What have you done to your 5th Gen 4Runner today?

Not sure what page, found this doing a quick google search. When I have a little time I will flip through my manual and post a picture of the page with page number.

 

^^ That doesnt say on dry pavement...

I know people that went years without using it and it still worked fine... my niece has a jeep that went 4 years without ever going into 4wd, soon as i moved back down i put it in 4wd first try no issues. My cousin has a 2015 tacoma that went in 4wd for the first time, to his knowledge, earlier this year. No issues...

But i have also seen a few lock up and not engage. So i think its better safe than sorry. Engaging it does help to lube the gears up and keep it running properly... I prolly do 30-50 miles a month myself, but i know not everyone lives where i do and has that option. I try and tell people to go at least 3-5 miles a month. I try and get them to bring me beer, as i live a mile and a half from pavement and just dropping off a 12 pack and going home will give them the opportunity to drive 3 miles in 4wd on soft sand

 

opps, I really need to read that manual! I never would have known, thanks for the info!

 

There seems to be a well documented issue with the actuator on the front axle. When not used for a while, they fail. It's just an electric motor and a lot of the time you can remove it, take it apart, clean it up, reflow the solder joints, and you're good to go. If that doesn't work, it's a $900 part from Toyota not including any labor or anything. Well worth the effort to cycle 4wd every 4-6 weeks which of course also allows fluids to flow that otherwise are just sitting there.

 

On the front diff and there is another one or a solenoid on the transfer case to the best of my knowledge. When 4wd is disengaged, it disengages at the front diff and transfer case. Front driveshaft does not move unless you're in 4wd Not all 4wd systems are set up like that but ours is.

 

I'm not sure on the case side but they all have the electric solenoid on the front diff. It's a disconnect on the passenger side axle shaft. Jeep did the same thing in the 80s

 

Just ordered a remote start with RPS keyless touch entry system. Totally spur of the moment purchase. Hopefully the install wont be too bad on it.

 

You must be fresh out of school. Real world practice you can do differently they say a lot of that because of well they don't want to warranty that crap. I drove my truck in 4wd H for over a month with just the front wheels hooked up waiting for a new rear DS to be made. No excessive wear or damage. Oh and go look at the older AWD Jeep grand cherokees they were locked 4wd H t-cases that you could drive above your 60 mph speed you stated or some of the other claims you have made. No center diff set up in them or anything. 4wd L is the real killer on dry pavement you aren't going to kill a t-case driving and taking normal curves or gentle turns with them in 4H. As long as you don't try a locked hard turn you won't destroy it or cause undo wear. Your differentials still work as differentials to bias the wheel speeds around corners and curves. Plus the weak link is going to be a CV not your t-cases the t-cases in these trucks are extremely well built and strong even for a chain driven case.

 

Mostly accurate however the 249 transfer case in the ZJ had a clutch pack in it known as the viscous coupling which allowed for some slippage in the case to avoid binding.

 

It's the ADD it disconnects the PS axle from the differential to act like auto locking hubs. It disconnects for fuel mileage gaining so you aren't spinning the diff all the time. A bunch of guys swap the pass side stub axle tube out for the FJ one since they didn't have that. Well the Tacoma guys do at least. The actuator on the T-case just moves the 4wd selector instead of you having to do it manually.

 

That clutch pack was a joke in a half it didn't really do squat for allowing slippage in tight parking lot maneuvers or slippage. But yes you are correct there was what Chrysler tried to use as a viscous coupling to bias slip in there. Pretty much every single one I've had apart were self welded together and of no use.

Oh I forgot the hot rod Cyclones and Typhons that GMC had too. Those were similar as well with their AWD tcase, Safari vans. IDK i could keep going if I hadn't forgotten all the different ones but they all did the same thing take a 4wd tcase lock it in 4H and put a joke of a clutch or nothing to the front DS output.

 

LOL, you CAN do a lot of things... That doesnt mean its good for the vehicle. Where did you go to auto school?

Real world practices of whats happened without causing immediate damage or not, AWD vehicles are made differently than 4wd vehicles FOR A REASON. If it was OK to drive in 4hi constantly on dry pavement they wouldnt of created a system specifically for it. 50/50 torque while turning on pavement is rough on gears period. FACT. Prove otherwise.

 

They worked, they just didn't last. 100K or so and they were shot. When they were new though, they got the job done. When I had my 98 5.9 Limited I swapped the 249 for a 242, problem solved and I still retained the full time option for any time use. IMO the 242 is the best case Jeep ever offered unless you don't care about full time. In that case, 231

 

I went to WyoTech too many years ago now. But what I learned there was nothing to what I learned actually working. There is a lot of technical and book info that doesn't really correlate to real world land.
My point wasn't that you are wrong but that your reaction is a little over zealous. Once in a blue moon driving a vehicle a few miles just to get the fluids and to actuate the different electronics won't necessarily kill them as long as you aren't a complete dope about it. I still don't get where driving over 60 in 4H comes from I have never in my life heard of that or seen it only 4L limiting speed because it's such a low gear ratio. You should go look at what some of the West coast truck guys are doing with their 4wd running well over 60 flat out in the desert jumping them and stuff. I mean they are on loose stuff but they still are traveling well over your 60 mph 4wd speed limit.

Yeah I forgot all the different #s for them biggest problem I had to fix on all the chain jeeps t-cases were the chains for whatever reason the factory ones stretched a ton. I would replace them with an aftermarket one from Carquest (forgot the brand too many years ago) and they would never have a stretching issue again. Had a few come in that the customers drove around so long they wore a hole in the tcase. I was astonished that they didn't come in earlier for the noises probably going on for a year or more. Wasn't just jeeps though all the Chryslers back then with the chain driven cases did that.

 

Dana 300, problem solved. I love the old Jeeps though. It's sad what Jeep has become these days.

 

You right!!! Personally the last great Jeep in my eyes was the LJ, I like the XJs, comanche XJ based and all the older ones. The JL,JK, and now JT don't really peak my interest like the older stuff does. Not to mention all their silly car SUV yuppie mobiles with hardly any of the old heritage left.

 

Ah you mean like the new Renegade? They should be ashamed lol. For me, CJ, XJ, TJ, ZJ, YJ, MJ and of course the old waggies. New stuff today is ugly and just not what Jeep built their name on.

 

Yeah the renegade is the JT. Wait is the MJ the old military truck one? Old school Waggies are sick especially the 70s ones with the old AMC V8s. Ok now you are making me want to go buy another old project truck. Hmmm wonder if I could find one somewhat cheap and in decent enough shape that would be cool to take the kid to school in.

 

Finally lifted the 4R.

Front: TRD pro bilstens with 14" 600 lb coils

Rear: Fox 2.0 resi with toytec superflex springs

 

MJ is the Comanche

 

I get what you are saying, Once in a blue moon definitely aint going to hurt it. I just dont think people should make a habit out of it on a vehicle they want to last 200K miles.... And i get passionate about things im interested in but try and speak about it truthfully as i can. Though im always willing to learn and be corrected on things.

Those baja trucks, desert racers, and boggers are constantly being rebuilt, not many are making it to 2 and 3 hundred thousand miles without having serious work done to them LOL Though if i had one of them id push that joker to the limit too!!

 

Thanks man. I tried talking her into the TRD Off-road but she had to have the 3rd row seating.... and push button start....

 

Oh no I am talking about some of the guys running Tacomas, Rangers and the like that are running them in stock class races and DDing them and thrashing them on the weekends with well over 100k and some over 200k. They don't rebuild them like the trophy trucks and the like. What they break is suspension and steering stuff nothing in the 4wd.

 

I remember in the first gen. Tacoma’s the owners manual instructed you to go to a parking lot, lock in 4H and repeatedly do figure 8s to lubricant the front hubs. How times have changed. I do run the 4Runner in 4H on dry pavement but no sharp 90 degree turns and keep it under 50.

 

Correct. I do this once a month religiously if I don't go off road that month. Also it says you should not go over 50 mph in 4wd. I wait for a rainy day(even though it's not completely necessary since you are not turning), find a straight road and drive it in 4wd. If I need to turn, I take it out of 4wd until on a straight road again and then reengage 4wd for a total of 10 miles.

It's also good practice to engage the locker, if you have one, and 4 low on a regular basis. The more you use it the more it will break in and easily engage.

 

Chris,

Are those black overlays or factory black emblems?

 

Those are black overlays that I found on eBay.

 

Like that moment you stare at the ODO intently waiting for it to roll 100K

 

The other morning was almost as good as sex for me! So OCD on this. Also might have had something to do with this being the first car I have owned that has not had over 100k prior to me owning it.

 

I can relate, that’s why I like having the Ultra Gauge to watch the Transmission Temps and stuff.