Shifting in and out of 4WD

I'm new to 4WD and I did read the manual, but I still have a question.

The manual says I can shift from 2WD to 4WD hi at speeds up to 62mph -- that's clear enough, but it only refers to making this shift in a moving vehicle. It's not clear to me whether making this shift into 4WD hi must be made with the truck moving or if I can do it while it is stopped. What's the answer to that?

Also, going the other way from 4WD to 2WD, can that be done at a stop or does the truck have to be underway?

Happy Thanksgiving guys.

 

Moving or stopped when switching from 4HI Always stop when shifting into 4LO

 

Great. Thanks.

 

I would add I like to let off the throttle when actuating 4wd while rolling...just to be sure nothing binds.

When in 4lo, you can also set transmission to 2nd gear to avoid the 1-2 hard thump. Has just as much torque in 2nd.

Luck and enjoy.

 

I just did this earlier today on my way in to work. We had a pouring rain storm and I have a long stretch of road so I shifted from 2wd to 4hi at about 40 mph and then when I got to work shifted back to 2wd at about 30 mph. No issues. Manual states to drive it 10 miles a month to keep all parts lubricated. This was in my sequioa btw.

 

I think it you are going too fast or turning when you try to shift, the truck won’t shift so it doesn’t tear anything up. It’ll wait til everything is good to shift in to 4wd.

 

Toyota is being quite conservative in the users manual when stating that you can shift from 2WD to 4HI and visa versa up to 62 miles per hour. Heed the instructions in the users manual and you will have no issues. FYI....the 14 and up got an improved transfer case that provides even smoother shifting into 4WD.

 

No kidding. I cannot tell when I shift into 4wd. It is smooth as butter. Sometimes, I almost wonder if it actually worked! LOL. It is so smooth, it could not be functioning and I don't think I would know it.

 

So, yesterday on the way to family Thanksgiving I engaged 4wd from 2wd twice. Once at 30 -40 mph on a paved straight back road and later at the family farm again at 5mph when climbing a grassy hill. These were the first times I've tried to do this in my whole 500 miles of ownership.

Except for the light on the dashboard telling me that it was in 4wd, I would never have known any change had happened. Exiting 4wd was just as noiseless and non-dramatic. I did note that leaving 4wd required me to be off the throttle for a few seconds before the 4wd light clicked off, so apparently the driveline wants to be completely unloaded before 4wd disengagement occurs.

 

I used 4WD for the first time earlier this week. I accidentally selected 4LO when trying to shift back into 2WD, and thankfully there is a safety mechanism that prevents it. I just got beeping from the dash instead, until I figured out what I had done. Next time I need to pay more attention to which way I'm turning the knob.

 

I use my 4hi on a daily basis usually at lower speeds going up our steep switchback hill of a driveway and usually let off the throttle while selecting 4x4 and then shift the transmission into 2nd gear to have optimal throttle response. If it’s in snow I will turn traction control off as sometimes it will make me lose my momentum going uphill around turns if my tires begin to spin with traction control on (auto lsd). I personally like to be able to give it some gas and spin my tires a little if I need to without losing my momentum. As for on the highway I also let off the throttle while shifting between 4x4 and 2x4. If you are going over 62 mph it will beep and not allow you to shift into 4x4 as a safety. Sometimes I miss having a direct manual transfer case shifter like I do in my ‘91 4runner where you actually feel it engaging the gears when you shift.

 

My 07 and my new to me 14 both let me to be able to shift from 2WD to 4HI and visa versa well above 62. My 09 Taco was no different......I shifted back and forth over 70 on my way up to AK going thru northern BC and Yukon Territory with zero issues over several hundreds of miles as road conditioned changed.....

 

Personally, I like to Think Ahead.

I like to identify 4wd needs well ahead of when I need them.

I also like to be nice to my equipement, not matter how mean I Could be.

So I like to shift in/out of 4wd and lock diff only when under 15 or so mph, just a personal Habit, don't you hate that?!

 

That's cool but not practical at times. I had a "planned ahead" long trip up to AK on the ALCAN highway in November and knew in advance what road conditions I would be facing. Road conditions were constantly changing requiring 4WD for better road surface traction. Snow, ice, wet pavement. No one is going to slow down to 15 mph every time you need to switch on the fly. It wasn't exactly a Sunday drive. You will get run over by the locals. Tourist season is over that time of year and the ALCAN isn't clogged up with looky loo tourists. Most of us on that highway had places to go and places to be as quickly as reasonably possible. The manual states up to 62 mph to switch on the fly which it is designed to handle effortlessly.That was with my 09 Taco. The Tundra drive train is no different and will perform flawlessly too. Don't you hate that?