How often to you engage 4WD?

I totally forgot about the locker! Yep, use it or lose it I suppose.

 

On a related topic, using 4WD in snow, mud, sand, whatever. An old guy told me one time... "Don't use 4WD until you're stuck in 2WD then use 4WD to get out, if you use 4WD until stuck... Then you're screwed!" LOL I got a chuckle out of that as historically I may have broken that rule a time or two LOL


PS, front tow hooks would be nice......

 

This is interesting, as I usually give it some gas and it fully disengages (when it’s kind of blinking and is like a kid or dog who wants to stay outside even though their mother told them to get in)

 

I use mine all the time in the winter, first season it was giving me a ton of trouble disengaging. The transfer case would move back to 2wd and light would go off but the front would stay locked (could feel the tires scrubbing). Multiple times on the side of the road reversing and turning to get it to unlock.

Use the actuator a lot, A LOT, and change front diff and transfer case oil. Going into my 3rd winter and it is now buttery smooth on the fly.

I did redline in the front diff and Toyota WS ATF in the transfer case.

 

I do mine weekly for a distance of about 2 miles , just to exercise mechanics

 

if you strive for weekly, you can obtain monthly.

 

When you changed your fluid, did it feel like the transfer case was under a good bit of pressure? Mine was, and so was my rear dif. Interesting release of air.

If anyone is doing this service BTW, I would recommend getting a 10mm square drain socket. I dont have one. I just used a 3/8” extension, which worked (it’s about a half mil shy), but I already ordered the right tool off Amazon for next time. Weird, I couldn’t find one at the local auto parts stores, and Harbor Freight doesn’t carry them anymore either.

 

Probably every month and a half. There’s a decent number of seasonal dirt roads around me. So every once in awhile it’s fun to drive there to blow off some steam and slip around on some mud. Nothing deep or crazy. But enough to run the 4WD and feel like I actually need it.
In winter, weekly.