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Comments
I'm curious to see what the story is here.
Yup, I understand that. I, too, am curious to see what the story is here. But from what I've seen, in the Canadian market all trim lines get the Torsen center diff, while in the US only the Limited trim gets the Torsen center diff.
I hope that I'm wrong and your editor is right. But I'd really like to see some clarification from Toyota.
Canadians get all the good stuff. :-)
But my guess is that Toyota didn't screw up the specs you listed or the press release though.
This is a major step backwards for the 4Runner.
The shop manuals still show a "Torsen" type diff'l, perhaps a "clone" design (patent has run out..??) and not allowed use the "Torsen" name.
"...But..., frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!..."
Can someone tell me, PLEASE tell me, why full-time AWD/4WD is so all-fired desireable..??
IMMHO an IDEAL AWD system would be predominantly RWD and only couple drive torque to the front if the rear wheels begine to slip/spin. But in NO case should the front wheels be "driven", leading or lagging, with the brakes applied, in a tight turn, a low speed accelerating turn, or if should VSC activation be required.
The only full-time AWD that comes even close to that is the Acura SH-AWD system.
Think about it, if your vehicle has TC/TRAC, Traction Control, of what use is full-time AWD/4WD...?? Unless you have turned it off then the instant wheelspin/slip is detected TC will INSTANTLY moderately brake the slipping wheel(s) and just as INSTANTLY dethrottle the engine.
Yes, you could now turn TC off, but I would just as soon be in the TRUE 4runner and switch to a LOCKED center diff'l/transfer for teh duration of travel on the slippery surface.
Methinks you overstate slightly.
The VF2A transfer will be perfectly fine, quite acceptable, for those of us that must content with wintertime adverse ROADBED conditions. And maybe an occassional venture off-road to get around all the FWD and F/awd either wrecked, stuck, or just simply stalled in the roadway.
I am planning on buying this truck for my wife. Since it is a RWD truck I worry about her driving it on wet roads and in snow. Switching to 4WD seems to eat a lot more gas so it seems like a waste to drive in 4WD in just little rain or snow. How is Sequoia's traction control and vehicle stability control going to do in these conditions? Dealer says it does greatith VSC alone withput need to turn on 4WD.
My other option is to get Lexus GX 470 or 460 when it comes out , these are full time AWD.
Thank you for your advise and help
Whereas with FWD or F/awd absent Trac she would be in rather serious jepordy. That's why owners are complaining so LOUDLY about the aggressiveness of TC in their FWD and F/awd vehicles. Absent TC's aggressiveness upon detection of even the slightest level of wheelspin/slip there would undoubtedly be a lot more accidents attributed to FWD and F/awd vehicles.
Just think of TC as the inverse equivalent of ABS, it's there to save your life.
NTB/Sullivan Tire are both telling me I need to replace all 4 tires or I will trash the AWD system as different snow (even the DMZ3) will have different tread pattern = differnt rolling resistance. They claim the AWD system will see slippage all the time instead of temporary (as it was designed for) and wear out the system.
They claim they will not even mount a single snow of different tread type. Even if I replace 2 (same axle). My question is, is this overkill or not? I have 120K on my LC and would like to keep it and do not want to create problems, but my engineering mind says if I mount two of the same on each axle, even different treads (but close) I will be fine.
What would you do? Throw out 3 perfectly good tires and drop $600 to replace? Replace 2? or 1?
Thank you
George
I would NEVER replace only one tire on an AWD vehicle, 2 at the minimum.
I have a flat on my Subaru right now and I'm hoping that it's an easy fix, since my spare is a space-saver.
Tirerack has a page about replacing tires on AWD and 4WD vehicles. They recommend rotating the spare on 4WD/AWD vehicles.
I think it is a scam. how much rolling resistance difference can there by between redesigned snows from the same mfg? If that is really enough to quickly wear out a differential?
I posted some tire sales over in Auto Parts Bargains and Coupons not long ago, but some may have expired. But tires always seem to be on sale. 4 for 3 is a better deal than the $50 or $70 off a set sale too.
So their sales/marketing spiel/advice will undoubtedly be slanted toward up-selling.
These days with many AWD systems that have some sort of "soft" or "reactive" mechanical coupling (TC excluded) you really do need to be a bit more carefull that all four tires have roughly equal, within a fairly tight tolerance, circumference.
On the other hand if your AWD happens not to have one the system designated above, say you have a Highlander or Sienna, the only downside will be early, sometimes, activation of ABS or TC.
I rather doubt that early diff'l failure would be a result as many RV/MH owners use remcotowing(.com) technique to "drop" one front halfshaft out of "drive" so the vehicle can be towed 4-down.
Actually they say that for newer Sequoias too. The Highlander is ok, with their kit.
Interesting link, thanks.
I just went to techinfo.toyota.com to confirm this and it appears that Remco may have misinformed you. The Sequoia 2WD (RWD) model can be trailered as long as the rear wheels are off the ground or Remco's drive shaft disconnect is used.
The Sequoia AWD/4WD/4X4 model can be towed 4-down for the same reason the HL can. In AWD mode, "full time" 4WD (H4F) it has three simple fully open diff'ls, front, center, and rear, just like the HL, Sienna, and the RX330 a ONE-WHEEL drive system absent TC activation.
Put the system in H4F mode, "Open" one of the 4 halfshafts and GO...
For some reason I had thought that the Sequoia had a more sophisticaded AWD system, center VC or Torsen, but apparently not.
i had the truck in 4H. the 4 green tires were lit and the orange button in the center of the 4 tires was blinking. from what i can gather from my manual, the orange button should be solid which indicates the VSC system is OFF which is how it should be when driving on slippery roads/when you're stuck. i could not get the orange light to go solid. what am i doing wrong? any advice would be extremely appreciated. when i got home last night, i got stuck again coming into my driveway so i just left it there! :confuse:
I live in Roanoke, Va and we have just seen one of the largest snow storms in years here, with up to 20 inches. This is my first snow with the Highlander, and I must tell you that it did beautifully in the 16 inches at my home and on the roads nearby.
I have new HT's on my 2008 Highlander Limited, and they did great !! I had to take a friend to work and pick up at 11:00 pm when the weather was at it's worst, and the Highlander was great. Did not slide or spin on the very deep snow covered roads. I am so thankful that I feel secure with this vehicle, and I know it will get me through rough weather now. To all of you thinking about a Highlander, I highly respect this vehicle, and the HT tires. It is realiable and fun to drive, and it looks great !
Ronn
Does your blinking red light turn off when you hit the 4WD button to turn off the system?
Sandy beaches usually/often involve highly tractive surfaces so use of actual 4WD mode, locked center diff'l, is not appropreate unless/except to get unstuck. So using 4WD "pre-emptively" could be the siurce of your failure.
Should have been a simple/quick fix so be sure and take possession of the broken part or the dealer will be making double profits.
i've only used the 4wd system a few times - like literally 4-5 - since i've owned the truck - which i bought new. i can't imagine how something could be broken on it. i think i'm missing something on how to turn it on and off.
the steps i took: 1) put truck in neutral 2) put into 4H 3) turned on 4wd button 4) turned 4 tire button on (next to 4wd button)
this gave me the 4 green tires and red flashing light and when i drove there was a very high pitched noise coming from engine.
i don't know that i took the right steps or did the right steps but maybe in the wrong order? as i said, my manual really stinks.
thanks again
Please let me know what you find out about your problem.
The other issue is that when I shift into 4x4 L and put the vehicle into L gear, the VSC is not turned off automatically. Should it be?
I took it to a Toy Dealer. They tried to tell me that one of my tires was slightly worn more than the others and that was possibly the cause. I did not believe that and did not buy new tires. I also went on a drive with a Toyota Tech, he said that it was taking too much for the 4wd to engage, but eventually went with the tires possibly being to blame. I took it to another toy Dealer, they said nothing about the tires but said that the 4wd should preferably not be engaged while the vehicle is in D and said that it works fine while in N, they claim that they could not find anything wrong but they also had trouble getting it to engage while moving and in drive. I have taken it to the dealer 3 different times now for this problem and my extended warranty will expire in another 5,000 miles.
Any ideas out there or is this completely normal with Sequoias? :confuse: maybe :lemon:
1.Once the vehicle is engaged in 4hi, the differential axle screws up and causes the vehicle to spin out of control even at low speed when turning corners. Vehicle wont switch in to 4 low.
2. The radio. I've had the radio replaced once already and the second one is on the fritz. There are major electrical problems with this truck. Turn the lights on and your radio turns on, turn a corner and your radio turns off. I think Toyota has issued a band aid fix, telling owners that the problem is a defective radio, when the electrical system is to blame.
I think its time for people who have been ripped off by Toyota to band together before someone gets killed.
How many wrecks have you had? That's sounds terrible - spinning out of control when turning corners at low speed. Have you rolled it over yet? How many times?
John
Bad news, the worse, tighter, you turn with the center diff'l locked the higher is the potential for lost of directional control.
Nature of the "beast".
http://www.rubicon-trail.com/4WD101/difference_4WD_awd.html
Neither Toyota nor Honda told us about this.
Can anybody tell me if the Tacoma can be driven on DRY roads with 4Hi engaged like the 01 Sequoia could? Does it have the center diff like the other Toyota products that allow the 4WD to be used as an AWD system in the rain or partially snow covered roads? I'm not fond of the old part-time systems that lack the center diff.
Thanks for the help.
NO...!!
But they're the only ones that work, for sure work.
And as it happens most are RWD with the system off, not patently UNSAFE FWD or F/awd.
Those with a simple open center differential are only "pretend" AWD (4WD.??). Simple, simply ONE-WHEEL DRIVE using the brakes to allocate/apportion engine torque but only AFTER traction is lost.
No offense, but I won't be drawn into an argument of circular logic with you.
My Sequoia's 4WD was wonderful for me. What works for you is another issue.
Can anybody else answer my questions?