Hey folks, what would cause a truck to be hard to get out of 4WD? Mine will go in 4H very easy and smooth, it will go from 4H to 4L very easy and smooth, but it want go from 4H to 2H very easy. It feels just like its locked in 4H and can't be moved at all. The way I do it is to stop, put tranny in neutral, and try to shift, but it want go. After I jiggle the handle around a few times from 4H to 4L and maybe rock the truck a little, it will eventually slide in to 2H. The truck is the one in my sig and it has manual locking hubs. Could this be a linkage issue or what? I would greatly appreciate your help with this one.

 

Check the fluid level in the t-case and tranny. Also look at the fluid to make sure it isn't yucky. The pickup I have had some issues going from 4lo to anything else due to the fluid being both low and burned looking. I don't know when the last time was that your fluid was changed but it might help to do so. I changed everything to synthetic and it shifts very very smooth.


Just to let you know I'm not talking only Toyota's I had a similar issue on a 1977 Scout II. Turns out the fluid had never been changed and it came out looking like grape jelly. After the change to new fluid it was smooth as silk.

 

We had a thread about this a while ago, i remember me and some other people also have the same problem, mine hasnt done it in a long time *knocks on wood*

 

It's actually easier to shift between 2h and 4h when moving straight forward. You can shift between 2h and 4h at any speed under 55mph(factory recommendation, but I've done it at higher speeds) Just don't drive it in 4wd on dry pavement

 

This is pretty common for a gear driven T-case. My 87 does the exact same thing, nothing to worry about.

When you are in 4wd, the components are tight together, and sometimes it takes a little effort to pop it back out ot 4wd.

 

after u check ur fluids try putting it in reverse an go back a few feet then stop put it in neutral an see if that works most older chevys that have 4wd you have to move back like 3 feet in order for it to go in an out

 

This is true only if your hubs are locking in, or if you have ADD (and/or ADD drive flanges)

If you have manual hubs, a gear drive case, and the hubs are not locked in, you won't be able to go into 4wd without some serious grinding

 

That usually has to do with a chain driven t-case although it may work for ours also.

 

You must be talking about Auto-locking Hubs, which Toyota only used in '86 through '88 (I think) until they switched to ADD, Auto Disconnecting Differential.

 

Actually, even with manual locking hubs, backing up will help the Tcase come out of gear. It relieves the pressure on the gears so you can pop the left back into 2wd. Usually after a good day of wheeling, my case will be tough to get out of 4wd. Backing up a few feet allows it to pop out with ease.

 

lol. It was an assumption that the hubs were already locked.

 

It does work. That seems to be the only way I can get my truck out of 4wd...to roll it backwards in neutral.

 

Yes, I tried that also. Used to have to do my old chevy like that. The shifter actually feels like I'm banging up against a metal stop when I try to go from 4H to 2H. After I play with it for a while, it will eventually slide in nice and smooth like it is suppose to. I didn't try it while moving forward but will tomorrow. I just thought this was a little unusual that it would be so difficult. I haven't checked the fluid yet, but I'll go ahead and change both tranny and the tc while I'm at it. What is a good brand synthetic and what weight should I use in the tranny? Thank ya fellas.

 

true.

I just took what he said one way, didn't think about binding

 

its hit or miss most of the time when i try to get it back into 2wd, most of the time it goes into 2wd with no problem other times i feel the shift lever is going to snap off trying to get it out of 4wd. i guess its the nature of the beast

 

Driveline bind is fun!

 

I believe in the last discussion about this, we came to the conclusion that the hole reason is the fact that the Toyota transfer case is a directly connected symmetrical 4wd (as to front and rear, the power is distributed evenly), and the simple act of turning while locked in 4wd causes the front to travel further than the rear, causing the gear binding, and ultimately the "issue" of getting out of 4wd and back into 2wd


simplest solution is to just do as the others have said; drive in a straight line in 4H at about 5-10 miles per hour, apply pressure forward onto the t-case shifter, and it'll pop right into 2H once the tention works itself out while driving

that's all I do, and it works every time

 

the same thing I do unlock hubs reverse and it goes into 2h very easy every time. Nothing to be worried about.

 

Agreed. Every yota I've ever had bound up when I shifted from 4h back to 2h. What I've found helps is to put it in first and start going forward hard for a sec and then as you push in the clutch slide it from 4h back to 2h. Works every time for me.

It's perfectly normal...

 

Thank you fellas. I'll give it another try tomorrow using your instructions.