Engaging 4wd: lever vs dial

Why are there different options for engaging 4wd? And is the lever more preferable over the dial, or vice versa? I notice that on the newer Off Roads they have the lever system? Is that a stronger system for off-roading?

 

The lever is the preferred method, it’s more reliable and probably offered on the OR for the off-road aspect would be my guess. It use to be standard on the SR5 in the early 5th gen. After the refresh they introduced the electrical knob.

 

The levers are for controlling the transfer case attached to the tranny, really. 2 Hi, 4 HI, 4LO, that's about it. No special traction control, no real computer involvement, very much like the manual tranny's stick shifter. Locks the front and rear drive shafts together, so they turn the same, like a locked differential.

The dial allows max computer involvement, and does a lot of the traction control features. It also allows the front and rear drive shafts to turn at different rates, very much as if the transfer case were a differential.

Does that help?
Pat☺

 

Yessir, it does help - thanks Pat.
Is it reasonable to say that the dial style of engagement allows more drivability at the potential risk of more possibly going wrong?
Would using 4wd with the lever style be fine driving 65 on the highway with slushy, winter conditions? Or should it only be used in off road conditions?

 

All that info is completely wrong. The dial selector and manual lever do the exact same thing: shift the transfer case between the 2wd, 4wd high range, neutral, and 4wd low range. Only difference is one is activated electronically, the other is manual (lever).

Lever is arguably more reliable (one less electrical actuator to go wrong), and definitely visually cooler and more satisfying to use.

Other than that, the transfer cases function in the exact same manner, with the exception of the Limited model. That is fulltime 4wd and has no 2wd option.

Regardless of mode of engagement, 4hi can be run on the highway, however I would say if there are wintery conditions you do not need to be going 65mph.

 

In order to shift the lever do you have to be in neutral?

 

Toyota is one of the only car companies I know of that has the "manual" transfer case lever on the higher end 4x4 models. Ford & Chevy have the manual levers on the bottom models and electronic switch dials on the top of the line models.

Personally, I'd rather have a manual lever....1 less servo/actuator to rely on when going into 4 wheel drive.

 

Between 2wd and 4H, you can shift on the fly, no need to stop or be in neutral. As long as you are under 52mph, (somewhere around there, speed limit is on the visor) This is the same on models with the lever, or with the turn knob.

To go between 4H and 4L, you have to stop, put it in neutral, then shift lever or turn dial knob.

All of this above applies to SR5, Off-Road, or Pro models only.

 

If shifting to 4hi, you just need to take your foot off the gas and pull the lever straight back (under 55mph). To engage 4low, you need to be stopped with the transmission in neutral. These same conditions apply to the dial operated shifter in the SR5 as well.

 

I know of 3 in current 4runners. Lever type selector feels like manual but I hear some kind of clicking before it engage. May be the transfer case is manual but front diff engage mechanism is still electronic. I don't know,, didn't search much. My wife finds the lever type selector is too hard for her. The rotating type selector is much better switching back and forth while driving and full-time 4wd system is the easiest on pavement where there is no need to switch.

I think downloading owners manual would help you. It has better info.

Part time 4wd-


Full time 4wd-

 

This pretty well sums it up.

With the lever, you are manually engaging 4WD High and 4WD low.

But, you are still relying on an actuator to engage the front differential.

Also, if you are in a situation where you need 4 wheel drive, you definitely should not be going 65 miles an hour.

 

This is incorrect. Only the full-time four-wheel drive models have a center differential. This is actually a huge advantage in snowy climates. But, even the models with full-time 4 wheel drive are able to lock the center differential.

 

What?

 

I don't explain the drive train very well. I'm a radar tech, not a mech. I don't know the right words to put down. Sorry.
Pat☺

 

I believe the correct response to that is

Wut

which I was preparing to post but several others beat me, I see

 

We have had both, the dial, and the lever (in our ORP), I'll take the lever over the dial, due to it's positive engagement vs. the light blinking at me. It might be only a few seconds, but that may be the time that meant getting hung up or motoring through a tough spot.

 

My forumese needs polishing...

 

I had the lever in my FJ and now the dial in the 4R, they both work equally well. I have engaged 4wd in similar situations in both vehicles and they are both smooth as butter. Both display the same lights and did not have an issue with either type.

 

I love the feel of the lever when pulling it back to engage 4wd when I come across potholes in parking lots.

 

Why does it matter if there’s a lever if the computer needs to engage the front auto hubs?

 

One less actuator to rely on?

I prefer the lever. But, I understand that it doesn't make it a true manual transfer case.

I'd say it's definitely not something to choose a trim over.

 

Yeah, the lever gets rid of that actuator (big black box)on the TC. It’s just one less failure point, and one less leak point. The actuators dont leak frequently, but it does happen. I think it happens most when the 4wd system is not exercised regularly.

When I was looking at used 4th gens, it was definitely something to look for, as fixing a leaking actuator could cost thousands to do correctly (requires splitting the case to remove actuator). There were cheaper backyard methods to remove the actuator, but there was real potential for damage to the TC and rendering it inoperative (but it would no longer leak lol).

That said, Ive seen pics of the transfer cases leaking pthemselves on lever operated 4runners, so nothing is perfect. I dont think Ive ever heard of a failure of the lever itself in my years perusing forums (though theoretically possible).

@Thatbassguy , I would so far as to say it is a true manual transfer case. If I understand correctly, engaging disconnecting driveshafts or hubs has always been a separate operation independent of the TC. The only other option to disconnect them would be manual, as in getting out of the vehicle and actually physically locking/unlocking the hubs like the old days. I guess I dont mind that being an automatic operation lol (also I think that system is a simpler fix than the TC actuator afaik).

Even though there is a computer for the auto disconnect system it’s very primitive, basically a box with limit switches and contacts. The youtube toyota mechanic (car care nut?) did a video that covered it. It’s primitive enough that if you turned off the engine while in the process of connecting/disconnecting it has no idea of the state it was in, so the “computer” (for lack of a better word) has to be physically reset. Pretty ancient, but simple, solid tech.

 

I thought vacuum lines engaged/disengaged the front hubs? ..yet another spot for 4x4 failure that every 4x4 auto maker now uses.

I've always liked Ford's manual hub override system for its vacuum front hubs.

Anyone know if manual hubs, or a manual override, can be installed in a 4R?

 

With the dial/knob… I find that throttle input (or attention to throttle input) is required to get 4wd to engage exactly when you want it to.

With the manual lever, you can “stick it in” to 4wd by “feel”, regardless of attention to throttle. But you have even more control when paying attention to both throttle and “feel”.

The differences are subtle but actually pretty significant “in the field”. I’ve used both and I most definitely prefer the manual lever. Some people would probably prefer the spinning knob. Turn the knob and the “computer” puts it in 4wd when it’s able to.

I much prefer the manual lever and can make it it engage exactly when I want it to.

 

I had manual hubs on my 1st Gen ‘87 4Runner. It was only a slight pain to stop and get out to engage them in snowy or rainy weather. But I prefer staying inside and flipping the 5th Gen lever on the fly.

 

Both types utilize an actuator to engage the front diff. It’s called the ADD actuator. The 4WD Control ECU manages that actuator and in turn uses an electrical circuit for instructions. With the dial, the transfer case is electronically controlled via an actuator. When the transfer case is told to engage 4WD (planetary gears move), the front prop shaft starts turning and “indicator switches” mounted to the outside of the transfer case are depressed. AT models have three switches. Depressing the switch plunger closes the circuit (either H4, N, or L4) connected to the ECU. The switches often go bad due to contamination from gear oil (this has happened to me with the H4/#3 switch) and are not easy to replace. I would argue that the dial type is more prone to failure due to the second actuator at the transfer case while still being subject to the indicator switch failure.

 

The manual transfer case is the single biggest reason I went with an ORP vs an SR5P. In fact, I probably would have bought an SR5P otherwise.

 

The Tacoma guys all have dial only since the second gen including the off road model, some of them get the fj cruiser transfer case and swap it in since it pretty much bolts on which has the lever

I wonder if 4Runner sr5 guys can do the same with trd off road transfer case or even a fj cruiser transfer case

 

Really for the most part - I think it is a looks/feel/aesthetics issue. I agree that the manual lever looks/feels cooler - and would rather have that than the turn/push knob - but it isn't that much cooler that I would base my trim selection on it. My 2010 4WD Tacoma had the smaller turn/push knob on the dash - about where our start/stop buttons are on 4Runners. My 2023 Limited has the larger turn/push knob on the console next to the drivers cup holder. I drove the Tacoma for ~150K miles/13 years and it never failed to go into 4HI or 4LO when I actuated the knob. Same thing so far with the 4Runner Limited. Now, I do actuate 4HI and 4LO about once a month whether I need to, or not (maybe went longer than a month sometimes). I think if you regularly operate the actuators - you won't have an issue.

 

On my 2022 SR5 Premium- When I use the dial shifter to engage 4 Lo, I am getting a noticeable brief / momentary engagement grinding(?) clacking(?) noise at the moment it engages. (Auto trans in neutral, vehicle at a stand still, and I already have the vehicle in 4 Hi when I select 4 Lo.) Is this noticeable clacking noise normal when turning the dial to 4 Lo, or do I have something going wrong under there?

For now, I am just engaging 4 Hi or 4 Lo just to “exercise” the system while driving in mainly a straight to help keep it in working order.