Reedr125

Hi I am new to the forums, thanks ahead of time for any advice. I have my first toyota 4x4 truck, it's a 1995 EL5, 4x4 xtra cab, 3.0v6, 5 spd. I have done much work to this truck. Bought it blown. Now I am at my first problem that I can not solve myself. Heres the problem. When I put my truck in 4x4 it drives fine, until I turn the wheel sharp. Then it binds up and will stop the truck like the brakes are pressed. If I back up and go straight its fine, can even turn a little. But turning into a drive way or a u turn in 4x4, thats when it will bind up. Any ideas? I was told that it could be a bushing in the spindle somewhere. I think its where the cv shaft goes through the spindle. And ideas would greatly help. Its an IFS truck if that helps.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Perfectly normal, that is why it is called "part-time 4WD", it is not to be used on high traction surfaces for that very reason.

Windsor

yup, "working as intended" and "don't do that (on asphalt)"

Reedr125

I do know it is suppose to have some drag when in 4x4. This thing will literally come to a stop when the wheel is cut to far turning into a driveway. When it binds, you would burn the clutch be fore it moved. But if I straighten the wheel it seems to go away? This is normal? It really seems like a bushing, is there one where the cv goes through the spindle?

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Sounds perfectly normal. To see why, find an empty parking lot with a puddle and drive though the water and then make a full lock u-turn. Hop out and look at the tire tracks and note which tire made each track. You'll see the front tires swing a wider arc than the rear tires. That means the front tires travel farther and thus rotate more times than the rear tires. But, in 4WD, you have the front and rear drive shafts coupled together 100% (with no slip allowed) and thus the front tires can't roll farther than the rear tires in a turn. So the drive train binds up until either a tire breaks loose or something in the drive train breaks. So you have as much force holding back the drive train as it would if you had the brakes on hard enough to lock up the tires.

Reedr125

That sounds like the problem. I had clue. I figured the front would slip like the back when turning. Sometimes when it binds after turning it will stick and take some fanaggling to get it unstuck. I can feel the drag in 4x4 that all feels normal. I really appreciate the help. Let me ask you this, in 4x4 in the mudd or snow will it bind like this? I kinda fell in to this truck and its been nickel and diming me to death. Got it for a grand and have 600 in it. Motor was blown when i got it. Its the 3.0 Its a real nice truck, just don't know much about them. Thanks again.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

As long at the ground is slippery (mud or snow), the tires can slip and relieve the built up stress and then you'll have little or no binding. Steering in 4WD will always be a little heavier than in 2WD.

Reedr125

Sounds like I am going to have to get it muddy! Will let you know how it goes. How much do you know about the 3.0? I know that they came with junk head gaskets, I redid mine. But the engine make alot of sounds, mostly ticking, thought it was the injectors, but its more of a valve or something in the cam. It has 188,xxx. Still runs good but kinda noisey. Are they know for this or am I looking to blow up soon?

Matt90V6SR5

Mine ticks,taps,kinda like a bad exhaust leak.Even brand new 4x4 owners manuals will tell you DO NOT USE 4X4 ON DRY PAVEMENT.I only engage mine when its near blizzard conditions,its awesome to have.Keep in mind anything 4x4 aint cheap.I also read online that if you bury your truck in 2wd and cant move and then engage 4x4 to get out,you are very likely to snap something.

81redbluffyota

Dont believe everything you read, I do it all the time. Im locked in the rear, and always go in 2wd, till I cant move anymore, then Ill put in 4wd. Been doin it for years.

Green_slime

4 x 4 (4WD) - Describes a vehicle with four-wheel drive. The first figure is the number of wheels. The second is the number of powered wheels.

4 x 2 (2WD) - Refers to a two-wheel drive vehicle with four wheels. The first figure is the number of wheels. The second is the number of powered wheels. With a 4x2, engine power is transmitted to only two wheels, usually the rear.

Part-Time 4WD - Refers to a four-wheel drive system that operates on-demand and drives all four wheels by locking front and rear axles together via a shift lever. It usually includes two speed ranges (Hi and Lo). Part-time 4WD systems must be operated in 2WD mode on dry pavement, as they're designed to be used only in specific situations when extra traction is required.

Full-Time 4WD - Describes a four-wheel-drive system that can be operated continuously on all surfaces. A full-time four-wheel-drive system may include the option of part-time operation (allowing you to shift into 2WD on dry pavement for example), and may or may not have Hi and Lo speed ranges.

Automatic Four-Wheel Drive (A4WD) - This type of drive system automatically engages 4WD as needed. When internal monitors sense differences in individual wheel speeds, indicating that a tire is slipping, then 4WD is automatically engaged.

Shift on the Fly - This type of system allows manual shifting from 2WD to 4WD Hi without coming to a stop. Most systems have a speed limit at which you can engage the system; typically it's under 60 mph.

All-Wheel Drive (AWD) - A full-time single-speed system designed to supply drive power to all four wheels. The percentage of front/rear power delivery varies from system to system.

Matt90V6SR5

Wow thanks for that,and 81red maybe your locked rear end helps.I was talking whats advised against doing on a stock setup.Just because youve been doing it for years doesnt mean its good or not stressful on the system,especially on an aging vehicle.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

I think the issue you run into getting stuck in 2WD is mainly with auto locking hubs. They need to have something like half a tire rotation worth of turning to make them lock in when you shift into 4WD. Get stuck to where you can't move and the front hubs won't lock in.

Other issue could be if you are in 2WD and spinning the rear tires and then you try and jam the t-case into 4WD. Since the rear shaft is spinning and the front is not, you can damage the internal workings by trying to force it to engage. I think the ADD setups can be shifted like this, but then you have the issue of the front end going from a dead stop with no load to a sudden speedup and load on it.

Matt90V6SR5

I think I see what your talking about.Mine has ADD but I can engage it at a dead stop,prefer doing it that way instead of engaging at 45mph.When I was in colorado we had 2 major snow storms and I could engage the front differential while sitting still warming up.Im assuming that when I hear a click and my 4WD green light comes on that I am indeed in 4WD and dont have to roll for it to engage.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

On ADD, you have drive flanges up front, kind of like permanently locked hubs. The only thing that needs to engage is the actuator in the front axle that ties the driver's side axle to the front differential. That is triggered when the transfer case is shifted into 4WD. That is why you can shift on the fly. I think the only bad condition would be if you were stuck in 2WD, with the rear wheels spinning fast and you jammed it into 4WD like that. That sudden load of the spinning up the front end would probably break something.

I usually just shift into 4H as soon as I get off the pavement, it just drives so much better and is more predictable. I recall one time when I had some damage to my front axle (that I did not know about) at a local off-road park. Decided to take it easy that day and just cruise around the park in 2WD (had a rear locker at the time). Was headed up this one road, somewhat steep but nothing that 2WD was not able to handle. There were some loose tennis ball sized rocks here and there and all of a sudden, I am sitting sideways on the hill (nearly on the verge of rolling). Not really sure what happened but I guess one tire went up on a loose rock, lost traction and the other tire with traction spun me around 90 degrees. Luckily I had locked the hubs (just in case) and was barely able to reach out and shift the t-case into 4L (seat belt had locked be back in the seat) and got myself out of that jam. And in 4WD, that hill was absolutely nothing, just cruised up it like it was flat. But since then, I hit 4WD as soon as the terrain allows it.

PCE91V64x4

Reedr125,

If you have $1600 in that truck I would say that is a great deal.

I have driven my commute in snow using 4hi with no problems, you just need a little slip in the wheels every now and then to keep the drivetrain in sync.