I am new to off roading and I am looking to learn how and when to use things like the center locking diff, 4hi and 4 low ect. Are there any good videos or articles to read that you would recommend to learn the basics? I am worried that I might damage something if I engage things at the wrong time. If the videos happen to be GX specific that would be awesome but I figure all the systems are similar so anything will be better than nothing.
Hard to admit but..... I don't know how to drive off road....
- Thread starter Merlin2111
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As soon as you hit the dirt I hit the Center lock button as I did when I added CDL to my 80 series. This one unfortunately doesn't disable ABS brakes like the 80 but is helpful.
It's always in 4Hi so unless you are going down a grade off-road you don't need to switch to 4Lo until you come up to an ovsticle.
The reason you switch to 4Lo on a downhill grade is so you don't have to ride your brakes if you have the transmission shifter on Lo (1) and the transfer case shifter in Lo (LoLo).
So an obstacle will be anything from a good hill climb, rocks, mud, water crossing, etc. The more you wheel the less you will shift into 4Lo because you will learn that you can do many things in 4Hi.
It is best to wheel with someone who has experience especially prior knowledge of the trail you will be doing. They don't need to wheel the same vehicle as you as long as they have good off-road knowledge.
Hope that helps you out a bit.
It's always in 4Hi so unless you are going down a grade off-road you don't need to switch to 4Lo until you come up to an ovsticle.
The reason you switch to 4Lo on a downhill grade is so you don't have to ride your brakes if you have the transmission shifter on Lo (1) and the transfer case shifter in Lo (LoLo).
So an obstacle will be anything from a good hill climb, rocks, mud, water crossing, etc. The more you wheel the less you will shift into 4Lo because you will learn that you can do many things in 4Hi.
It is best to wheel with someone who has experience especially prior knowledge of the trail you will be doing. They don't need to wheel the same vehicle as you as long as they have good off-road knowledge.
Hope that helps you out a bit.
You're in Nashville, check and see if there is a TLCA club near you.
TLCA members, and most 4x4 clubs for that matter, are full of experienced off-roaders that would love to help you get the most from your truck.
CHAPTERS | TLCA
TLCA members, and most 4x4 clubs for that matter, are full of experienced off-roaders that would love to help you get the most from your truck.
CHAPTERS | TLCA
The 80's forum has good information on differentials in their 80's FAQ page. Here's a link to a place the helped me understand that 4x4 means nothing when a wheel loses traction...Welcome to Land Cruiser Owners On Line
The Gx470 also has a Downhill Acceleration Control (DAC) button that you can engage when going downhill on a steep rocky/dirt road. You must be in 4Lo in order for DAC to engage. The GX470 essentially brakes on its own (loudly I might add) and you just steer. It's kinda scary to trust the GX470 to control the speed and brake on its own as you drive downhill on a rocky dirt road with cliffs on one side, but it works well.
Only engage 4Lo when you get to some tough terrain like a tough hill going up. I put the GX470 on neutral (N) and then shift transfer case from 4Hi to N to 4Lo. Now put the GX470 in drive (D) and you are now in 4Lo. You also need to press the CDL to lock the center differential to split the power 50/50 between the front and rear.
Read the differential page, so you can see what the CDL does.
The Gx470 also has a Downhill Acceleration Control (DAC) button that you can engage when going downhill on a steep rocky/dirt road. You must be in 4Lo in order for DAC to engage. The GX470 essentially brakes on its own (loudly I might add) and you just steer. It's kinda scary to trust the GX470 to control the speed and brake on its own as you drive downhill on a rocky dirt road with cliffs on one side, but it works well.
Only engage 4Lo when you get to some tough terrain like a tough hill going up. I put the GX470 on neutral (N) and then shift transfer case from 4Hi to N to 4Lo. Now put the GX470 in drive (D) and you are now in 4Lo. You also need to press the CDL to lock the center differential to split the power 50/50 between the front and rear.
Read the differential page, so you can see what the CDL does.
Join us in north GA or when we hit tn. Happy to help
I'm in Tennessee and happy to help any way I can. I've buried myself in some TN mud and had to learn the hard way what works and what doesn't work.
- Thread starter
- #7
Thanks for all of the advice! Once you hit the center diff button how long does it take to engage? Do you do it while stopped or moving slowly?
That diffs for dummies article was very good thanks ford the link!
That diffs for dummies article was very good thanks ford the link!
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I hit the switch while stopped but you might need to roll forward or back a few inches for it to engage.
NMBruce
SILVER Star
If the trail is really rough and you get some good leaning, you might turn of the side air bags, the R--- switch.
Air down at the beginning. 20psi is a good start. E rated tires go lower. Put it in 4 low, disable side air bags, lock center diff. Leave engine running so you don't have to turn off airbags all the time. 4 low protects the trail so use it. For flowing dirt roads you don't need low of course. But Rocks and Steep climbs use 4low consistently.
Momentum is your friend. An object in motion stays in motion. With that being said I don't suggest hitting things wide open and bouncing up rocks. Most people say to keep RPMs between 1500-2000.
Ruts I try to straddle or keep the vehicle as level as possible. I do my best to not fall into ruts. Some times its better to go ahead and get in the ruts if its slippery... it all depends on your options.
You have to drive different when its wet and muddy. Mud is kinda like driving in the snow... it gets slippery and can loose control.
I also watch the paths of others in front of me. I see how their vehicle reacts to the line they take. Watch the rear end work. I also try my very best to keep the belly of the vehicle off of rocks. With off camber situations I try to keep the vehicle level as possible. Tipsy can become dangerous.
Ride with experienced people and start off small and easy. Work your way up. If you get to a rough section or a section of trail you have never experienced how to drive in stop and look at it, talk it over with the others you are with and get a game plan together on how to overcome the obstacle. Spotters are coaches to me. I can do some pretty amazing things with my vehicle with good spotters.
I use the same approach to driving my GX off road as I did when I rode ATVs and my Rzr, its mostly the same concept but the terrain and the vehicle make you have to adapt and change the approach sometimes. After riding in offroad vehicles for over 12 years I still learn from riding with others and watching.
Ruts I try to straddle or keep the vehicle as level as possible. I do my best to not fall into ruts. Some times its better to go ahead and get in the ruts if its slippery... it all depends on your options.
You have to drive different when its wet and muddy. Mud is kinda like driving in the snow... it gets slippery and can loose control.
I also watch the paths of others in front of me. I see how their vehicle reacts to the line they take. Watch the rear end work. I also try my very best to keep the belly of the vehicle off of rocks. With off camber situations I try to keep the vehicle level as possible. Tipsy can become dangerous.
Ride with experienced people and start off small and easy. Work your way up. If you get to a rough section or a section of trail you have never experienced how to drive in stop and look at it, talk it over with the others you are with and get a game plan together on how to overcome the obstacle. Spotters are coaches to me. I can do some pretty amazing things with my vehicle with good spotters.
I use the same approach to driving my GX off road as I did when I rode ATVs and my Rzr, its mostly the same concept but the terrain and the vehicle make you have to adapt and change the approach sometimes. After riding in offroad vehicles for over 12 years I still learn from riding with others and watching.
NMBruce
SILVER Star
knowledge comes with getting out there and doing it, sometimes that means screwing up, ALWAYS BEST TO GO WITH OTHERS
so a couple of things can help...
Many have already mentioned it, find a local club that welcomes newbies. They should have beginner runs that help you get acquainted with your truck... TLCA is a great resource for finding a local club.
Here is some reading material for you to review that may help: Offroad driving basics You'll find the basic driving guide by Toyota on that link is a good start.
Finally... nothing better than seat time. So find an area with easy trails and practice using your truck's different traction devices. More importantly learn how your truck feels as you go through easy obstacles and get good at knowing where your corners are.
Just as important as driving off road I suggest you learn how to spot and be spotted through obstacles. A good spotter / driver combo will get through obstacles cleanly where others will bump and grind.
Many have already mentioned it, find a local club that welcomes newbies. They should have beginner runs that help you get acquainted with your truck... TLCA is a great resource for finding a local club.
Here is some reading material for you to review that may help: Offroad driving basics You'll find the basic driving guide by Toyota on that link is a good start.
Finally... nothing better than seat time. So find an area with easy trails and practice using your truck's different traction devices. More importantly learn how your truck feels as you go through easy obstacles and get good at knowing where your corners are.
Just as important as driving off road I suggest you learn how to spot and be spotted through obstacles. A good spotter / driver combo will get through obstacles cleanly where others will bump and grind.
- Thread starter
- #14
Wow! This is all great advice. I am looking to get out with some folks next saturday for some dirt trails. There is a little short, >200 yard, trail near my house that has some muddy sections that I have played in.
How fast is too fast for 4low?
How fast is too fast for 4low?
Coming from an 80 series that is overweight and lacks power, I'm a huge fan of 4lo. Once I start getting into the obstacles I usually gear down. This does a couple of thing, one, it gets my power back. Two, it allows me to go nice and steady over obstacles.
Another trick that I really like doing is to put the transfer case into low range, put the gear selector in 2, then hit the 2nd gear start. This allows me to increase my power while keeping my wheel speed up. It also keeps the truck from banging back and forth between 1st and 2nd gear.
@half k cruiser does it matter if you are in "D" or "2" when you are in 4Lo? I didn't think it mattered at all. Now, how does the "2nd start" help when in 4Lo?
I'm by no means an expert but figured I'd throw my comments in for you to think about.
1. Its tough to "teach" someone how to drive offroad but it is possible. As others have mentioned it mostly comes from practice which entails a generous amount of trial and error. Think about when you learned to drive manual transmission the first time, it wasn't smooth and it wasn't pretty but eventually you figured it out. If you haven't learned to drive manual transmission yet thats a good place to start when learning the fundamentals of how gear ratios work (low vs high, 2nd start, etc...).
2. Don't over think it. You know how the vehicle should feel and when its feeling good vs when its struggling. On something as modern as a 04' GX470 you won't hurt the engine or drivetrain by choosing the wrong gear since it will mostly figure things out for you. You'll feel when you are going through something muddy or up a steep incline that 4 low would provide the additional torque you need (even if you are in high and its bogging). You'll know this because you will practice driving off road in 4 low and get a feel for how much torque you have.
3. Seriously, don't over think it. There's no exact formula that says you need to be at 2000rpm when doing this, vs 4 low doing that, vs center diff lock doing the next thing. Start out with the same configuration you use to drive on road and experiment from there. 4 high, in drive, regular air pressure, regular suspension height. Explore with this setting and see how it feels before making adjustments. See some larger rocks in the road, adjust the clearance upward. See a large puddle with a questionable outcome, stop and get out to investigate. It looks about a foot deep but the bottom is solid so you are good to go, maybe click the center diff lock for good measure. What if its 2 feet deep and soft at the bottom? Things start to get a bit more serious and you should start thinking about what happens if you get stuck (recovery points, gear, another truck with you, etc...). Thats also when you go with 4 low, diff lock, and a bit more aggressive approach.
4. Always experiment. Go down a steep hill in each gear in 4 high, then try it in each gear in 4 low. Feel and compare the difference. You will be impressed with the engine braking in low range and will use it to your advantage. By selecting 1st gear in 4 low you are maximizing the available torque for not only uphill travel but also braking for downhill travel. Its a lot easier on the truck to idle down a steep hill slowly in low range than to grind the brakes and fight the ABS the whole way in high range. On the flip side it makes no sense to drive in 4 low on an easy dirt road going 40mph with the engine revved out. In that case kick it back into high and lope along at 1500rpm in high range.
5. Look ahead and make a visual plan in your mind. You are at the top of a hill and are about to descend into a steep section that is rocky with a small creek crossing at the bottom. This is a good time to stop and go for a short walk to explore. Getting stuck isn't fun and by knowing when to check things out you'll save yourself a lot of hassle. During your scouting walk you find a bunch of ruts and turn around marks (from someone else) before the creek because it was actually much deeper this time of year than anticipated. On the other side of the creek there are no recent tire marks. These are clues that its probably not a good place to cross and by going for a short walk you saved yourself some major headaches and can easily backtrack from your current location. You return in a month and things look better, the creek is low and you have some recovery gear - go for it.
6. Don't beat on the truck unnecessarily. These trucks are tough but there's no reason to slam into stuff or bounce it off the rev limiter.
7. Even stock these trucks are very capable. You will be surprised what these trucks can do totally stock with a capable driver. There's a saying that a good race driver is worth an extra hundred horsepower - its the same idea for off road. A stock GX470 with all terrain tires will take you places that make you uncomfortable. Explore these limits before going crazy with modifications.
8. Go with other people. You will learn a ton in a short amount of time and if things get hairy you'll have someone to help out. This is the most important point. I see a ton of knowledge sharing at every club meet, from guys like yourself who are new to offroading to the most seasoned veterans there is always something to learn.
Have fun and let us know how the next outing goes!
1. Its tough to "teach" someone how to drive offroad but it is possible. As others have mentioned it mostly comes from practice which entails a generous amount of trial and error. Think about when you learned to drive manual transmission the first time, it wasn't smooth and it wasn't pretty but eventually you figured it out. If you haven't learned to drive manual transmission yet thats a good place to start when learning the fundamentals of how gear ratios work (low vs high, 2nd start, etc...).
2. Don't over think it. You know how the vehicle should feel and when its feeling good vs when its struggling. On something as modern as a 04' GX470 you won't hurt the engine or drivetrain by choosing the wrong gear since it will mostly figure things out for you. You'll feel when you are going through something muddy or up a steep incline that 4 low would provide the additional torque you need (even if you are in high and its bogging). You'll know this because you will practice driving off road in 4 low and get a feel for how much torque you have.
3. Seriously, don't over think it. There's no exact formula that says you need to be at 2000rpm when doing this, vs 4 low doing that, vs center diff lock doing the next thing. Start out with the same configuration you use to drive on road and experiment from there. 4 high, in drive, regular air pressure, regular suspension height. Explore with this setting and see how it feels before making adjustments. See some larger rocks in the road, adjust the clearance upward. See a large puddle with a questionable outcome, stop and get out to investigate. It looks about a foot deep but the bottom is solid so you are good to go, maybe click the center diff lock for good measure. What if its 2 feet deep and soft at the bottom? Things start to get a bit more serious and you should start thinking about what happens if you get stuck (recovery points, gear, another truck with you, etc...). Thats also when you go with 4 low, diff lock, and a bit more aggressive approach.
4. Always experiment. Go down a steep hill in each gear in 4 high, then try it in each gear in 4 low. Feel and compare the difference. You will be impressed with the engine braking in low range and will use it to your advantage. By selecting 1st gear in 4 low you are maximizing the available torque for not only uphill travel but also braking for downhill travel. Its a lot easier on the truck to idle down a steep hill slowly in low range than to grind the brakes and fight the ABS the whole way in high range. On the flip side it makes no sense to drive in 4 low on an easy dirt road going 40mph with the engine revved out. In that case kick it back into high and lope along at 1500rpm in high range.
5. Look ahead and make a visual plan in your mind. You are at the top of a hill and are about to descend into a steep section that is rocky with a small creek crossing at the bottom. This is a good time to stop and go for a short walk to explore. Getting stuck isn't fun and by knowing when to check things out you'll save yourself a lot of hassle. During your scouting walk you find a bunch of ruts and turn around marks (from someone else) before the creek because it was actually much deeper this time of year than anticipated. On the other side of the creek there are no recent tire marks. These are clues that its probably not a good place to cross and by going for a short walk you saved yourself some major headaches and can easily backtrack from your current location. You return in a month and things look better, the creek is low and you have some recovery gear - go for it.
6. Don't beat on the truck unnecessarily. These trucks are tough but there's no reason to slam into stuff or bounce it off the rev limiter.
7. Even stock these trucks are very capable. You will be surprised what these trucks can do totally stock with a capable driver. There's a saying that a good race driver is worth an extra hundred horsepower - its the same idea for off road. A stock GX470 with all terrain tires will take you places that make you uncomfortable. Explore these limits before going crazy with modifications.
8. Go with other people. You will learn a ton in a short amount of time and if things get hairy you'll have someone to help out. This is the most important point. I see a ton of knowledge sharing at every club meet, from guys like yourself who are new to offroading to the most seasoned veterans there is always something to learn.
Have fun and let us know how the next outing goes!
The good thing is that you have already passed learning 101 being able to ask for advice! Congrats!
- Thread starter
- #19
Wow once again thanks for the advice and information! A common theme seems to be tires. I currently have road tires with 20% tread left. Sound's like those should be replaced soon.
Don't wheel alone. Come wheel with me. Will teach you tricks! We hit the cove in Tracy city sometimes. Would be a bit much stock but with a lift and sliders, add some tires. Coolness
