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4 Wheel Drive

Discussion in '2.5 Gen Tundras (2014-2021)' started by Nflguy, Jul 26, 2022.

  1. Jul 26, 2022 at 3:51 PM
    #1
    Nflguy

    Nflguy [OP] New Member

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    This is my first 4 wheel drive truck. After some quick research I found that you can switch to 4H while driving as long as your not going over 60 MPH. I don't know if its okay to exceed 60MPH once you have switched to 4H though.

    I also heard that I'm supposed to stop the truck and switch to Neutral before switching to 4L and that's only for going very slow (under 5 mph) and to stop the truck again before switching from 4L to 4H or back to 2w drive.


    I saw a Toyota mechanic video with suggested maintenance etc. One thing he said was to use your 4H and 4L at least once or twice a year. He claimed that if you go more then a year without using 4H or 4L that it can cause major mechanical issues down the line.

    I was told you are only supposed to use 4H or 4L on slick/slippery services or services like rocky roads where you wheels might not grab the road very well. That if you use 4H or 4L on dry paved roads (which is all I have most of the time) you can screw up the system. So if i live in an area that rarely has slippery roads then where can I use 4H/4L occasionally to prevent the system from having issues from lack of use.


    Lastly, what's the big deal with full time 4 wheel drive? I heard many youtube reviewers complain that the Tundra doesn't have full time 4 wheel drive. If i can switch to 4H at anytime while driving (as long as im not going over 60 mph) then what's the big deal that its not full time? Wouldn't full time 4 wheel drive get worse gas mileage?
     
    Ely010606 likes this.
  2. Jul 26, 2022 at 3:58 PM
    #2
    TundraMcGov.

    TundraMcGov. Your friend. Your foe. Not yo Ho.

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    You've pretty much got it right. Though I would tell you that I've gone, oh, 7/8 years without going into 4WD before on my 1997 Toyota truck and never ever had a problem. I bump my Tundra into 4HI usually once a year. However YMMV.
     
  3. Jul 26, 2022 at 3:59 PM
    #3
    GODZILLA

    GODZILLA Hail to the King, Baby.

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    If you need 4WD you shouldn't be going over 60 anyway.

    To exercise the 4WD pick a straight road and you can do it on pavement. Don't perform any tight turns with it engaged as you'll bind things up and can cause damage.
     
  4. Jul 26, 2022 at 4:01 PM
    #4
    Retired...finally

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    To answer a few of your questions, It's save to use 4wd on straight, dry roads especially of you keep your tires rotated and they are all worn evenly. Tight turns are where the problems occur. As far as how often? I think it's much more often than once a year. Your owners manual mentions it. I think it may be once a month. And top speed in 4wd? Again refer to the manual.

    My Element had all wheel drive but it was a reactive system waiting on wheel slip to happen before the other axle got the torque. I'm not a fan of using 4wd on icy roads unless you need traction. Any unbalance of torque to the wheels could cause a wheel to lose traction resulting in a loss of control.
     
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  5. Jul 29, 2022 at 7:11 PM
    #5
    PA452

    PA452 New Member

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    As Godzilla said, if you need 4WD, you really probably shouldn't be going over 60 mph anyway.

    While you can drive in 4HI on dry pavement if it's straight, I still wouldn't personally. There has to be some gravel roads in your area somewhere, or some grass you can drive on or something. Or do you get snow in your area? Bare minimum, wait until it's wet.

    The manual does say something about so many miles a month, I forget. But a couple times a year is fine. Personally, I never engage 4WD on my truck (or any previous truck I've owned) just to exercise the system. I engage it when I need it and that's more than a few times a year (though rarely long). The only time I ever drive miles with 4WD engaged is on snow-covered roads, and I'm talking roads that are actually slick, not just getting some flurries.

    I don't know much about the full-time 4WD systems on some trucks. But I believe some of them allow you to put the truck in 2WD, 4WD, or something equivalent to AWD. AWD I believe isn't as good for many offroading tasks as 4WD, but it can be used on dry pavement. In some ways I actually prefer my Subaru's AWD system on snowy roads. Let's say I'm driving the truck on roads that are snowy in places and dry in others. I'm in and out of 4WD a lot to avoid making sharp turns on exposed pavement while still getting necessary traction on snow-covered hills and such. When driving the AWD car, it's just in AWD all the time. So I get the traction I need when the road is snow-covered, but I can still make any turns I'd normally make where the pavement is exposed.
     
  6. Jul 30, 2022 at 10:30 AM
    #6
    Joe333x

    Joe333x Member

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    Absolutely no problem throwing it in 4hi while going straight on the highway. The comparison of full time vs part-time 4wd is that with part time there is no center differential to change the speed between your Front tires, so they both spin the same speed which obviously is an issue with corning if one cannot slip so you can end up binding the gears. Fulltime 4wd or awd systems are much better performance for on road driving. Partime 4wd is better for off-road. My Subaru would outperform a tundra in the snow but my tundra in 4lo will outperform the Subaru on the sand. You cannot actually shift into 4lo without stopping and going into neutral, the system will not let you do it. 4lo is great if you driving in sand or mud.
     
  7. Jan 16, 2023 at 7:01 AM
    #7
    WesternTundra

    WesternTundra New Member

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    Is it normal for my 23 tundra to make a mechanical noise when switching from 4H to 4L? What should it sound like? What should it not sound like?
     
  8. Jan 16, 2023 at 7:17 AM
    #8
    Terndrerrr

    Terndrerrr guzzling dealer repellent

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    Both my LX and my Tundra make a clunk sound when going into 4Lo. This is normal. I guess if it's a grinding or whining sound, that would be bad.

    I'm also going to say, you should exercise those actuators at least monthly, not yearly. I don't think my LX had been put into Low range or had the center diff locked ever since new, and I bought it with 150k miles. It took changing the oil in the transfer case and a few days of working those actuators at the end of every trip to get them to work without throwing lights on the dash.

    Keep your stuff in good working condition, and it will always be ready when you need it.
    :oops::anonymous:
     
  9. Jan 16, 2023 at 7:27 AM
    #9
    AZBoatHauler

    AZBoatHauler SSEM#140/ASCM#3/2ndGenNaysayer/BAF140

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    What @Terndrerrr said. it’s normal to hear the t-case thunk when it engages if going slow or stopped. Also normal to “feel” the front driveshaft engage and get power. A hum of the actuator as it engages is normal too.


    Agree grinding, squealing, chirping, binding are all the bad things you don’t want to hear/feel.
     
  10. Jan 16, 2023 at 7:29 AM
    #10
    AZBoatHauler

    AZBoatHauler SSEM#140/ASCM#3/2ndGenNaysayer/BAF140

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    He hasn’t driven a LC / LX with KDSS.
    :burnrubber:
     
  11. Jan 16, 2023 at 8:21 AM
    #11
    Terndrerrr

    Terndrerrr guzzling dealer repellent

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    I've exceeded 60mph in my truck in 4Hi, lol.
     
  12. Jan 16, 2023 at 8:50 AM
    #12
    joonbug

    joonbug °°°°°°°°°°

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    60mph limit is only for switching. You can go over 60 in 4wd. We do it all the time.
     
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  13. Jan 16, 2023 at 8:56 AM
    #13
    Terndrerrr

    Terndrerrr guzzling dealer repellent

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    I do not condone it on an OEM setup. Still, it's really fun in the right conditions.
     
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