Long drives in 4x4... potential for something to go wrong?

Gents,
This thread is related to my "I will not quit! Dreaded 4HI/4LO/Diff ..." thread. I feel that this discussion warrants its own place on the forum.

As a drilling Navy Reservist, I have to drive from Key West to Jacksonville about every four weeks for drill. I'm used to it and actually don't mind long drives at all. It's a little over 600 miles with long stretches of interstate where I set the Cruise around 70 for hours at a time.

Because my Sequioa's 4x4 system is stuck in 4HI, I need to know if I'm going to burn something up by driving it in 4HI for this long. My gas mileage will be worse and I already am feeling that negative effect of it being in 4HI all the time. If it is just going to eat more gas, and there are not any negative side effects on the front differential, etc... then I'd like to hear some opinions on the matter.

I need to drive in a few weeks and I don't see myself having time to work on my truck because my pesky day job that actually pays the bills is getting in the way. Thanks fellas!

 

I drive my truck in 70 for hundreds of miles at a time in 4WD without any issues...(those come from tight turns in parking lots on dry pavement) how different is the Sequioas drive train?

 

Does the front driveshaft have a flange at both ends or a slip yoke…ie can you remove the driveshaft without consequence?

 

I once left my 4HI on for about 120 miles by accident with no problems, but I would not recomend doing that for long. If you have ever used 4HI on a paved road you can feel the drive train binding up when you turn.

 

Major problem will be if you've got to do anything requiring a heavy-lock turn in, like, a parking deck, or on anything with no slip. Wheels will bind, you'll hear popping, etc.

In general, you don't want to be in any 4-wheel mode while making turns unless the surface you're on has some "give" to it.

 

If I'm not mistaken, as of the 2005 model year, the Sequoia has a Torsen center differential, and unlike the the Tundra, can be driven full-time 4WD without consequence.

 

I was going to inquire about this^. As far as I know, the FJ100s (Land Cruiser) are the same basic driveline, and they're full time 4WD. The only difference to the front differential might be some extra cooling fins.

@Scuddog, you may want to link to your other thread to read so that people like me don't ask potentially repetitive questions.

 

That's what I was thinking too, if the center diff is unlocked they would be fine and driving in AWD. If the center diff is stuck and can't be unlocked they could pull the front drive shaft.

 

You guys rock. Even on tight turns my Sequioa doesn't display that grabbing and binding characteristic that I have experienced numerous times before with other 4x4 vehicles. If the dash lights were not on, I would not know that it is in 4WD at all.

I'm afraid that it will have to remain in 4HI for at least another month. My weekends are packed and I can't get any time to wrench/investigate.

Thanks again for everyone giving me the input. I'm pressing on that it is safe as I seem to have a system that doesn't go bananas when I make a turn on pavement.

I have a related thread which explains why I am in 4WD all the time. https://www.tundras.com/threads/i-w...but-problem-still-exists.110818/#post-2863223

 

I need to slip under there again to look at it. This is an interesting concept.

 

Your fine then.

You would be fine, to a degree, even if you had a locking center diff like our trucks, trying to make tight turns would just suck as you would skid your back wheels a bit and stress things more than you need to. I always put my truck in 4WD on the highway in winter, and half the time forget to take it out until AFTER i've skidded around a corner trying to park. Its fine, not ideal, but fine....and if you have a variable slip center diff, its not even worth thinking about.

 

Delayed update... I have been driving for over a thousand miles in 4HI now... no binding while turning so I must have that system mentioned above like the cruiser. I'll update my other thread in a sec.

 

Just don't get a flat tire or you'll be replacing all 4 tires or getting a new one shaved down to size.

I think with most 4wd/all wheel drive vehicles you need the tread depths within 3/16 of an inch to avoid putting unnecessary wear on the center differential. Someone correct me if I'm wrong here.

 

I drive my '13 in 4HI alot, no issues.

 

Just out of curiosity, why?

 

I had to look this up, so here's a good explanation of it.
https://youtu.be/8IXs-SKAqC0

 

Probably because you have twice as much traction, which is nice in all driving conditions.

 

I was thinking so he can recover from a pit maneuver when the popo chase him.

 

Well, it's a little more complicated than that.

 

Army of One - excellent video. It makes me feel a bit better putting thousands of miles on the truck in 4HI... but I still need to get this sorted.

 

Get 2 cheap CV axles on Amazon. Remove the shafts, boot, ball bearings, race and grease. What you have left are the cups. Install only the cups at the wheel hub and at the diff to prevent the oil from leaking out and to keep things clean. You’ll be in 2wd until you get this fixed. Front shaft will still spin but no binding.

 

Don't waste your money on any temporary measures. Just drive it as is until you're ready to actually fix it. You're not going to hurt anything.

 

Does your Sequoia have the center diff lock/unlock function like the video?

 

... except your wallet!

 

Thanks for the tip but I don't have any binding at all. Zero. I can go in a circle in forward or reverse full over in either direction and no binding at all. Apparently my system is not like a traditional part-time 4x4 system. The video cited earlier in this thread shows that I have a 4x4 full time setup similar to that found in a Subaru. The difference is that I can engage the center diff and lock the system when needed. The downside is that I am stuck in the AWD mode and can't get out of it. I also can't engage the center diff right now. Ugh. Thanks for the tip. My appointment is on Thursday for a diagnosis.

 

TVPIERICE - yes it does. Exactly as shown.

 

Yup, it was covered up here, earlier in the thread. I went and looked it up after. I assumed the truck and SUV functionality would be the same; you know what they say when you assume ... and thus, I'm the ass

 

I had the same system on my last 4Runner — on that vehicle they call it multi-mode. I ass-umed the Tacomas had the same setup, but later learned not only do they not have it, it wasn’t even an option.

 

SUVs only, not for the pickups... at least not in any pickups for the North American market.