4WD for dummies

[shifty]

I'm probably forfeiting some rights to my man card asking this question, but screw it, you only live once and a person can't know or do everything. Little story to build up to the question though.

I sold my C1500 recently to buy my next project. A whole 3 days passed before I needed to haul something. So I traded my DD hybrid for a ultra-low-mile an '06 Tundra because Dad a 2nd-gen and I really liked the way it drove. Walked out the door on a trade with cash in hand, can't beat that.

Thing is, it's 4WD. I've always lived in the SE USA, it's easier to find 2WD so all my off-roading was on 3- and 4-wheel ATVs. Out of 40-something cars I owned, all 2WD. Dad always said it was "just extra sh*t to break you'll never use" so I never bothered.

So, here I am. I've got a 4WD truck, although the guy selling it was pretty adamant, "it's actually more like AWD, not a 4x4..."

As embarrassing as it is, I figure if I can safely ask anywhere, it's here.

Anyone wanna share "All the things I wish someone would've taught me about 4WD trucks but never did"?

I'm most interested in understanding two things: (1) 4hi/4lo/2hi or the differences in those modes versus what I drive in regularly, and (2) is there anything I should absolutely never do if I want to not f-up my drivetrain?

I understand two things already: I know how to put the truck in 1st gear lo, and I know for some (all?) mode changes you need to put the truck in neutral first and wait for something to happen.

It's not lost on me that I can just RTFM from the glove box. But as any of us with common sense know, book smart and common sense smart are two very, very different things.

[A1971Blazer]

just don't use 4wd on dry pavement.....especially 4 Lo
on slippery roads you can get by with 4 Hi
you're not gonna mess anything up.....if you forget and leave it in 4 lo when you go onto pavement
rest assured.....it WILL let you know
All other driving....use 2 Hi

[truckster]

Come to a complete stop (this includes spinning tires) before switching between 4HI and 4LO.

If you're a beginner, it's a good idea to use 2WD until you can't go anymore. Then shift to 4WD and hopefully you'll get yourself unstuck.

Advanced driving technique: Modulate the brake pedal to get more grip in 4WD when you're in slippery situations.

4WD will not help you stop on icy or snowy or wet roads. It may help you turn, but only very slightly.

Wear your seatbelt. The first time I went 4-wheeling many years ago I almost drove my spine through my skull. I learned very quickly the value of seatbelts when off-roading.

[franken]

In 4lo I keep the trans in 1st. Don't rev the crap out of it in 2lo and let the trans shift.

[kipps]

If yours is a push button control, it probably won't let you go into or out of 4-low until the transmission is in the neutral position. Park is not enough; it wants neutral.

I don't fully trust automatic locking hubs. I like to reverse 10 feet after disengaging 4x4, just to make sure the locking hubs have disengaged. This may be completely unnecessary with your vehicle. I'm basing this off of my experience with 1980's F-150's.

[too much stuff]

I would say since you have been around awhile and never had a 4x4, I doubt you would ever need 4lo. Don't use 4x4 on hard, dry pavement. I am not familiar with the Toyotas, is this a push button setup? Does it have auto 4x4?

[shifty]

It's push-button, a split oval. You've got two options: ( 4WD/2HI | 4LO )

Again, I haven't RTFM yet, but I believe pushing the left button puts it into auto 4WD?

I need to run the VIN on the truck at Toyota's website, they give a full list of what the truck came with at the factory and what was ported-in at the dealer. I'm curious if it's got LSD upgrade package or not, for example.

PS - just a quick thanks to you guys who've replied already. I appreciate your input. There's no substitute for life experience.

[mongocanfly]

I've has 4wds all my life...only owned 2 that wernt..the 1st was my 86 c10....I hated the fact that it was 2wd and would get stuck in wet grass....swore I'd never own another 2wd...but I did...my C30 is 2wd...
But the 4wd is necessary for some of the places I go..if your mostly a pavement driver, then stick it in 4hi and go....all above advise is the way to go...when the roads ice up is the only time I use 4wd on pavement...4lo is good for creeping around back roads
Most newer 4wds have a rear lsd of some sorts...does it have a rpo or spid?...I read somewhere the vin can tell

[shifty]

Looks like Toyota keeps records on their end and if you plug in a VIN at their website, they'll tell you the date it was ordered, when/where it was sold, first day it was used, which drivetrain it has, interior/exterior color codes, body style, grade package, and gives you a good breakout of how it was equipped. Like, mine shows the following "add-ons" where the two-digit codes are like RPO for GM's glovebox labels:

CC - Cloth Front Captains Chairs and Center Console with 2 Cupholders (it's actually leather, weird)
CK - All Weather Guard Package
FE - 50 State Emissions
LD - Limited Slip Differential
RL - Daytime Running Lights
TO - V8 Tow Package

[davischevy]

Maybe already mentioned, but don't shift from 2Hi to 4WD while the rear wheels are spinning.

You can shift from 2Hi to 4WD while the truck is moving, as long as all the wheels are spinning the same speed.

[special-K]

Dummies shouldn't be driving 4wds! But you're no dummy. It's a smart thing to ask these questions.

1- 4wd will not work with vehicle on it's top

2- Drive in a manner that will prevent putting the vehicle on it's top

3- Now you are good to go. Enjoy!

[72 tigger]

Took me a while to figure out that 4 lo was like “creeper gear”, at least on my truck it is.

[shifty]

Originally Posted by 72 tigger

Took me a while to figure out that 4 lo was like “creeper gear”, at least on my truck it is.

Pretty sure I read 4lo is governed to 15mph on mine. At my current location, I'd need to drive a couple dozen miles to find a decent place get off-pavement for any stretch.

At minimum, I wanted to at least engage 4hi and 4lo jto confirm they worked without flashing out any errors and/or grenading. My reality is, I don't know if any of the 4WD functionality was used in the short 60k miles it has on the clock. The truck spent most of its life in Wedowee AL and the owner for the last 3-6k miles lived on a dirt road. Its entire life prior to that it was a corporate vehicle. The undercarriage of this thing is about as spotless as a truck can get, so I question whether 4WD was ever engaged at all or it ever saw more than some light sand/clay action.

I assume 4hi and 4lo are functions I'd want to engage every few thousand miles or something just to keep the parts mingling with each other and spreading lube around?

[100%Chevy]

I own 2,4 wheel drive trucks.
An 82,K-10 from new and a 95,K-3500 from new.
I've a Warn winch on the 82.Because 4x4 is way over-rated! I even have a winch on my golf cart!
4x4 isn't really 4 wheel drive.It's left front and right rear on most Chevy trucks.
4x4 is better than 2x4 because you can go a little farther before you still get stuck!
I like automatic locking hubs.
Manual hubs are better if you remember to lock them in BEFORE you get stuck!Forgot,didn't you ? LOL!
My front wheels turn just a little faster than the rears in 4x4.
99 percent of 4x4's never get in mud!Parking lot queens!
My 4x4 dually has been in mud 2 times since I've owned it.First time the front wouldn't lock in.Dealer fixed it.
Second time,the actuator worked,but I couldn't steer it because of the duals.Waste of money!
South Mississippi is mostly swamp,until it rains,then it's all swamp!
I have a tractor to help.
Mike.

[davischevy]

Originally Posted by special-K

Dummies shouldn't be driving 4wds! But you're no dummy. It's a smart thing to ask these questions.

1- 4wd will not work with vehicle on it's top

2- Drive in a manner that will prevent putting the vehicle on it's top

3- Now you are good to go. Enjoy!

They make a sign to address this condition.

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by 100%Chevy

I own 2,4 wheel drive trucks.
An 82,K-10 from new and a 95,K-3500 from new.
I've a Warn winch on the 82.Because 4x4 is way over-rated! I even have a winch on my golf cart!
4x4 isn't really 4 wheel drive.It's left front and right rear on most Chevy trucks.
4x4 is better than 2x4 because you can go a little farther before you still get stuck!
I like automatic locking hubs.
Manual hubs are better if you remember to lock them in BEFORE you get stuck!Forgot,didn't you ? LOL!
My front wheels turn just a little faster than the rears in 4x4.
99 percent of 4x4's never get in mud!Parking lot queens!
My 4x4 dually has been in mud 2 times since I've owned it.First time the front wouldn't lock in.Dealer fixed it.
Second time,the actuator worked,but I couldn't steer it because of the duals.Waste of money!
South Mississippi is mostly swamp,until it rains,then it's all swamp!
I have a tractor to help.
Mike.

Proud member of the 1% here Our county road is a bog when it rains or the snow melts. You should see my pickup right now - it probably has 500 pounds of mud stuck on it

We had the automatic hubs on our Suburban and they wouldn't always engage so I had a set of manual Warn hubs installed. It's a backup vehicle now so I just leave the hubs locked in 99% of the time.

The CAD actuator on my K1500 pickup didn't work when I bought it, which did help me buy it cheap since the 4wd didn't work. After doing some research, I removed the actuator and stuck a piece of 3/4" PVC pipe about 1" long on the end of it and then reinstalled it. Now its just like having the hubs locked in all the time

The biggest advantage of 4wd is that the rear wheels aren't having to push the front wheels through the snow, mud, etc. Every wheel is pulling itself. The low range is really useful IMO with an automatic transmission, or one of those close ratio manuals without deep low and reverse. I wish there was a "two wheel low" option; actually you can do that with one of those cable operated CADs.

Back when we were still in Colorado, I had gotten out of owning 4wds entirely and just had a pickup and a suburban both with SM465 four speeds. We got around just fine in the snow and could use chains if we had to, but rarely except when I was logging in the winter. I've seen a pickup just like my old one except an automatic hopelessly stuck on level ground on ice, when at the very same time I could just slip the clutch and drive away. So IMO an automatic 2wd is just worthless except in the south land.

In Montana the roads get so muddy about nine months of the year that a 4wd is absolutely necessary if you live out in the country like we do. That's why my old beloved 76 is just sitting out there year after year waiting for an engine rebuild.

[67C10Step]

Tons of good advice here. I got my first 4wd in 1997 (Toyota 4Runner) and have owned nothing but a 4wd since. 4Runner, Tundra, Tacoma, and two GMC 1500's.

Best advice is 4wd will help you go but will not help you woah a bit. Don't be the guy going 70 on a snowy road, you don't get any sympathy from me when you ditch it.

4lo is a rare need but 4hi is good to use on slippery stuff. I've even used it climbing out of some of the steep gravel roads out of the Buffalo River valley just to keep from spinning and bouncing all over.

Both my GMC's have had the Auto function on the transfer case that will kick the fronts in if the backs spin. I've used that a bunch in the city when trying to turn into traffic on rain wet streets from a stop.

I've never had a moments trouble out of the 4x4 systems. Just remember every now and then when on a gravel road to kick it into 4hi so everything gets to turn over and work from time to time if there are long periods where you don't use it.

[1976gmc20]

Well, I use 4-low a lot!

If I'm out getting wood or fixing fence and need 4wd, I just go straight to 4-low. My pickup has the light duty 5-speed so often I just put it in 4-low for the gearing to creep around or back up. The only time I use 4-high is when the county road is muddy or slick and then I pop it right back into 2wd when I get past the bad spots.

Our old Jeep has the Full Time position (along with 2hi, 4hi, N, 4lo) and it is absolutely great. We just leave it in FT all the time and only very rarely need anything else. It never had hubs or axle disconnect and gets 22 mpg out on the highway (but very poor mpg on slow roads).

I don't know if the IFS 4wd pickups need to be run in 4wd occasionally for lubrication or not? Absolutely the older ones with hubs need to be locked in for a few miles each month, or else for one thing the hubs get to where they won't work anymore. But I really take a dim view of the Central Axle Disconnect concept: from a mechanical aspect I can't see how it is good to have the spider gears spinning like crazy without the ring gear splashing oil over everything ???? But there's millions of them out there and I haven't heard of much problem except the CAD not engaging 4wd when needed. OTOH I can't see any problem with turning the front differential the way it's meant to be turned, other than maybe a little gas mileage penalty.

Oh, and just FYI - our wildland VFD has a policy that ALL trucks have to be put into 4-low the moment that you leave a maintained road or driveway. There have been problems burning up automatic transmissions by creeping around with heavy loads of water even on seemingly easy ground.

[powerdriver]

I use 4 lo . Backing trailers is pretty sweet with the 5 speed . I will use 4 hi if the yard is soft just to stop cutting the yard up . Also I have been known to tug a bus out of ditch or soft spot .. 4 lo and low gear . just slightly above an Idle . If that won't move it ..It's wrecker time .

[davischevy]

"Buffalo River Valley"

That prompted me to think of another use for 4lo. I was following a women down the hill to Steel Creek Access on the Buffalo. That driver left the car in over drive all the way down. Her brakes were smoking when we got to the bottom.

Especially if pulling a trailer, 4lo comes in handy when descending a steep hill.

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by davischevy

"Buffalo River Valley"

That prompted me to think of another use for 4lo. I was following a women down the hill to Steel Creek Access on the Buffalo. That driver left the car in over drive all the way down. Her brakes were smoking when we got to the bottom.

Especially if pulling a trailer, 4lo comes in handy when descending a steep hill.

I used "4-low" coming off the north side of Columbia Icefield into Jasper NP from Banff NP in 1977. Left the hubs unlocked so it was really just "2-low." That was one steep paved road! Grossing about 14K about scared me to death with an automatic transmission.

[Nut Case]

Shifty

I have an 02 tundra, I bought it new and now have 230K on this truck. I was a real estate appraiser practicing in Park City Ut. Snow country 4 months out of the year. I'm not sure about the 06 Tundra but mine is not AWD all the time, it's 2 Hi / 4 Hi / 4 Low. When ever I pressed the buttons to go from any gear to another I always stopped and put the tranny in neutral. Either going to a higher or lower gear. After you stop and go to 2 Hi put it in reverse and roll back about 10' and listen for the front hubs to unlock, you'll hear it, that way you will confirm the hubs are free.

I used 4 Hi a lot on snowy roads, pushed new fallen snow that was about 6" above the front bumper to get to properties in the back country. Hard to open the door when I got there.

Buy following the aforementioned procedures, I've not had any drive train issues. Best thing is to use this saying that my dad used during my growing years. "Go as far as you can in 2 wheel drive until you're stuck, once your stuck put it in 4 wheel drive get unstuck and go home". Use common sense.

Good luck, my Tundra is the best DD 4 X that I have ever owned, that why I still have it.

Nutz

[special-K]

That salesman saying "It's more like AWD" was a worthless answer to someone expressing concern over the added components to maintain/service. AWD, if anything, has more to go wrong than traditional 4wd. Certainly not getting away from the extra component concern.

first thing you want to do is get a length of chain or snatch 'um strap to keep in the vehicle. Nothing worse than having 4wd and getting stuck inches away from getting out with 4ed. And, nothing worse than having the ability to help someone out of the ditch... except you have no way to hook up to them. A very lame moment, like not having battery cables.

[shifty]

Originally Posted by special-K

That salesman saying "It's more like AWD" was a worthless answer to someone expressing concern over the added components to maintain/service.

This was my thought as well. Sad fact of the matter is, this guy was clearly a GOB, sounds like he lived in the country most of his life and owned several "real 4x4x" as he put it. super nice guy, but I rarely trust sales people.

But like I said, I figured if I could trust anyone, it'd probably be you guys. A number of y'all I've known for more than a decade and seen the solid advice and viewpoints everyone has. You're a mixed bag!

Originally Posted by Nut Case

Shifty

I have an 02 tundra, I bought it new and now have 230K on this truck. I was a real estate appraiser practicing in Park City Ut. Snow country 4 months out of the year. I'm not sure about the 06 Tundra but mine is not AWD all the time, it's 2 Hi / 4 Hi / 4 Low. When ever I pressed the buttons to go from any gear to another I always stopped and put the tranny in neutral. Either going to a higher or lower gear. After you stop and go to 2 Hi put it in reverse and roll back about 10' and listen for the front hubs to unlock, you'll hear it, that way you will confirm the hubs are free ... following the aforementioned procedures, I've not had any drive train issues. Best thing is to use this saying that my dad used during my growing years. "Go as far as you can in 2 wheel drive until you're stuck, once your stuck put it in 4 wheel drive get unstuck and go home". Use common sense.

Good luck, my Tundra is the best DD 4 X that I have ever owned, that why I still have it.

Super helpful! (actually everyone replying so far has been. thanks again guys!)

I'm pretty sure there's little-to-no difference on the Gen1 Tundras for drivetrain, so ours should be virtually identical. I think yours may have a button ( 4WD | VSC Off) though?

It's raining here today, I'll probably punch in on the 2WD/4HI button when I head home from work just to familiarize myself with the buttons and get a feel for it all. I reckon the frame will rot out of your truck before the engine dies. They supposedly fixed the frame issues with the 2004 model, but I notice the NHTSA site is flooded with recent 04-06 model complaints from salt belt truck owners with frame holes.

You know, it's funny, I've always always always been a GM truck guy through and through. I've never owned any other brand truck in my lifetime. My first vehicle was a GMC S15, manual. I've owned at least a half dozen other GM trucks since. The '68 C10 was the only Chevy-branded one. Still, when I drove my dad's Tundra, I was floored.

Drove like a damn Cadillac, didn't flinch when hauling, was actually super comfortable. But, like I complain about with all modern V8 trucks since the mid-late 2000s, anything with a V8 these days is the size of a damn schoolbus. Which is how I ended up with a Gen1 Tundra. It's the size of a modern Tacoma but with a V8, which Tacoma lacks. I like the T100 body styling.

I'm really enjoying it. I've driven pickups by Ford, Dodge, Nissan, VW, Scout, IH, about the only thing I lack is Honda I think. Wasn't impressed, although Ford wasn't too bad. I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for GM trucks and will undoubtedly have a 47-54 before I turn 50, but I can see myself enjoying this Tundra for a few years to come.

I'm still really, really surprised at how well put together the truck is for a 1st generation model.

[1976gmc20]

Best thing is to use this saying that my dad used during my growing years. "Go as far as you can in 2 wheel drive until you're stuck, once your stuck put it in 4 wheel drive get unstuck and go home". Use common sense.

Unless … you slide off a muddy/icy road and roll over because you were still in 2wd and couldn't steer.

Also, 4wd actually does help with braking in certain circumstances, usually very low speeds. By locking the front and rear axles together, the brakes work more or less equally on all four wheels. I've had my Suburban basically refuse to stop on ice in 2wd, because the engine idling through the automatic to the rear wheels was pushing the front wheels that had locked up. So the solution is either be in 4wd, or deftly pop the transmission into neutral so the brakes don't have to try to stop the torque converter output. With the pickup it's no problem because I can just push in the clutch.