First time wheeling an automatic, what should I know?

So my 2020 Tundra is my first "real truck" but I previously wheeled a 4x4 Nissan Pathfinder with manual transmission and manual 4x4 (two sticks!). I have practical experience driving off-road in a manual transmission being able to do things like easily rock my vehicle back and forth when its stuck or pick a gear and stay in it as long as I want, drop the clutch, etc. but autos are new to me.

• If I'm going up or down a steep and rocky grade and need to maintain a slow but constant speed should I hold it in first or second gear (in addition to being in 4LO) or will this cause damage or strain to my transmission?

• If I'm going down a long steep grade on a service road with loose gravel, etc, and I want to control my speed can I manually select a gear and leave it in place while in 4HI or will this cause strain as well?

• I have heard coasting in neutral is bad for the transmission, is that correct?

• In what off-roading scenario should I turn on/off certain "nannies" like traction control and ATRAC or things like tow/haul and some of the other systems I've seen mentioned.

Is there anything different about going off road in an automatic? Or more specifically a Tundra?

 

Use 4low if running low speed, hills, really most of the time off road. 4wheeling in 4 hi generates a lot of heat and you dont need the higher speed capability usually unless you are running speed in the dunes or desert. 4low the truck will be stronger, is easier on the truck and offers more control and you can get plenty of speed for off road.

Sure you can turn off traction control- no problem and helpful off road. Is fun on the road too, lol. S mode will be helpful in climbs, downhill to keep the truck in the power band, keep temps down and power up, also better engine braking.

No coasting offroad- less control in neutral, stay in gear. No benefit to coasting and its dangerous.

 

4Lo in 1st gear going down steep grades works great, no overheating issues

4Hi doesn't really engine brake unless you're going fast, I'd stick with 4Lo

I wheel hard and I've never had to go into neutral.

I've never manually turned off my nannies, they've never interfered with my wheeling. Although the fast guys in the desert do turn theirs off.

The Tundra is heavy and picks up speed quite quickly when going down hill, I'm pretty much in 4Lo once I'm on a trail and shift constantly to control my speed.
I also double foot because you'll quickly learn that the Tundra is not so elegant on obstacles, it likes to mash.
It's very easy to get high centered because of the long wheelbase, pay more attention to choosing your lines.
Watch your bumpers because approach and departure angles suck balls.

 

Great info, thanks all.

I ordered full skid plates and rock sliders 2 days after I got the truck. Front and rear bumper with some better angles are next on the list. Might be next year, that being said... How hard is it to accidentally set off the airbags while 4x4ing?

 

No coasting in neutral with ANY automatic, and don't tow it in neutral with drive wheels on the ground. Not because of control problems, but because the transmission oil pump is driven by the engine, not the tranny. Coasting doesn't have adequate pressure, since you're likely to be idling the engine. Towing with drive wheels on the ground has NO pressure with engine turned off. Some of these newer trannies might be different, but that's the way it's always been in past automatics. So I don't think I'd risk trying to find out if things have changed.

Automatic transmissions are pressure lubricated, manuals are not.

 

If you're sending it over dunes - easy. If you're crawling, I'd say it's pretty hard. My truck has rolled onto its side and didn't trigger. I've hit a countless number of trees (they hit me actually, those bastards) and rocks, although the truck is beat up still no issues with airbags.

If you plan to wheel hard I'd suggest getting the Victory4x4 gas tank skid.

 

There's no clutch...that was the brake pedal you just stood on.... Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

 

This surprises me. You do not turn the nannies off?

I think most go off when i shift into 4lo but i like to turn them off in 4hi as well. I have been in scenarios where I forgot to turn it off and came up against an obstacle and the engine felt like it was not building power as i mashed the pedal. I backed off and turned nannies off and drove right over.

Was this my imagination?

 

Taking a slightly different line or having just a little bit of momentum can make a big difference. But yeah, nannies are on although I’m willing to try turning them off the next time I wheel (next week) to see if they make a difference.

edit: going over an obstacle in 4hi is hard on the transmission. It’s like riding a bicycle up a hill in the biggest gear.

 

Which nannies did you turn off specifically? Did you just hit the "traction control" button, or did you do some of those combination press-and-holds I've seen posted on this forum before.

This is exactly the kind of info I'm looking for. I had no idea!!

 

Hmmm never seen that matrix before... very helpful. I guess disabling ABS in 4Lo would be nice. Sometimes, when I'm sliding down a big rock or ledge the ABS kicks in, which gets annoying but it doesn't hinder the truck's wheeling capabilities.

 

The press and hold traction button 3 times twice procedure is what i am referencing.

Roger that on 4lo with obstacles. For reference, i am talking a little bigger than a basketball rock. For multiple and or larger obstacles, i use 4lo. I drive like a grandpa. If i hit 2500 rpms, catastrophes is happnin.

 

I dont think that chart has the sequence i go through on it. I turn on-off 3 times holding button on last time till lights on dash come on. Then release and do again after a moment and diff lights come on. Sorry for all the technical terminology.