When in 4L, I've noticed two things Jerking/Grabbing...is this "normal?"

New Taco here, like this is my first 4x4 New Taco...I've posted a previous thread on tires/wheels and was met with the best responses from this TW group.

First thing I noticed in 4L: when tight turning and going slow, instead of just rolling like in 2WD, I feel a jerking motion (no clacking sound) as I slowly move forward...as if I have a bubble on my sidewall. If I had to guess, this is either a known behavior of 4L in Gen. 3....or...you guys/gals have an answer.

Second thing I noticed in 4L/4H: when coming to a stop and preparing to back into my driveway...it feels as if the gear goes into super-Low (feels as if I have my foot on the break)...a touch of the pedal to move backwards or forwards is met with such resistance, I need to give more gas just to move half a foot. Wheels turned or straight...same feel.

Perhaps this is how all Gen. 3s are, perhaps you have encountered this too.
Thanks in advance.

 

Are you driving on a dry surface by any chance?

 

Avoid tight turns in 4wd on surfaces with good traction

 

This is normal for 4L/4H although more pronounced in 4L. It is a part-time four-wheel drive system, so there is no differential between the back and front wheels. Therefore, you get some binding while turning. The tighter the turn the mode binding. As long as you are not on dry pavement, no harm as this is normal for all part-time four-wheel drive systems. The truck feels like it is hopping. It was the same way on my Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3.

 

Is jerking and grabbing normal? I donno, that depends on....well, nevermind

Seriously though, while my taco is a 4x2 I had several 4x4 trucks when I lived in Vermont. All of them felt like you were stepping on the brake while trying tight turns in 4H or L on a reasonably good surface.

 

What the others have said and since your new to this, in 4wd your turning radius will increase a little and if you have a rear locker, locked that will increase it more.

 

You might consider reading the 4-WD section of your owner's manual - particularly the WARNING section.

 

Thanks all...yes, I was on dry flat pavement. Again, the value of this Group shines.

 

Yea, you don't want to be doing tight turns on dry pavement in 4WD. If you need to run the system to get your 10 miles a month in on relatively dry flat pavement keep it straight or very wide, shallow turns. Better yet, find some sand or dirt to work it out on.

 

Good advice given already. Enjoy!

 

While on the subject is it normal for the warning ding while in 4L that just keeps on ding and dinging till I get out of it. Just wondering cause I find it annoying like there is something wrong with it. Never had that on my other 1-2 Gen Tacos.

 

This^

 

Don’t do that unless you want to break things

 

No. If it dings and flashes it is not in 4LO. When it is in 4LO the light will be solid with no warning dings. Are you properly executing the 4HI to 4LO shift?

 

This is how all 4wd vehicles are. It's going to bind when turning tight on high traction surfaces. Read your manual and understand the system and it'll make sense.

AWD and "fulltime 4wd" are designed to operate on pavement and high traction surfaces but your classic, part-time 4wd is not.

 

Normal, and don’t do that

 

If you don't have an owners manual the drivers sun visor will describe 4WD operations.

Honestly I don't play with 4LO unless its loose traction or I'm dead straight for diagnoses.

 

literally every 4wd truck does this. it's normal and not a "3rd gen" thing.

 

Yep, when in 4wd lo on hard ground taking a turn, it almost feels like the truck steps.

 

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