway, this doesn't matter as the tires simply slip the small amount needed without any noticeable effect.

When trying to make a tight turn, such as in a parking lot, the tires have to slip much much more to allow the truck to physically move. This causes stress, scraping, binding, etc if you are on a surface where the tires can't easily slip, which means any pavement unless its covered in ice, snow etc.

This causes extra stress, but isn't going to break anything under normal circumstances. You should still avoid doing it as it stresses things, and makes the truck harder to steer etc and causes more wear on your tires.

4WD is a tool. A truly powerful one that makes a mockery of 2WD vehicles on dirt or snow. But its not a universal tool, it has both pros, and cons, and that con is that you don't want to use it when making turns on pavement.

 

Rule of thumb; The dealer is not your friend. $50k+ is about average for a full size truck nowadays.

 

There is likely no mechanical issue at all here.

Check this thread and chart put together by @KevinK for explanation of the expansive system of traction control and stability on the Tundra.

Traction Control - Everything You Want to Know | Toyota Tundra Forum (tundras.com)

What you heard was likely either VSC or ATRAC.

Note that if you are on a steep incline and let off gas or brake you will hear similar sounds.

The traction control system in Toyotas can be jarring for first timers.

 

Funny, I was just telling a buddy last night that I still get tags for this post. He works at Toyota and helped with some of the scenarios.

also, OP, this is the best differential video ever made.

https://youtu.be/yYAw79386WI

And this is a pretty decent explanation of 4WD vs AWD.

https://youtu.be/isDQ0hid5Vw

 

Amazing how a near 100 year old video did a better job of explaining this simple concept than anything I have ever seen on the internet or school.

 

It's tough to make this happen. 10 miles is a long way to find a low traction surface. I'll sometimes engage 4x4 on the long straight road leaving my neighborhood. I see value in working the actuators.

 

If it was just wet, your tires weren't slipping enough for it to be in 4wd. The sounds you were hearing are completely normal, although not good for the truck, probably didn't do any damage to it at all, but not something you want to do regularly. If the roads aren't covered, you don't want to be in 4wd, you can get away with it if you are driving straight or taking gentle curves, but turning into a parking spot, not going to work.

 

I’d read all you guys feedback and watched the YouTube on “how & when to use 4x4”…thanks for your inputs, it’s nice to know my baby 1794/2021 will alright long as I don’t use on the pavement and I’ll be easy on backing up/4x4!! But I almost wet my pant!!