Topic: Shifting out of 4wd!

[Cheesemaker]

Is it normal to be so hard to get out of 4hi?  There are times I can't get the 4wd shifter out of 4hi.  I'll back up, rock forward, or move real slow to get it to pop out.  Is there a problem I need to look into?  I don't pry on it, cause I know it should just slide out of on and ease into the other.  If it doesn't slide out then I don't try to force it. 


Please ideas!

[MiniSimp]

It's called driveline bind, easy to get from 4Low to 4High and a pain to go from 4High to 2High.
Try rolling/rocking back in reverse then shift.
Mine does the same thing.

[jimbo74]

is the tranny in gear whne you try this? i have found my tcase doesnt want to shift for beans if the transmission is in gear

[ajordan1975]

It's called driveline bind, easy to get from 4Low to 4High and a pain to go from 4High to 2High.
Try rolling/rocking back in reverse then shift.
Mine does the same thing.

X2

[Plekto]

Yep, part of the design, I'm afraid.  It really wants to either be 2wd OR 4wd.   Then again, this is probably why the xfer cases tend to last darn near forever.  2wd and 4wd are kept well away from each other so that they behave.(Bad dog! No fighting! )

I stop and put it into neutral and let it rock a bit back and forth as I come to a stop.(ie - stop and let it roll whichever way it wants a bit to get things a bit looser)

[KDXSR5]

I find it is easiest to shift mine while moving foward at a slow speed... it shifts real easily both in and out when I do this regardless of the transmission position

[79coyotefrg]

is the tranny in gear whne you try this? i have found my tcase doesnt want to shift for beans if the transmission is in gear

sounds like your clutch isnt releasing completely

It's called driveline bind, easy to get from 4Low to 4High and a pain to go from 4High to 2High.
Try rolling/rocking back in reverse then shift.
Mine does the same thing.

absomalutley back up till it pops out,  i  try to never have mine in 4 hi when on a hard surface

[jimbo74]

sounds like your clutch isnt releasing completely

i meant if tranny is in gear and i try to shift tcase, it doenst wnat to go... now if i toss the tranny in n then the tcase shifts a lot easier....


the toyota system is not shift on the fly

[KDXSR5]

i meant if tranny is in gear and i try to shift tcase, it doenst wnat to go... now if i toss the tranny in n then the tcase shifts a lot easier....


the toyota system is not shift on the fly

I did not know the toy system was not shift on the fly... I guess I should quit shifting form 4wd to 2wd going 50 mph. The wierd thing is, the t-case has never resisted shifting at speeds like that... it always resists when stopped like what you guys are talking about

I hope I didn't kill my t-case, but I have seen no ill effects so far.

[jimbo74]

maybe its just different tcase/different trannies.... if i am driving, lets say on the freeway and try to force it into 4x4, it grinds and wont go......

[KDXSR5]

ah, thats because you do not have your hubs locked in! Without the hubs locked in, front output is not spinning, so you have the rear one spinning and the front one sitting still which equals no 2wd to 4wd shifting. Try it with your hubs locked in, it should shift right in and out of 4wd while moving. Mine will not shift from 2wd to 4wd while moving without the hubs being locked in.

[jimbo74]

ah, thats because you do not have your hubs locked in!

why would it matter that the hubs arent locked in?

[KDXSR5]

think about it. With the hubs locked in the front output in the t-case is spinning at the same rate as the rear one, which allows it to shift when you want it to. If the hubs are unlocked, the front output is not spinning, and the rear one is, which does not allow it to shift when you want to due to the front and rear outputs going different speeds. Think about it. If you still don't get it, I do not know what to tell ya, but that is how it works.

[jimbo74]

AH... makes sense now.... i was used to the old fords i had with manual locking hubs that had clutchpacks in the tcase

[KDXSR5]

yeah... those clutchpack t-cases are a different animal

I am thinking if one had auto hubs on their toy, this method would not work, because the hubs cannot be left locked in, can they? I have never had a truck with auto hubs, so that is new technology to me.

[kneedownnate]

Mine's always had issues going from 4wd back to 2wd.  If I run with only a light load in 4wd it seems to come out easily, but if I put any kind of stress on it there's resistence.  It's the only toy I've owned to do this so maybe I got lucky before 

[93tonkatoy]

The driveline bind is caused by the difference in distances travelled by the front vs. the rear axle, while turning. In a turn, the front axle has to travel farther than the rear. I have found 2 ways to shift from 4wd to 2wd.

First way is when ready to shift out when leaving trails, stop, unlock the front hubs, then get back in, turn the sterring wheel to one side or the other, and back up. This will release the hub gears, which are spring loaded, when the bind is released. Then I have no problem shifting out of 4wd.

Second way is similar, but for times when you are not finished wheeling. Leave the hubs locked, turn the steering wheel, and reverse while maintaining gentle pressure on the t/case shifter. After just a little bit of movement (about 1 foot), it will release, and shift normally.

Normally, if you are running on a straight trail, the t/case should not be in any bind, and you should be able to shift at any time (with the front hubs locked).

[Wermz84]

I've always just feathered the clutch in reverse for a quick moment and it usually just pops right out.

[Duffil]

for 1 DO NOT TRY TO SHIFT INTO 4WD WHILE DOING 50 ON THE FREEWAY.

otherwise, I've only had mine bind once or twice...drive forward slowly with pressure on the stick...it'll go.

[Wermz84]

for 1 DO NOT TRY TO SHIFT INTO 4WD WHILE DOING 50 ON THE FREEWAY.

Who are you kidding?  That is the BEST!!   

[KDXSR5]

I shift into 4wd all the time while going 50, and I have not had any problems yet. I never do it going any faster than 50, because usually I limit my 4wd speed to 50 mph. This is during winter when if not in 4wd, I will be in the ditch. Why not shift while going that fast? It never resists when I do it, and never makes bad noises either.

[79coyotefrg]

what idiot  would try to shift into 4 hi  when the  hubs are not locked

Todd is right,  i have shifted mine from 2hi to 4 hi  at 55 mph,  with no bind,  why no bind  because i was running on packed snow,  or sand  DUUUUHHHHHHH

[79coyotefrg]

lock your hubs  and run down the freeway  and  pull it back into 4 hi

 you better have a bucket to pick the pieces of the tcase up off the highway with

[KDXSR5]

I notice it is much easier to shift from 4wd to 2wd or the other way when going at speed. When stopped it binds and is a general PITA.

[kneedownnate]

...drive forward slowly with pressure on the stick...it'll go.

That's how I get mine 

[Cheesemaker [OP]]

I see that the general consensus is to get the truck to move a little bit to release the bind.  I do know that the case does have a syncro gear in them.  But I don't like to be moving when shifting, just enough to get it out of 4hi.  My old nissan was chain driven and I'd shift in and out of 2 and 4 while cruising down the road with no problems.  But gear driven, I wouldn't want to attempt, unless I knew I had a spare to put in.   

My hubs are locked in 80% of the time, because I have a couple driveways I frequent, that if I didn't, I'd never get up the driveways.  Nothing like going up a steep road, with a tight hairpin turn with loose gravel.

[Rocksurfer]

Can I shift into low 4wd on the freeway? Mine binds too I just give it a quick yank and it pops out.

[KDXSR5]

umm...no, it even says you must be going under I think 3 mph to shift into or out of 4wd low right on my glovebox...

[brainlessfool]

what idiot  would try to shift into 4 hi  when the  hubs are not locked

 

I may have missed it butt did anyone ask if front and rear tires are the same size?

[Rocksurfer]

 

I may have missed it butt did anyone ask if front and rear tires are the same size?

Ok, what idiot would try to shift into 4wd at 55 with mismatched tires!