How often do you put your truck into 4 wheel drive?

For those with 4 wheel drive how often do you put your truck into 4 wheel drive?

I have approximately 1,700 miles and I have yet to use it. I keep telling myself next time I’m out and about and heading back home to engage the 4 wheel drive.

Not because I need it for the road conditions but just to use it once in awhile. So for just a short distance say 5-6 miles.

I keep forgetting and I’m thinking never using it until it’s absolutely needed can’t be good so how often should it be engaged just to move and lubricate the gears/parts?

Once a week for a few miles…..once a month…..?

Like to know what others do. I’m not taking about the folks who have to use it due to weather conditions all the time such as snow/mud etc….

What if you live in an area that weather isn’t really much of a factor and you’re on paved roads 99% of the time. Obviously it should be activated and used. I get snow once in a while but the roads most of the time 4 wheel drive isn’t necessary.

So I’m curious what’s a good rule of thumb as to how often it should be engaged just to keep everything good and running properly?

Thanks

 

Per the owners manual once a month. I try to abide by this and drive 5-10 miles (or minutes) in 4wd if possible to keep everything lubricated and moving as it should.

 

Mine is engaged all winter but I’m not the best use case. I live in Alaska and 75% of my driving is on rough and/or unpaved ice covered roads.

 

I go offroading once or twice a month anyway so i have never had to use it on a normal road just to exercise the system, but I will engage the 4lo while offroading when I dont really need it to make sure it sees somewhat regular use.

 

I didn’t see/find it in the manual so good to know. Thanks

 

Almost everyday in the winter. None in the summer.

 

Ok I just read it in the Owners Manual, page 317, Four Wheel Drive Frequency

“You should drive in four-wheel drive for at least 10 miles (16 km) each month. This will ensure that the front drive components are lubricated”.

Looks like I’m a overdue for sure.

 

it doesnt specify so I am not sure if Lo or Hi matters, but I would try to do at least a little bit in Lo.

 

I have a straight 10 mile section of highway on my commute where I throw it in 4Hi once a month then try to remember to do a bit in 4Lo just in front of my driveway too.

 

Just make sure you do it when you’re going straight, if you’re on paved roads.

 

THIS!

 

I now pull off in a dirt parking lot and go back/forth with turns for a good 5 minutes every few months or so.

At 240K, the actuator is kind sticky and bangs/jerks a little coming out of 4wd if I were to do it on a paved road going straight.

My bad for not exercising it enough originally.

 

In my old Tundra and Tacoma I never engaged it while moving. Ol School I guess……and whenever I disengaged it I’d be at a complete stop, switch it to 2wd, then put it in reverse for 10-20 feet. And I’d always hear a clunk sound, not a bad grinding sound or anything, just a clunk sound which was supposed to be “normal”.

That’s what was recommended in the old days so “being old” I’ll probably do it the same way.

 

I know first hand that the 4Runners were reallllly bad about having frozen up transfer case actuators back in the 2000s and into the 2010s. Not sure if the Tundra system is designed the same because it's been too cold to crawl under my new truck and look. But it's a very good idea to cycle through all of the ranges once per month, preferably off pavement.

 

Anyone have issues turning with the 4WD engaged? I'm new to 4WD and don't use it much in NC but when I do, it seems to not turn as wel as in 2WD. Is that normal? I have a 19CM with just over 30k.

 

If you are turning on pavement, that’s normal and not recommended. 4wd should be used when you have a loss of traction

 

Although its a good idea to exercise the 4WD on occasion to keep the front Diff and actuator lubricated and happy, not a great idea to do it in situations where all 4 tires have traction and can bind, possibly causing some damage.

 

I use mine once or twice a month on dirt roads, cycling between 4hi and 4lo, and back and forth from 4wd to 2wd periodically throughout the drive. I usually do this out on the forest roads where I can wander around at various speeds. I’m out in the woods every few weeks anyway, so I use this as an opportunity to give the 4wd system some exercise. In Florida, I seldom need the 4wd, so I have to put myself in situations where I can use it, but it gives me a chance to get away from town for awhile and dust the cobwebs off the transfer case and keep everything running smoothly on the truck. That way when I do need it, it’ll work.

 

I use mine when I actually need it and I've never had a problem. Depending on the time of year (and how bad the winter is), that could mean I'm using it briefly every day, and it could mean I'm going 8-10 months without ever using it. That said even in the summer months I usually at some point have an occasion where I need it. But from April till November, there's pretty much never a circumstance where I need it for more than 100 yards or so.

The ten mile thing always seemed crazy to me. The only time I ever find myself using it that much is in the winter on entirely snow-covered roads occasionally, and that's not that often here.

 

i have 2021/1794, last month I had this issue when I was using 4x4 going reverse turning tightly to park the truck on snow covered pavement. I had a attached hearing sound coming from the rear tire’s!!!

 

I engage mine whenever I need it or think about it. I don't follow the once a month rule. Or the ten miles rule. I believe using the the correct 75w prevents alot of the issues people see. I could also be completely wrong about that. I got 233k on the clock now, and it shifts in and out of 4x4 fast. And when I go to 4lo, I get a nice solid clunk from the actuator.

I have 57k on my transfer case fluid, it's ravenol, I'll be changing it soon and sending the sample to blackstone. I'll also be sending my rear diff fluid to the lab too. It's had alot of towing and offroad use. The results will be interesting

 

so here's a dumb question. How does one handle pulling out of a snowy side road/parking lot onto a dry road? Need 4wd to get onto the dry road, but then it takes a few seconds to disengage while you're turning on dry pavement? This just a cost of doing business and you hope nothing binds up or breaks??

 

Some suggestions that you put into 2H…

 

And my thought was that time were “I should’ve brought a Lexus GX460”!!

 

Once a month or more I put in 4 hi on a straight section.

Then In my driveway or on a remote stretch of road. I'll stop and engage 4 low a few times.

The actuators need exercise as much as the 4wd gear train needs lube.

 

Please post a thread when you get that blackstone analysis back. You have quite a bit of miles on use on your 2014.

 

I will, I always post my UOAs here.

 

Depends on the situation, but if you can't get out onto the dry pavement without using 4WD, you gotta do what you gotta do. I've been there many times. I just try my best to get it back into 2WD before having to make a sharp turn if I can, but sometimes it's unavoidable.

 

I didnt use my 2012 Tundras 4 wheel drive for 3 years and once i used it there was a worrisome rattling noise only when engaging 4x4. Got everything cleaned out and lubricated and it was good again. Now on my 2018 I drive every few weeks a few miles in 4x4, even engaging and disengaging through both hi and low modes driving very slow once in while.

 

slow and keep it straight, switch to 2wd with a slow, wide turn, it’ll be ok