Pin 7 mod in snow and ice (no lockers)? (1 Viewer)

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tejas
i get confused about having the CDL lock “override” with the Pin 7 mod and never had a chance to try it.
anyway, i have a 98 4WD tacoma. it is rear wheel drive with a front manual hub lock. so i drive rear wheel drive in the snow and i go on the beach and i lock the hubs and put it in Low or High at the transfer case i guess. other than “exercising” the manual locking hubs once or twice that is it. i think.
well i also have 2nd and Low at the drive train and i guess i switch into one of those “on the fly” if i am suddenly on hairy icy conditions.
but in the cruiser i am still confused. i did the pin 7 mod and have the switch.

i can have it in Drive? or i can put the drive train in 2nd or in Low. i get this.

without Pin 7 mod i can put the transfer case in Low (locked CDL) or in High (locked CDL)? but i would not do this for snow or ice?

or i can “shift” it into 2nd or Low at the transmission? which i would not do? since i would be kicking front to rear which is a bad idea on snow or ice?

so if i have the Pin 7 mod i can also put it in Low or High at the transfer case but unlocked? would i use one of these in snow or ice? what would putting it in High or Low at the transfer care give me on snow or ice? or in general?

can i put the drivetrain in 2nd or Low and put the transfer case in Low or High?(!)

i think i can shift into 2nd or Low at any speed “on the fly”. but can i CAN’T shift the drive train on the fly? or only at very low speeds?(!) what about the CDL. can i tun that on or off on the fly? or does the ECU lock it off at certain RPM?

THANKS

also. ABS is turned off when CDL is locked? is there a good thread that discusses removing ABS entirely? i kind of find it sketchy and i am not sure if it does anything for me actually.

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Whenever I’m driving and the conditions are such that traction is a concern I always lock the center diff with the dash button. I’m not sure if it is technically correct but it works for me know the power is split equally front and rear. As for the ABS that has been discussed hundreds of times on here. I spent hundreds of dollars and countless hours trying to get mine working properly and ending up deleting it. A properly functioning abs system is great on a stock truck but my experience with adding bigger tires is that it doesn’t work well. The braking without the ABS on my truck is much more predictable. YMMV. Good luck enjoy your cruiser in the snow.
 
On a paved road in snow like that I'd just drive it normally (in high range, in drive). If you are having a hard time with that hill I'd lock the CDL and leave it in 2nd gear.

You can only switch from high range to low range (and back) when stopped. You can lock the CDL and shift between 1,2,D while moving.
 
Whenever I’m driving and the conditions are such that traction is a concern I always lock the center diff with the dash button. I’m not sure if it is technically correct but it works for me know the power is split equally front and rear. As for the ABS that has been discussed hundreds of times on here. I spent hundreds of dollars and countless hours trying to get mine working properly and ending up deleting it. A properly functioning abs system is great on a stock truck but my experience with adding bigger tires is that it doesn’t work well. The braking without the ABS on my truck is much more predictable. YMMV. Good luck enjoy your cruiser in the snow.
i “used” the ABS while CDL was unlocked. feels really sketch to me. i guess this is a common thing? or was there some issue with ABS working properly in a stock truck? i have heard about the delete and i can try to find threads i just never thought i wa going to do this for some reason. or why i would do it actually...
 
On a paved road in snow like that I'd just drive it normally (in high range, in drive). If you are having a hard time with that hill I'd lock the CDL and leave it in 2nd gear.

You can only switch from high range to low range (and back) when stopped. You can lock the CDL and shift between 1,2,D while moving.
right. lock CDL and put it in 2nd which would gear it down from D (which might be too high gear) but L would be too low gear?

can you straighten me out on Low and High at the transfer case? and as it relates to the CDL please?

i have a Tacoma 4WD. it is RWD. i lock the front hubs and - well it is in 4WD - i think? or i need to put the transfer case knob in Low or High to get the 4WD? it’s been while and i forget.

anyway. in the cruiser do i - well can i put the transfer case in High while the drive train (?) is in Drive? or put the transfer case in Low when the drive train is in Drive? i mean what does this do for me?
 
On a paved road in snow like that I'd just drive it normally (in high range, in drive). If you are having a hard time with that hill I'd lock the CDL and leave it in 2nd gear.

You can only switch from high range to low range (and back) when stopped. You can lock the CDL and shift between 1,2,D while moving.
also. does the ECU lock you out from locking the CDL based upon RPM? meaning it won’t let you lock CDL above a certain RPM? or does anyone know for sure?
 
With the dash switch installed, you can lock the center at any speed.
If you're in a low traction situation with a lot of wheel spin, you should back off the throttle before locking the center.
Personally, I like to keep the center open on the street in snow as it doesn't understeer. I progressively lock diffs when there's no more forward motion.
 
Low range is a lower gear ratio in the transfer case.
In an unmolested stock configuration, the CDL will automatically lock when the transfer case is shifted into low range.
The CDL is independent of transfer case range selection with the dash switch and pin 7 mod done correctly.
When the CDL locks, it disables ABS by design.
If your ABS works correctly, you should feel it pulse the pedal when braking on a low traction surface which causes a wheel to lock.
 
With the dash switch installed, you can lock the center at any speed.
If you're in a low traction situation with a lot of wheel spin, you should back off the throttle before locking the center.
Personally, I like to keep the center open on the street in snow as it doesn't understeer. I progressively lock diffs when there's no more forward motion.
ok. yeah. back off the throttle.
then i would actually throw it in 2nd then Low. both of those i can do on the fly.

but i don’t really understand Low and High at the transfer case. also as it relates to CDL. or in terms of 2nd and Low.

can i put it in 2nd (or Low) and put it in High or Low at the transfer case? or what would i get by putting it in High or Low at the transfer case again with CDL off?

i also don’t totally understand what i get with CDL lock on in Drive. do i really want front and rear locked 50/50 on snow and ice? or wouldn’t it be better to let the limited slip diff (?) do its job and throw it into 2 and Low?
 
but i don’t really understand Low and High at the transfer case. also as it relates to CDL. or in terms of 2nd and Low.
Low range in the transfer case is a lower gear ratio. It makes the truck drive slower with more torque.
The transmission remains unchanged regardless of range selection on the transfer case. All gears are there and operational all the time.

Keep in mind that there is no "right" and "wrong" way to drive. Every situation is different. Every snowfall is different. Every roadway is different. Every trail is different.
You use what works for the situation.
And as someone who drives in snow and freezing rain very often, slow the **** down. Angular momentum is a bitch.
 
In the snow I wouldn't "throw" it into any of the gears. Smooth and steady will get you right through.

Engaging the CDL (in any gear) just means that torque will be split evenly between the front and rear. This is helpful in deep snow or low traction, but for the most part it isn't needed on the street.

Think of it like a 10 speed bike. Low range is the small sprocket up front and high range is the bigger sprocket up front.
 
Unlike your Tacoma, the 80 is full-time 4WD. That's why it has the CDL and viscous coupler. The VC provides the slip that you don't get when on the road in a part-time 4WD if you shift the Tacoma TC from 2 High to 4 High. There is no equivalent to 2 High in the 80 series TC, which may be where this confusion starts.

Of course, if you got stuck by slippery stuff under one end of the truck, then you'd hopelesslly spin your wheels there and the truck doesn't go. That's where the CDL comes in. It does what your Tacoma does where you switch into either 4 High or 4 Low and it locks the drivetrain together front and rear, splitting the torque 50/50 front to rear. But you also have the VC in the 80 which can split the torque a variable amount between the front and rear wheels. Which you want to use on snow and ice varies, Just be careful until you're comfortable with the CDL locked. With the CDL locked, it operates equivalent to the 50/50 split of of the part-time case.
 
All the 7 pin mod does is overcome the fact that Toyota removed this function in high range, presumably due to the AWD functionality in high being considered enough.

Manual control of CDL is great to have, you can stay in AWD low range for tight offroad switchbacks, but really it just adds back in something Toyota removed from a dash button perspective. The “multi-mode” t-cases found in certain 3rd Gen 4Runners and 1st Gen Sequoias have separate engagement for AWD and 4WD (locked CDL), and outside of not having 2WD, you have that as well.

I use high range CDL all the time in winter as it is more stable than AWD in some variable conditions like changing lanes at speed with more snow depth between lanes. Just play around with it - only “rule” is you’ll get binding in tight corners with CDL on I’m high traction conditions.

These cases are gear driven and a lot more tolerant use on say dry pavement than chain driven cases in my experience, but the idea that diff locks are “bad” in snow is still going strong because people drove CJ7’s 35 years ago and still say so on the internet.

I run AWD until either I’m losing traction in deep snow or AWD is starting to feel squirrelly at speed, and then CDL is on.
 
All the 7 pin mod does is overcome the fact that Toyota removed this function in high range, presumably due to the AWD functionality in high being considered enough.

Manual control of CDL is great to have, you can stay in AWD low range for tight offroad switchbacks, but really it just adds back in something Toyota removed from a dash button perspective. The “multi-mode” t-cases found in certain 3rd Gen 4Runners and 1st Gen Sequoias have separate engagement for AWD and 4WD (locked CDL), and outside of not having 2WD, you have that as well.

I use high range CDL all the time in winter .

^^^^

I like this ability too. In fact used it yesterday and today. In the conditions the OP posted (looks like the dry, powder snow most of Texas got the other day) he should be able to navigate that hill with the CDL locked or unlocked, but locked would be easier. I put about 50 miles on mine yesterday in the same type of snow up and down a lot hills. Sometimes with CDL on...other times not, but in high range the entire time.

Just shifted to a lower gear with the transmission when going down hills to use 'engine braking' to slow down instead of the vehicle brakes.

There are also times when I shift the Tcase into low range with the CDL unlocked when moving heavy things around here on the ranch. So to me...having the CDL switch AND the 7 pin 'mod' is the way to go...since it gives you complete control.

In the next day or so....we are supposed get ICE and that's whole 'nother ball game.
 
What nobody has addressed previously, the lower the effective gear (higher ratio) be it high or low range the more easily you will get wheel spin. For the best traction you want to be in 2nd gear versus 1st gear to avoid the wheel spin. This is exactly why the A343 transmission has the 2nd start button. It is easier to feather the throttle to avoid spin in a higher gear.
 
In the snow I wouldn't "throw" it into any of the gears. Smooth and steady will get you right through.

Engaging the CDL (in any gear) just means that torque will be split evenly between the front and rear. This is helpful in deep snow or low traction, but for the most part it isn't needed on the street.

Think of it like a 10 speed bike. Low range is the small sprocket up front and high range is the bigger sprocket up front.
yeah. i mean i am pretty wicked awesome in snow and ice actually. it’s just i use D, 2 and L. and i throw it in 2 and then L if i need to on a really steep grade. with a stick i can control it better and feather the clutch etc, etc.
so
but i don’t really understand what i am doing with the transfer case gears i guess. i DO get i have manual control over “trying” or “locking” - well i guess i am locking the front driveshaft to the rear driveshaft? so instead of being 60/40 with the viscous coupling (?) of the center differential (?) it is 50/50?
but what i am not understanding is - well what am i doing by putting it into “un-CDL locked” High or “in-CDL locked” low again please?
also. your bike analogy is Low at the “transfer case” is the small front chainring and High is a slightly larger front chainring? i mean i totally don’t get how the transfer case relates to the engine actually i guess.
like what is the difference between L at the Engine and L at the transfer case?
actually here is my tacoma. i think i need to manually lock the front hubs and then i have access to L4, H2 and H4? but it will just spin if i leave the transfer case in neutral?

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What nobody has addressed previously, the lower the effective gear (higher ratio) be it high or low range the more easily you will get wheel spin. For the best traction you want to be in 2nd gear versus 1st gear to avoid the wheel spin. This is exactly why the A343 transmission has the 2nd start button. It is easier to feather the throttle to avoid spin in a higher gear.
hey ppc.
can you help me with the elementary version here?
are you talking strictly about D, 2, and L here when you discuss “gear”?
when you say “lower effective gear”- well what does this mean again? and what does the 2nd button do? it lets you drive the driveshaft with a smaller gear to prevent wheel spin?
 
^^^^

I like this ability too. In fact used it yesterday and today. In the conditions the OP posted (looks like the dry, powder snow most of Texas got the other day) he should be able to navigate that hill with the CDL locked or unlocked, but locked would be easier. I put about 50 miles on mine yesterday in the same type of snow up and down a lot hills. Sometimes with CDL on...other times not, but in high range the entire time.

Just shifted to a lower gear with the transmission when going down hills to use 'engine braking' to slow down instead of the vehicle brakes.

There are also times when I shift the Tcase into low range with the CDL unlocked when moving heavy things around here on the ranch. So to me...having the CDL switch AND the 7 pin 'mod' is the way to go...since it gives you complete control.

In the next day or so....we are supposed get ICE and that's whole 'nother ball game.
for what it’s worth that’s ice under there. i mean i am not totally asking this question just to get up that hill but i realized i don’t understand a couple things so figured to ask and use it as sort of an example...
 
I run AWD until either I’m losing traction in deep snow or AWD is starting to feel squirrelly at speed, and then CDL is on.
^^^^^
This.
 

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