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Issue switching into 4-high

ABW

ABW

2️⃣ Bronze
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
2
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1
Location
Colorado
2020 TRD OR DCLB Auto
Magnetic Gray
Hello - im having some unexpected behavior in my new truck. 2020 TRD OR LB MGM. When i switch from 2WD to 4-hi, i notice that the front differential seems to be locking. I can hear the outer tire scraping on the road when doing a tight turn on a dirt road. At least, thats what it feels like. I tried switching the rear diff locker both on and off, no change... anyone know whats happening? thank you. ps im new to this stuff, not experienced with 4x4
 
ABW said:
Hello - im having some unexpected behavior in my new truck. 2020 TRD OR LB MGM. When i switch from 2WD to 4-hi, i notice that the front differential seems to be locking. I can hear the outer tire scraping on the road when doing a tight turn on a dirt road. At least, thats what it feels like. I tried switching the rear diff locker both on and off, no change... anyone know whats happening? thank you. ps im new to this stuff, not experienced with 4x4
Click to expand...

Just to note, 4hi will not engage the locker, you must be in 4Lo to do that.

When you engage 4hi are you moving? 4hi hesitates to engage until moving. Meaning if you engage it while stopped it will flash, it will only engage when you start moving, it may take a few seconds. If the light is solid (4hi) then it is engaged.

If that is not the case and you are for sure it is engaged properly, you may have an issue with your diff, although very rare.
 
Last edited:
Good to know about the rear diff lock. When I engaged 4hi i would always stop, switch to 4hi, wait a few seconds, then start driving. thats when i noticed going in turns (generally pretty slowly, under 10mph in very tight turns) that i could hear tire scraping which i wasnt hearing in 2WD. sounded like it was from the front. i think i should have a friend along to watch from the outside to verify. Both times was alone.

will report back, thanks
 
While the front diff does not have a locker, it is fairly common for the inside tire when turning to slip a little. That's why you are supposed to only use 4wd on loose or slippery surfaces. It's not fully locked out, but it can happen. As long as you don't have warning lights screaming at you on the dash or horrible noises coming from your diff I wouldn't be to concerned.
 
Your experience is normal. Any normal (aka ancient) 4wd vehicle will do this.

It gets complicated today, because Awd vehicles or "full time 4wd" don't do that due to the center diff/transfer case mechanism that allows for slippage and routing of power to "the wheel that needs it" via multiple mechanisms (braking, torque vectoring, etc.) But our truck's are old school, so they do the wheel hopping thing. It's just the binding up of tensions within the drivetrain as each wheel rotates at a slightly different rate.
 
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