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Toyota 4WD systems explained

2487 messages,  Last post on Apr 28, 2012 at 12:48 PM

You are in the Toyota Sequoia Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Sequoia, Toyota Highlander, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota RAV4, Toyota Tacoma, Truck, SUV

Messages Page 245 of 250

#2432 of 2487 Re: Tacoma [agnosto] by wwest

Apr 22, 2010 (4:37 pm)

Replying to: agnosto (Apr 22, 2010 2:33 pm)
"..paid extra...for the awesome full time 4WD..."
 
From the way I read the factory documentation the newer 4runner's full-time 4WD system may not be as awesome as one might think, or buyers have been lead to believe.
 
Toyota stopped using the "torsen" term to describe their 4runner 4WD system some years ago now. In addition the transfer case differential drawings are no longer broken down to show the internal workings of the transfer case differential.
 
All that leads me to believe the 4runner's full-time 4WD system, at least the 2010 one, is a simple ONE-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM, just as the Highlander is and the RX series was until recently.

#2433 of 2487 Re: Tacoma [wwest] by pschreck

Apr 23, 2010 (4:44 am)

Replying to: wwest (Apr 22, 2010 4:37 pm)
"All that leads me to believe..."
 
Do you have any REAL facts to back up the statement? Are you guessing?
 
I'm not saying you're wrong, but how is a person supposed to make a purchase decision based on some internet guys guess?

#2434 of 2487 Re: Tacoma [pschreck] by wwest

Apr 23, 2010 (7:51 am)

Replying to: pschreck (Apr 23, 2010 4:44 am)
"..how is a person.."
 
First, be aware that the salesperson doesn't know BEANS about the vehicle you are planning to purchase.
 
Even worse.
 
The RX330 was marketed as having a VC, Viscous Clutch, to help apportion engine torque to the rear with loss of traction at the front. The factory manuals indicated otherwise so I asked corporate who acknowledged, after I persisted, that the manuals were correct. I never saw an ad retracting the falsity.
 
The RX350 was advertised as having the VC but again the manuals differed. I was never able to get a corporate response on the true of the matter.
 
In point of fact when the RX series adopted VSC and TC across the product line in '01 the VC became useless even if included. The VC P/N for my '01 RX300 and the one for previous years is different so I suspect mine to be an "empty" VC case.
 
If the 4runner doesn't have the Torsen center differential, only a standard open differential, how would an owner ever know? Get stuck, lock the center differential, drive away.
 
PS: My '01 RX300 once spent 4 hours in the dealer service bay with the technicians trying to determine if the VC was actually still functional. End result...inconclusive....no known way to test and corporate could not advise.
 
The only way to determine functionality is on a 4 wheel dyno.

#2439 of 2487 Re: Replacing Tires Question [wwest] by kingfans1

May 25, 2010 (8:52 pm)

Replying to: wwest (Dec 10, 2009 5:34 pm)
hi west,
what kind of awd/4wd vehicles do you recommend in snow?

#2440 of 2487 AWD or 4WD by onoffroad

May 26, 2010 (12:33 pm)

On the Outer Banks of N.C. ! Their's signs saying 4WD not for AWD ! Guess some AWD are getting stuck !!

#2441 of 2487 Re: AWD or 4WD [onoffroad] by wwest

May 27, 2010 (7:03 am)

Replying to: onoffroad (May 26, 2010 12:33 pm)
"..Guess some AWD are getting stuck !!..."
 
No kidding, and even some that are FALSELY labelled 4WD.
 
Lots of sins created under the AWD "term". Most are simple FWD with some minor level of part time, "automatic" part time, rear drive augmentation. With the rising public awareness of the patently unsafe nature of FWD vehicles for wintertime adverse roadbed the manufacturers are attempting a "bait and switch", "find the pea", sales technique.
 
Any "base" FWD vehicle, sideways mounted engine, that has some level of rear drive augmentation should NEVER be referred to as AWD, nor even 4WD as some manufacturers seem wont to do.
 
F/awd, awd only in lower case, is the only appropreate marketing designation, label for these patently unsafe FWD vehicles.

Messages Page 245 of 250

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