Hi guys, I'm new here to yotatech. Best 4wd toyota site on the net. I have what may be a stupid question, but I have a '94 4runner with the a.d.d. "live"
hubs. What I'm wondering is, is it normal to have to back up out of 4wd sometimes and sometimes not? Because my owners manual says quote: "Shifting procedure(vehicles with a manual transmission) to shift from"h4" to "h2", simply move the front drive control lever. The vehicle may be moving at any speed. You need not even depress the clutch pedal." Most of the time I need to back up about a foot or so and the hubs disengage. I never have any trouble shifting the transfer case into 4hi while moving or anything. And I have a '89 chevy truck that I can shift in and out of 4wd all day if I wanted to without backing up. So could anybody tell me whether this is normal, or is there something that needs replacing/ or adjusting? Thanks a lot!!!

 

It sounds normal to me and is probably due to a little binding. Try driving forward in a straight line for a little ways before shifting out of 4h.

 

Hey, thanks Glenn, I've tried doing that and the strange thing is it seems to always shift out of 4hi when I'm heading downhill.. strange eh?

 

What could be binding? maybe something in the transfer case?

 

i never have to back up going in or out of 4x4?
pust be something binding up?

 

You have to "unload" the front drivetrain. Driving straight is the correct answer, but letting off on the gas helps too. This is normal for any regular 4wd system. Sometimes it may be more convenient to backup a little rather than keep driving forward...

 

I found out something strange with my 4runner today regarding shifting out of 4hi to 2wd. While moving along in 4hi, I shifted into 2 wheel and it stayed in 4 hi until I cranked the steering wheel all the way to the left or right. Then it would shift out of 4wheel everytime i turned a hard corner. I noticed while moving the transfer case from 4hi to 2wd in a straight line I couldn't hear the 4wd indicator click until cranking the steering wheel. But it still immediately disengages out of 4wd if I back up a foot or so. I still have no ideas...!!!I don't quite get why it disengages with the steering cranked to one side or the other??

 

He just told you why.....

 

it never "unloads" after driving in a straight line at all. I could drive it a mile and it makes no difference...who knows?

 

You better sell it.......... It sounds normal to me.

 

Are your tires all the same size and all inflated to the same pressure?

 

yep. theyre all the same. I'm running stock rims and tires. It seems fishy to me that it would disengage while turning and not in a straight line. That seems a strange normality to me!

 

Unloading the drivetrain is the answer. if i shift out of 4 & stay on the gas it will not unload. let of the gas & just don't worry about it. if you are on dry payvment it will take longer to unload. also posted was a good idea about checking the tire sizes, if they differ then you could contually have load on until something drastic like backing up or cranking the wheel. play with it some more. it sounds normal. I have gone for many blocks many time before it unlocks, other times it is also instant.

 

That's good to hear it's normal, Thanks dudes!

 

I have to push in the clutch to get it to come out of 4WD. Usually have to give it a touch of gas and/or let out the clutch a hair to get it to engage.