4LO+CDL Engagement on Dry Pavement?

[goldilx]

Hi all,
Engaged my 4LO on my 99 LX to just exercise the gears since I don’t recall ever doing so since buying the car. After shifting into 4LO my CDL auto-engaged as well (I believe they tandem engage on older 100s) and I reversed about two feet and drove forward about two feet. Then I remebered I shouldn’t have done it on high traction pavement. It was in a dry flat parking lot. Any idea how much damage may have been caused? There was a noticeable increase in torque while the two functions were active when shifting from reverse to drive, which I believe is normal. Nothing seemed abnormal during engagement, and after disengaging I drove home multiple miles and nothing out of the ordinary seemed to occur. Thanks all!

 

[a_traut_man]

You haven’t done any damage, nothing to worry about. If you were turning at full lock and really getting on it you may have put some stresses somewhere but based on you described don’t worry about it.

 

[goldilx]

You haven’t done any damage, nothing to worry about. If you were turning at full lock and really getting on it you may have put some stresses somewhere but based on you described don’t worry about it.

Thank you! Do you think gravel lot would be a better location to slowly exercise the 4LO and CDL in a straight line/no turn?

 

[MongooseGA]

Thank you! Do you think gravel lot would be a better location to slowly exercise the 4LO and CDL in a straight line/no turn?

Absolutely. You can even do some turning in gravel as it'll give way to the tires. Just don't go too crazy.

 

[kevgentile]

Having read this, Is this a Toyota recommended procedure? I remember Ford recommended running through the 4wd system on the Super Duty's once a year. But that was mostly because of the Vacuum lockers. Guess it's worth doing so you know it there if and when you might need it.

 

[a_traut_man]

Personally i cycle all of it a couple times a year just to keep things from getting gummed up or stuck, not sure if Toyota recommends it but common sense tells me it makes sense.

 

[goldilx]

Absolutely. You can even do some turning in gravel as it'll give way to the tires. Just don't go too crazy.

Thank you!

 

[Patassa]

Good question but you have to try much harder than that to break something. I drove 20+ miles down a highway once with the CDL engaged before I turned and felt some binding. That was 5 years ago. No issues.

 

[goldilx]

Good question but you have to try much harder than that to break something. I drove 20+ miles down a highway once with the CDL engaged before I turned and felt some binding. That was 5 years ago. No issues.

That’s super reassuring, glad nothing broke for your rig

 

[Patassa]

That’s super reassuring, glad nothing broke for your rig

Usually the tires jump and churp to release the binding before you snap parts.

 

[NE Snowman]

I come down my straight section of driveway and do the following, did it with my old 4R as well.

engage CDL
Drive a few feet
shift into low
Drive a few feet
disengage CDL
Drive a few feet
Shift back into high

if you don’t use it, you might loose it.

 

[Mike NXP]

Thank you! Do you think gravel lot would be a better location to slowly exercise the 4LO and CDL in a straight line/no turn?

Even better, find your local trails and go for it ! lol but like others have mentioned you are totally fine given what you did . It's also OK to do again if you needed on dry pavement just keep the wheel straight but yeah it's better to do on something with less traction under your wheels..... I work out my CDL often when rolling about 10-20 mph, with no wheel slip, on my hard packed dirt road, essentially pavement.

I didn't know the 100 series forces CDL in 4low, I thought that was a sequoia thing? Maybe the 98-99 earlier models did this?

 

[Bisho]

Even better, find your local trails and go for it ! lol but like others have mentioned you are totally fine given what you did . It's also OK to do again if you needed on dry pavement just keep the wheel straight but yeah it's better to do on something with less traction under your wheels..... I work out my CDL often when rolling about 10-20 mph, with no wheel slip, on my hard packed dirt road, essentially pavement.

I didn't know the 100 series forces CDL in 4low, I thought that was a sequoia thing? Maybe the 98-99 earlier models did this?

It’s a 98-99 thing, but you can do an easy electric mod to keep it from automatically engaging.

 

[GerLC100]

adding to what other mentioned about stress: compare what you did in your driveway to the real use of the locker when people go seriously offroading and lockers in 4L doesn't even move the vehicle...