4 Wheel Drive Jerking

I've tried the search function and can find very limited intonation on this, it seems like a known issue, so I apologize in advance if I am asking a question that's been covered. I suspect it has, but I can't find any real answers.

The truck is brand new, 2024 Platinum V6 non hybrid Crewcab.

When I am in 4WD, at low speeds, the truck is jerking and doing what I can only describe as "binding". it feels like brakes are coming on. I did read a thread where it talks about greasing the drive line. In the same thread, it also talks about not turning the wheel sharply while in 4WD, but doesn't say why. I was on a snow covered parking lot today and had the truck in 4HI. When I turned, it started jerking and just felt like "Wow, that's not right". Once I got moving, the issue wasn't there.

It's been a long time since I've a selectable 4WD vehicle and I seen to remember my last one doing something similar (Dodge).

So, is this normal at very low speeds? And why can't you turn tightly in 4wd?

 

Normal. The front driveshafts allow some steering articulation without binding, but there's a limit. Once you've turned too sharply, the front CV joints begin to get some bind in them when turning over. A little bind with little power applied isn't bad. A lot of bind with a lot of power applied could damage the axles. Solution? Only use in slippery, low traction situations. Make multi point turns with less severe steering inputs when not possible to avoid binding otherwise.

 

Totally normal Toyota truck behavior. The Tundra has a locked transfer case (sometimes also referred to as the "center diff") meaning 50% of the power goes forward and 50% rearward. This also means that the tire speeds cannot be different since the front and back are locked together. When you start turning all 4 of your tires are doing different things so something has to give and if the tires cannot slip (more likely at super low speeds) you start feeling the binding. The jerking is most likely the truck pushing (understeering) through the turn because the front tires are not able to spin fast enough and they begin to slip sideways then grab, then slip, etc.

 

OP, these gents are spot on, when I first bought my Tundra, I experienced this same thing. I had to educate myself on the difference in AWD vs. 4WD, and how the center diff works differently between the two. AWD does not experience this biding since the diff is not locked.

 

Thank you folks. That's great information and gives me the direction I need to go do some more research. Yep, I was driving AWD SUV's for the last 2 decades so this was new. As I mentioned, I did seem to remember my 4WD shiftable Dodge doing the same thing and these explanations are great. I just wanted to ensure it was normal behaviour.

Thanks again!!

 

Spraynard moves in for the assisstifications:

A snowy parking lot. You are at the controls of the finest .5 ton truck: the 2019 Voodoo Blue TRD PR0. You shift the X-fer case to 4WD, cut the wheel hard left, and make a compleat circle in the snowy lot. You climb out of the truck; reluctantly because you covet this machine, such is it's allure. You notice that the circle inscribed by the front axle is smaller in diameter than that of the rear axle.

That is the "why".

 

What Gryffindor said. Only don't do that.

 

That's actual a fantastic explanation. But that leads me to my next question.

Leaving my driveway in the winter, I have a 90 degree turn to the right at the same time I climb a hill. I'm also often pulling a fully enclosed snowmobile trailer, so when there's snow and ice, I need the 4WD to get up it. Everything I'm reading says "Don't turn sharp in 4WD", but I have little choice. Without the 4WD, I'm not making the turn/climb.

Is this a recipe for long term damage?

 

I banged JK Rowling in the men's room of an airport Marriott in 2002.

 

There needs to be some slip to avoid long term damage. Use your senses to determine if the bind is exceptionally tight.

 

The only other 4WD vehicle I owned (other than this Tundra and the last Tundra) was a ‘95 Ford Bronco. I never experienced that degree of jerkiness in it. Curious if anyone knows why that is. For all the ridiculous problems the Bronco had, it was great in deep snow. Or maybe I’m not remembering right how it drove because it was dead or under repair half the time

 

Someone say "jerking"?

 

I so want this to be a true story.

Any pics?

 

Of my engorged, glistening, woman-slayer war hog; post-coitus?

Sure! Gimme a sec...

 

Shorter wheelbase, as hufflepuff (@hagrid) said the circle the front tires makes will be closer in size to the rear because the front and rear axles are closer. The rear axle gets to follow a little closer to the front steer axle. Same thing in my jeep wrangler TJ which feels like a go cart because you are practically sitting on the rear axle... I don't get nearly the binding in 4-HI that I do in just about every pick pickup I've owned.

 

I drove 2wd trucks for years. My first 4wd and it worried me the first time my tundra did the jerking too. I ended up reading and getting educated more about 4wd after that experience.

 

This thread was super helpful. My 2023 jerks a bit when turning in 4H. Wasn't sure what the issue and something broke if it's "normal." I see when doing my minumum km's per month in 4H/4L that it should be in straight lines.

 

I do the same and try to drive a straight long road each month