4WD Stupid Question Time

2022 SR5 Premium 4WD- Can the 4WD high range, w/dial switch be safely engaged / or disengaged without damage occurring when the vehicle is moving in reverse gear? I briefly scanned for info on this in the owner’s manual, but either missed it or it’s just not in there.

Again, I am talking about 4WD High (H4) only.

 

I am quite certain you can. If possible pull forward and try it.

 

Yes as long as you’re moving in a straight line and there’s no wheelslip.

 

Interesting question. I've never personally tried it, so I can't say for sure.

My first reaction though is it's probably okay, but it might not be. I've always heard that transmission gears are cut in a way that makes them stronger in the forward motion, for instance, you don't really want to pull a stuck vehicle out with the pulling vehicle in reverse if you can avoid it.

If your foot is off the gas, you're probably not putting much stress on the gears, so it's probably fine in that aspect.

I honestly can't really think of a situation where this would even be necessary though. I think if I were parked, and I needed to back out of a spot knowing I would need 4WD, I would probably put it in neutral and shift first.

In reality, it's probably fine. I tend to overthink things like this, and practice extreme mechanical sympathy. For instance, I always park so that I can pull straight out in the morning, and never have to use reverse first. In my mind that shift from reverse to drive is extra wear on a cold transmission.

 

Yes, I'm pretty sure you can go up to around 50 mph and switch from 2WD/4WD on the fly without any damage.

 

he talking about going in reverse not forward

 

yes, I did it last week when we got snow here because it would not engage going forward. I had to put it in reverse and back up about 5-10 feet and then it engaged

 

Yes, in most modern vehicles with a dial switch for 4WD high range, it is generally safe to engage or disengage the system while moving in reverse gear, as long as you are going at a very slow speed (typically under 5 mph) and are not making sharp turns; always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for specific instructions.

 

Shift on the fly is perfectly safe. But I go one step further and shift to neutral before engaging 4Hi, it is smoother that way. Shift on the fly in reverse? Why would you do that, in what situation? If you are in deep snow or mud and reversing in 2WD is challenging, try 4Lo manually.
Shift to 4Hi on the fly is very helpful and you can come across such situations pretty frequently. Last time I did it was when I was driving on the highway by mount Hood, the highway got steep and slippery and truck was acting up in 2WD.

 

Hard to imagine anyone going 50 mph in reverse...

 

Clearly you have never seen any of the Fast & Furious movies!

 

I wanna see a clip of their 4Runner going 50+ in reverse, and them shifting into 4H...not a Dodge Charger...