4 Lo and WDH question

Hello there! I have a 2017 Tundra platinum and when I shift to Neutral and go to 4 LO, it does come on with the 4 high light and VSC light. However it is flashing and beeping the whole time. Is this normal? 2nd question is about WDH hitches. I am looking at the Weigh safe hitch ball mount. However after reading the Tundra manual it says anything over 5,000 lbs requires a weight distribution hitch. I am thinking it would be smarter just to buy their middleweight WDH and then take off the bars when towing less then 5,000 lbs. What have you guys used when towing 5k-9k lbs?

 

No, its not normal to be flashing and beeping...that means its trying to switch between t-case gears... does it appear to actually go into 4low...as in you can tell the gears are super low? sounds like its not going in... try just shifting to 4hi...wait for the flashing to stop ( you might need to put it into drive/neutral/roll a little sometimes), then go into 4Lo.

On the WDH...yes...use the WDH on things over 5k...and if you tow something smaller you can not use the bars.... however, its somewhat more about tongue weight though than overall weight. the more tongue weight you have the more you'll need the WDH. lots of articles on this subject. tundras have pretty soft rear springs so you'll need the WDH in order to not squat so much and also xfer some of that weight to the front axle.

 

Awesome thanks for the Reply. I did do all of that and it continued to beep until I went back to 4WD maybe something is broken in the box that controls the shift. No I dont think it actually went into 4LO. I think I will just get the weigh safe WDH to be safe and futureproof. I do have airbags to help with the load but I might as well make the tow more stable.

 

Drive hi 4 before hr low 4 only way to engage

 

Careful with the airbags and WDH... If you pump up the airbags too much you'll defeat the function of the WDH... It needs to carry some of the weight on the spring bars to be effective in transferring weight. We can dive in further if you'd like to.

 

Copy that on the airbags I was told to run about 10 PSI just to fill them up with the WDH. Yeah I tried about every combo with the 4 Hi to Low and still just beeps and the 4lo flashes. I will take in to toyota when I get time.

 

As noted with the 4Lo issue, run it 4hi for a little bit (on a low traction surface like gravel or dirt road, NOT on pavement). Shift in and out of 4Hi/2Hi a few times, then try engaging 4Lo on the same low traction surface. You've got the process down correctly - stopped, in neutral. Turning the wheels side to side and taking your foot of the brake can occassionally help. Sometimes the actuator acts up when it hasn't been used in a while and sticks.

As for WDH and airbags.. they are a great combo. It is usually better to inflate the bags a bit, drop the trailer on to the hitch, then tighten up the WDH. It works just as well with or without the airbags; it's purpose is to return weight to the front axle that was moved rearward when the trailer is hitched up. The trailer tongue weight uses the frame as a lever and the rear axle as a pivot to leverage weight off of the front axle. The WDH restores that; it doesn't care if you have marshmallow springs or hockey pucks for rear suspension - it will try to reverse that leverage and restore weight to the front axle (and push a little weight back to the trailer axles in the process).

I've used airbags for years and have been happy with the results they deliver towing. Some trailers simply aren't able to be setup with a WDH (or shouldn't be - like a boat trailers) despite the weight being over 5k lbs. Travel trailers are usually a little tongue heavy, so they work great with a WDH.

Most WD hitches are just fine to use without the bars for lighter trailers. But honestly, I keep a spare stinger or my adjustable height hitch (I use an Anderson Rapid Hitch) on the truck and swap it out when not using a WD hitch. Most travel trailers have a very tall hitch height compared to other utility trailers, so the WD hitch is usually setup taller than I want or need to keep my other trailers level when towing.

 

You have to switch to 4HI and 4LO periodically, like every few weeks, or it will seize. A few of us also found that replacing transfer case oil with Ravenol MTF-3 helps with ease of switching tremendously. Especially in freezing weather.

 

Thanks Guys! good to know and yes I do believe my 4 lo has seized up. One more question, Does anyone know a cheap way to test the Brake controller to see if it works without trailer. I know they make the $200 test units but wondering any DIY ways. The code reader was getting a C14A4 overcurrent code. I did reset codes and it went away but have yet to hook up trailer. I hope it is still working but would like to know before I rent a trailer.

 

Not that i know of. is there a friend or neighbor nearby you could connect to? you dont necessarily even need to hitch up to...just get close enough to plug in...you should be able to hear the trailer brakes activate

 

Maybe I could stop by a uhaul and test it. You would be able to test the Gain or just if they come on and off?

 

you'd need to hook up and drive to test the gain...but thats going to be different for each trailer anyway so you'll need to adjust it to the trailer you rent.

 

IPA makes a brake force meter just wondering if I can use a multimeter and see voltage change off the 7 pin when adjusting gain

 

I'm sure you could....if you had someone in the cab moving the manual lever. but i'm not sure how much that will tell you.

 

Exactly what I do. You don't need to drive it far. Works every time for me. Same with coming out of 4lo. Someone mentioned low traction service but mine will engage just fine on pavement. I don't drive it far on pavement. I just engage it every month.

 

I ended up getting a cheap tester unit on Amazon but the led is not coming on for trailer brakes. I guess I will find out when I rent the trailer in a few weeks! Besides the 5,000 lb limit without a WDH the manual also states over 2,000 lb you need a sway control device? I will be towing a 20' flatbed trailer with a RZR. Are they talking about having a rear sway bar installed or is this something that comes on trailers?

 

That trailer won’t have brakes so no worries.

 

It would likely be an anti sway hitch.

What makes you think it won't have brakes? My 12 foot utility trailer has brakes, so I would guess a 20' flatbed is going to as well. Unless OP means a lightweight utility trailer, but even then I would guess it's a tandem axle and has brakes.

 

Maybe a poor assumption. Every sxs I see on a trailer around here is on a Tractor Supply style trailer with a 4-pin connection and no brakes. Maybe somebody bought a $5k trailer for their sxs…

I tow mine on a 16’ trailer from Tractor Supply - no brakes.

 

Ah, I don't have a tractor supply close by so that would just be ignorance on my part. Most of what I see around here are Big Tex trailers, and any that are tandem axle and rated up to 7K lbs have brakes. When OP says a SxS on a 20' trailer so I assumed tandem with brakes.

 

Not all tandem axle trailers have brakes but most do. It is dependent in weight rating for the most part. I would think that a 20' trailer with a 7000 lb capacity has brakes. I would not be concerned with sway control on a flat bed.

 

Yes its a Tandem axle with Electric Brakes. Basically a car hauler. Just wondering whats up with the 2,000 limit before sway control in the manual? These truck already have an electronic sway control built into the VSC correct?

 

I believe it’s called lawyerease…