2022 Tundra Binds During Sharp Turn with 4x4H Engaged

So many of these questions lately on here and FB. This is why I will probably never buy a used (newer) truck.

 

Ford's is not automatic 4x4 and I don't believe GM's is. I don't know about Ram but someone told me it was just automatic 4x4.

My 2014 F150 is constantly adjusting torque to the front wheels on the fly when in 4Auto, even on dry pavement. It even has a little display in the intrument cluster to show the torque distribution in real time.

 

4WD or any other drive mode is not going to save you from a patch of black ice. There is nothing wrong with your truck.

 

Well yeah; that's why I was very careful to say 'nor does/do any other trucks I've owned' I'm sure they exist, but honestly, as has been said quite a bit, the subject of reliability is in question the more parts/functionality get added, and if it's binding that much in turns, it usually means there's traction there...negating the need for 4WD. I just assumed I've always been on the hook for knowing when/how to use it.

With that said, I will say never owned *ANY* vehicle that didn't bind just as much (if not more) at full lock when making turns, 4WD or AWD (not counting one Subaru I drove).

 

The tremor high package uses the transfer case from the Raptor. The raptor case is a clutched based awd case like what comes in the Lariat and higher trim F150's, but it has the addition of a mechanical lock for when its in 4hi/4lo. The regular F150 4Auto t-case does not mechanically lock, just fully engages the clutches.

Lower trim F150's below lariat have a stand 2hi/4hi/4lo t-case.

The good news is, you can easily swap any of the F150 t-cases into any F150. Plenty of people have swapped to or from 4Auto t-cases and even swapped in Raptor cases into non-Raptor F150's. You just flip a few software switches in Forscan and it works just like it came that way from the factory.

 

I didn’t know this but it explains a lot of what I’ve seen on the trail from F150s.

 

No expert here, but here are some tips from others.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/10-tips-for-driving-in-the-snow.10107/

 

What have you seen? I've not heard of many complaints out of the 4Auto t-case, and I personally havent had issues with mine on trails. I think a lot of people upgrade to the Raptor t-case when they are making a ton of power(tuned Ecoboosts or Supercharged 5.0's making 500+ whp) and launching them really hard. The Raptor t-case will mechanically lock in 4Auto mode if it reaches a certain torque threshold.

 

I noticed the same binding feeling on my '22. It's the tires slipping. I just pop the truck out of 4wd when in parking lots. I'm in and out of 4HI probably a dozen times a day in winter. No biggie.

 

Excessive wheel spin on what should be simple climbs without break traction.

 

OP should read :

2022 Tundra performs like 4x4 when 4x4H engaged

 

I do miss the 4 Auto I had in the GMC before my Tundra. It was perfect for those times when the roads had some slippery sections or were wet. With 4A you could floor it away from a stop in the wet without lighting up the rear tires. I didn't use it when conditions were very dry, as you could feel the increased resistance of the front drivetrain being engaged. GM uses a clutch in the transfer case to allow for slip in 4A. 4H and 4L don't have the clutch. Not a true AWD system like in an SUV with a center diff but it worked well and was trouble free. I imagine Ford uses the same system in the F150 with 4WD Auto. I think it's available on Lariat and up trims.

 

Only a fool thinks part time 4WD is superior to 4A, AKA fulltime 4HI in Toyota speak.

 

That’s really sad.

I’m sorry you and most of the people you know are not trained on the workings of a selectable 4X4 drive system. Maybe I can help.

When you or anyone else selects 4 Hi or 4 Low on a 2 Hi, 4 Hi, 4 Low transfer case you’re selecting to mechanically lock the transfer case into sending a pre-determined amount of torque to both the front and rear prop shafts. Typically this is a 50/50 torque split. The design of the transfer case Toyota uses will not allow the engaged prop shafts to turn at different speeds.

The inability of one shaft to turn faster or slower than the other is what is creating the binding when you attempt a sharp turn on a dry high traction surface like pavement. The front tires need to rotate at a different speed than the rear tires, and all the tires have plenty of grip. So rather than the tires giving and slipping, you’re putting that force into your ring gears, pinion gears, u-joints, and transfer case hardware.

The same applies from one side to the other, for example the inside tire when making a turn spins more slowly than the outside. This is why open differentials exist on everything on the road, and employ various hardware, when desired, that can force both wheels on opposite ends of an axle to spin at the same speed. An example would be a limited slip differential that uses clutch packs and a friction modified fluid to automatically turn one wheel when the other one spins a certain percentage faster, these are pretty nice for on road use because they can account for turning without locking up for no good reason. Another would be a locking differential, where the axle is mechanically locked at which point binding and wheel hop become an issue when locked, but traction is increased tremendously.

There has been some criticism of Toyota for not offering a more sophisticated 4 wheel drive system that offers 4 auto. In a 4 auto system the transfer case can quickly change from 2 Hi to 4 Hi based on available traction at the rear axle, most other 1/2 tons have such systems available as an option. You probably wouldn’t notice any binding in one of those making a tight turn, because on a high traction surface it would actually be in 2 Hi. Toyota instead elected to give us a very simple, albeit more robust, 4 wheel drive system that the end user has to manage themselves.

I for one would love to see Toyota offer the outstanding, world class, Torsen gear set full time 4 Wheel Drive case with selectable 4 Hi or 4 Low that they use in the Land Cruiser with a center differential lock. That allows the standard 4 Hi case to allow a differential prop shaft speed unless it is locked, and automatically adjust torque axle to axle. No binding on pavement, no clutch packs to worry about, no special friction modified fluids, hell for stout, and always in 4 wheel drive.

However Toyota wants to be cheap and not give us a Torsen equipped transfer case on the Tundra. Even though it’s used behind the same transmission and engine, in the same frame architecture as the Tundra when it’s pulling duty in a 300 Series Land Cruiser, or Lexus LX600.

Long story short, you’re going to have to select between 2 Hi and 4 Hi based on road conditions on pavement making tight turns like you describe. If it’s legitimately slick you won’t do damage because the wheels will slip a bit and give that energy a line of release. Otherwise if it’s dry, don’t leave it in 4 Hi.

 

Correct.

Toyota not giving us the Land Cruiser transfer case on the Tundra, at least as an option, is bullshit.

 

I do too but my wife is questionable.

 

Same here.

My wife is a hopelessly bad driver.

 

Good thing you didn't marry her to be your chauffer, right?

 

4Auto and fulltime 4WD are not the same. The fulltime system has a center differential, 4Auto does not.

 

When I first got my tundra, I had to figure this out. Only other non 2 wheel drive vehicle I owned was a 2000 Land Rover Discovery Series II. Which used an AWD system. I installed a center differential lock on mine which I believe functions the same as 4Hi or 4L. I have to say this is probably the wrong crowd given the reliability reputation of those vehicles… but man I loved that truck. Best snow winter vehicle I have ever had. I lived in Reno when I owned it and driving up over Donners pass they regularly have checkpoints to make sure you have chains on. I always rolled up with nothing but my duratracks and they would smile at me and wave me on…

 

Damn right.

I love her, but she’s not a smooth driver. She regards the accelerator and brake pedals as either on or off. They aren’t an adjustable input to her, at least that is how it seems.

Most recently she got into a fight with lane keep assist in my mom’s Lexus RX350. Rather than let it do it’s thing and accept the steering wheel movement as the system steers for you she kept trying to steer against it, which makes the lane keeping correct even more. So the car is darting around in the lane like a drunk is behind the wheel.

Then she gets mad when I suggest turning it off because she’s too busy fighting with it to find the button. Logical right?

Easiest solution was to take over driving again. No break for me.

 

I think she might do it on purpose so she does not have to drive.

Like a husband who “accidentally” ruins some laundry so he’s not allowed near the washing machine or dryer ever again….

 

They missed the mark for sure with the part time transfer case, heck even the wrangler has a 4 auto mode now.

 

Those things are awesome. Also Duratracs are in the snow to. I think they are about as close as you can get to a snow tire without getting an actual snow tire

 

Is everyone locking their hubs before they leave the driveway or waiting until they are hung up?

 

I’ve had a very good life… and the way you know that is my only regret so far has been selling that vehicle..

And ya those duratracs were amazing. And they honestly held up fantastic. Not a ton of road noise, but extremely capable tire.

 

His and hers 5.7s.