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4wd

4wd

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This refers to anyone with any year Tacoma with an E-locker , guys/gals if you haven't already played with this little feature I implore that you find the nearest dirt trail, dirt lot ,etc: & get into the practice of engaging/dis engaging it periodically, it may take a bit if it's never been engaged or it's been a while but the more it IS energized , the easier it becomes, (mine engages from a stand still)

Since it's an electrically controlled device long term non use can very well result in failure if & when you DO need it, once stuck is a hell of a time to find out it won't engage at all...

You may say "I don't intend to off road", that's even better reason to exercise this important form of "maintenance, do this for 4x mode as well, it's a "use it or lose it." kind of thing...

We now return you to regular programing...
 
flyinglentris said:
How frequently do you suggest this feature be exercised?

FlyingLentris in LLOMA
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If in an arid environment , at least once every 6 weeks-8 weeks max.

In snow belt (salted roads are killer to everything not undercoated, even then) I'd do it at least twice a month...
 
The Tacoma manual states that 4WD should be engaged at least once a month. I wonder now whether time should be taken to engage all the features, locking differential, crawl, E, ... at the same interval?

The manual also recommends that this be done offroad and not on level paved road.

FlyingLentris in LLOMA
 
flyinglentris said:
The Tacoma manual states that 4WD should be engaged at least once a month. I wonder now whether time should be taken to engage all the features, locking differential, crawl, E, ... at the same interval?

The manual also recommends that this be done offroad and not on level paved road.

FlyingLentris in LLOMA
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I use all of mine every chance I get.
 
flyinglentris said:
The Tacoma manual states that 4WD should be engaged at least once a month. I wonder now whether time should be taken to engage all the features, locking differential, crawl, E, ... at the same interval?

The manual also recommends that this be done offroad and not on level paved road.

FlyingLentris in LLOMA
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Crawl control and MTS works through the brakes. They are not a mechanic engagement like a locker or 4wd.

You can engage 4wd on a paved road as long as you avoid sharp turns. I drag race in 4wd for traction. I’ll engage low and the locker in my driveway to exercise them since I pretty much don’t wheel now.
 
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flyinglentris said:
The Tacoma manual states that 4WD should be engaged at least once a month. I wonder now whether time should be taken to engage all the features, locking differential, crawl, E, ... at the same interval?

The manual also recommends that this be done offroad and not on level paved road.

FlyingLentris in LLOMA
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I implore that you find the nearest dirt trail, dirt lot ,etc:

2nd sentence in 1st post...
 
4wd said:
I implore that you find the nearest dirt trail, dirt lot ,etc:
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I agree with this just for the sake of adventure and enjoyment.

For Taco owners in San Francisco South Bay, I know of three good local dirt road trails ...

1) East side of Mount Hamilton from the Lick Observatory (California 130) down to San Antonio Valley road. (Unpaved sections last time I went)
Very Steep Washboarded Grades coming down from Mount Hamilton.
2) East of Milpitas, up Calaveras Road past Ed Levin Regional Park past Calaveras Reservoir to where it joins I-680 near Sunol
Lots of winding narrow road until headed out on part in flats toward I-680
3) East of Hollister/Tres Pinos on road J1 which continues in isolated areas all the way to I-5 and the San Joaquin Valley.
Very Scenic with combinations of winding roads with straights through ranchlands.

You can look at these from Google Maps or Mapquest.

If you're from the Bay Area, enjoy ...

FlyingLentris in LLOMA
 
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whippersnapper02 said:
Supercharged but it’s still slow.
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I have a 2000 Tacoma SuperCharged. It’s a real sleeper. There are a couple of streets near me in Camarillo, Ca that are two lane off the light then go to one lane everyone tries to beat me to the one lane and are very surprised when I get way out front before the lanes merge.
I love my Tacoma both on and off road. I also have a ‘87 4X SR5 Xtra cab that I am in the process of stuffings a LS6 in it. Can’t wait for that sleeper to hit the road.
 
kp.taco said:
Nice dash lights. Sure better than orange
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Yeah my buddy modded my cluster. I love it.

cplmike1 said:
I have a 2000 Tacoma SuperCharged. It’s a real sleeper. There are a couple of streets near me in Camarillo, Ca that are two lane off the light then go to one lane everyone tries to beat me to the one lane and are very surprised when I get way out front before the lanes merge.
I love my Tacoma both on and off road. I also have a ‘87 4X SR5 Xtra cab that I am in the process of stuffings a LS6 in it. Can’t wait for that sleeper to hit the road.
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My truck is faster than an Ecopoop Mustang but slower than a new turbo Civic non SI. So still slow in my book. I could add headers, a Y pipe, 3 inch exhaust, piggyback ECU, meth/water injection or 7th fuel injector and pulley down the supercharger even more but meh. I’d love to LS swap but I have no fab skills or a second vehicle.
 
whippersnapper02 said:
Yeah my buddy modded my cluster. I love it.



My truck is faster than an Ecopoop Mustang but slower than a new turbo Civic non SI. So still slow in my book. I could add headers, a Y pipe, 3 inch exhaust, piggyback ECU, meth/water injection or 7th fuel injector and pulley down the supercharger even more but meh. I’d love to LS swap but I have no fab skills or a second vehicle.
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No worries, I'll talk ya through it...;)
 
4wd said:

No worries, I'll talk ya through it...;)
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I’ll have to use a hanger and some wire from the overhead power lines because I don’t have a welder. I tried the other day but didn’t have the best of luck.


But back to the original topic, 8 years and I’ve never had issues engaging 4wd and the locker because I regularly exercise them.
 
whippersnapper02 said:
Yeah my buddy modded my cluster. I love it.



My truck is faster than an Ecopoop Mustang but slower than a new turbo Civic non SI. So still slow in my book. I could add headers, a Y pipe, 3 inch exhaust, piggyback ECU, meth/water injection or 7th fuel injector and pulley down the supercharger even more but meh. I’d love to LS swap but I have no fab skills or a second vehicle.
Click to expand...

Fabricating the parts is the hardest part. I took a welding class at night school, bought a mig/tig welder from Eastwood. It was a lot easier to do when Downey Toyota was still around they sold everything you needed to swap a V8 in a Toyota. Owell , when I get this project completed I’ll upload the pics. I’ve just about got all the parts rounded up, maybe Santa will be nice to me. I think he is a gear head too. [emoji16]
 
whippersnapper02 said:
I’ll have to use a hanger and some wire from the overhead power lines because I don’t have a welder. I tried the other day but didn’t have the best of luck.


But back to the original topic, 8 years and I’ve never had issues engaging 4wd and the locker because I regularly exercise them.
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& this is exactly what needs to be done, it's not an issue with mechanically operated devices (lever) but as you know with electrically controlled devices all bets are off if it's allowed to be dormant with non use...

As for hillbilly welding, get a good car battery (preferably a deep cell RV batt.) & some thick jumper cables & you've got a 90amp stick welder, let the good times roll haha...
 
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