We’ve now determined that a safe driving speed for your Tacoma is 60 mph. It is advised to drive at a top speed of 60 mph with any 4WD, for that matter.
The factory-standard Tacoma is a pickup truck that is well-equipped for handling and safety. With 17 wheels, a limited slip differential (LSD) that is activated by the brakes, and a front anti-roll bar, I can understand why you might be tempted to push it well above 60 mph while still feeling at ease. The Tacoma could easily accomplish it.
The Tacoma is an off-road beast to be feared since it comes standard with electronic stability, Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P) forward-collision sensing, 4-wheel ABS brakes, and traction control.
But just because there are all these electronic devices and safety systems to keep us safe in the case of an accident, doesn’t mean we can defy the laws of physics and drive at extremely high speeds.
In This Article...
Driving Your Tacoma in 4H
She feels completely at home in your Tacoma when driving off-road. While traveling at speeds under 50 mph, the 4WD high (4H) mode can be chosen. Once activated, you will immediately experience greater traction by literally feeling and hearing the system start up. There aren’t many places the Tacoma can’t go with a 24-degree departure angle and a 29-degree approach angle. With a 9.4 (23.8 cm) ground clearance, this vehicle truly can go anywhere and gives any driver confidence.
We don’t want to behave like cowboys on the rails, despite all these incredible specs. To minimize the impact of our 4WDs, we must respect nature and stick to the prescribed tracks.
Driving Your Tacoma in 4L
Always make sure to fully stop the truck before activating (4L) 4WD low-range. In the same way, if you want to go from 4L to 4H after switching to 4H, you must first stop the truck and put it in neutral before twisting the knob to 4H or 2H.
When there is little traction and the road surface is uneven and rough, 4L should be used.
You can safely use 4Lo if you can’t travel the road in 4H at speeds greater than first gear without endangering the track or your car. By providing power more effectively, this will reduce the strain on your engine and drivetrain. Additionally, 4L engines have lower ratio gears, which keep revs high, maintain the engine in the power zone, and make stalling more difficult.
Engaging 4 Wheel Drive (4H) On Your Tacoma
The process of switching from H2 and H4 is quick and simple. To begin with, slow down to less than 62 mph (100 km/h). The 4WD control switch should then be fully turned clockwise, from 2H to 4H. On your instrument panel, the 4WD indicator ought to be illuminated. Drive forward while accelerating or braking if the 4WD indicator is still blinking. Stop the car entirely or reduce its speed to less than 62 mph (100 km/h) if the buzzer sounds. Repeat the switch operation until the 4H light is no longer visible.
Never change your Tacoma’s transmission from 2H to 4H if your wheels are slipping. Before you activate 4H, make sure the rotating wheels have stopped.
Engaging Low Range (4Lo) On Your Tacoma
Make careful to fully stop the car while keeping your foot on the brake pedal if you have an automatic transmission. The gear shifter should now be placed in (N) Neutral. The FWD control switch must be pushed and fully turned clockwise.
Reduce your speed to less than 2 mph (3 km/h) and press the clutch pedal if you have a manual transmission. The 4WD control switch must be pushed and fully turned clockwise.
Repeat the previous instructions if the 4WD signal flashes and the buzzer sounds in either the manual or automatic transmission trucks. Bring the truck to a complete stop and give it another shot.
Driving in four high does your truck any harm?
It is not recommended to drive in 4WD for prolonged periods of time with a non-permanent 44 unless traction is poor since doing so will cause “axle binding,” also known as “drive-line binding” or “drive-line wind up.” Drive-train parts including u-joints, axles, transfer gears, bearings, and drive shafts will deteriorate and eventually fail during extensive 4-Hi driving with a part-time 4WD truck on a high traction surface like pavement.
Permanent 4 wheel drive
Permanent 4WD refers to the fact that the car cannot be transferred from 44 (4H) mode at all. This indicates that the vehicle is always in 4WD mode and that operating and driving it on ANY specific terrain in this mode is completely risk-free. A drive-train element (viscous coupling) used in permanent 4WD enables the drive-shafts to function independently without producing any drive-line wind-up.
Nota Bene: Always make sure your 4WD’s center differential is disengaged or unlocked before returning to the road or any other high-traction surface.
What is transmission wind-up?
When a part-time 4WD vehicle is driven on a non-slip surface like tarmac or pavement that prevents the left and right side wheels on the axles from turning at different speeds when taking a bend, transmission wind-up happens.
The axle drive-train winds up during corners in 4WD due to the differential in rotational speeds between the two inner wheels and the two outer wheels, seriously damaging the tires and other drive-train parts. When the transmission is put in four-wheel drive and made to turn bends on terrain with high levels of grip, the tremendous torque produced inside the transfer box and other drive-train components are vulnerable to severe damage.
For instance, owing of their smaller circle, the two wheels on the left side of the axles rotate more slowly than the two on the right. Drive-train wind-up happens when the vehicle is in 4WD mode on a surface with high traction because the axles try to spin at the same speed, and the stress this puts on the drive-train is what causes the axle-binding.
Tight gear shifting, grinding, a jammed transmission, difficult turning, wheel hop, and higher fuel consumption can all be signs of transmission windup. These are a few of the obvious warning indicators that transmission wind-up has occurred as a result of 4WD use on a non-slip surface. More on this in a moment.
So why are all 44’s simply built with permanent 4WD then?
However, there is a cost associated with being able to drive and operate on any terrain without worrying about harming the drivetrain or tires. Permanent 4WD comes at the following costs:
- Almost a little more fuel-intensive than 2WD vehicles
- additional operating elements (more serviceable parts)
- higher expenditures for upkeep
- Costly repairs
- greater cost of acquisition (more components and technology built-in)
- heavier curb weight for a vehicle
- typically less towing capacity than a 42 variant of the same make and model
Permanent 4WD vehicles have a significant driving and safety advantage over two-wheel drives on slick surfaces like snow, ice, and gravel roads, but all is not roses with them. Since the front wheels are pulling while the rear wheels are pushing concurrently, at varied speeds, during corners, permanent 4WD vehicles and AWDs have better cornering capabilities. This results in a more secure feeling as well as better grip and traction on a range of terrain.
Below are some examples of vehicles with permanent 4WD and AWD
- Outback Subaru
- 44 Toyota Fortuna
- A4 Quattro Audi
- Nissan 4Runner
- Grand Cherokee Jeep
- Discovery Land Rover
- AWD Honda CRV
Difference between 4WD and AWD facts
- Both on and off-road, full-time 4WD is quite effective.
- Each wheel receives about 25% of the vehicle’s total torque.
- While many manufacturers prefer a 60/40 mix, some manufacturers use a 50/50 split.
- For a sportier feel, other manufacturers choose an 80/20 torque split. with the rear axle constantly receiving the greater proportion of torque.
- entire time Typically, 4 wheel drives feature a lockable center differential.
- AWD lacks a lockable center differential.
- Lack of low range gears in AWD
- Without a transfer case, AWD
- Lack of axle lockers in AWD
AWD has any low-range capability, transfer case, or diff lockers, but 4WD features a low-range transfer case, which is a key distinction between the two types.
With the development of technology, this is no longer always the case, and with modern cars, the lines are getting more hazy. The VW Amarok 2.0 and V6 auto, for example, lack a low range transfer case and cannot lock the center differential despite being permanent 4WD vehicles. It accomplishes everything a conventional 4WD with low-range can do and more by utilizing a crawler gear, sophisticated traction control, and some cunning German technological wizardry. It functions as a hybrid AWD and 4WD. Inventive engineering!
Part-time 4 wheel drive
Part-time 4 wheel drive, sometimes known as 44, denotes the ability to switch between 2-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive as desired. Older 44s had a short gear shift for selecting these modes, while more recent Utes and trucks have an electronic 44 button option.
AWD vehicles are substantially less capable off-road than the majority of vehicles with part-time 4WD modes, which feature low range transfer cases. In 2H mode, the rear wheels of a part-time 4WD vehicle drive forward, typically on asphalt and other surfaces with good traction. Due to its exceptional off-road capabilities in 4H and 4Lo when necessary, the vehicle can produce respectable on-road fuel economy. With the finest of both worlds, it is a superb blend.
Can you drive four-high quickly?
It is crucial for both your safety and the mechanical longevity of your 4WD to know when it is okay to drive quickly in 4WD high as well as the top speed at which you should do so. While some driving conditions and circumstances allow for 4WD driving at high speeds, other circumstances call for extreme caution. This article will go over how 4WD hi and 4WD lo work, the risks of driving quickly while in 4WD-Hi on particular road conditions, and how it affects a 4WD’s driving dynamics.
How quickly can a 4WD high vehicle travel? Driving at a speed of more than 55 mph in a 4WD high on slippery surfaces is not advised. Only when there is poor traction on the road surface should 4WD be engaged. In 4WD-Lo, you shouldn’t go faster than 10 mph. It is advised to switch to 4WD-High if you can safely travel more than 10 mph in 4WD-Lo.
Now that we are aware of the maximum speeds for 4WD hi and 4WD low, which are respectively 55 MPH and 10 MPH, let’s examine a few additional elements. For instance, what happens to the 4WD’s drivetrain when we engage 4H and when driving quickly in 4WD? You shouldn’t always say “hi.”
How quickly is 4 high usable?
Every motorist needs to be aware of when they can use 4WD High. For the sake of safety and engine preservation, it is also crucial to understand the effects of using the 4WD-Hi mode at top speed. There are several situations we might encounter when we might be traveling really quickly. In other situations, though, we will need to exercise extreme caution. How quickly can the 4WD-Hi travel given all these factors?
The designers of these vehicles advise against going faster than 55 MPH while in 4WD-Hi mode. The car may travel quickly but not too quickly when the 4-wheel drive system is set to High mode. More traction is offered by the 4WD-Hi mode on icy, snowy, rocky, and muddy routes.
Because we regularly need to travel on icy roads and the 4WD-Hi mode is best for this type of journey, it is used more frequently than other modes. Now that we know a little bit more. Let’s get more specific about what traction systems are, how to drive with 4WD-Hi on the road, when to utilize one system instead of another, and other relevant subjects. So please don’t hesitate to read the remaining sections.