Do you ‘Exercise’ every setting?

Just so I don’t make mistakes owning a 4Runner, ok so I know that they say that it’s a good idea to put the 4Runner into 4 wheel drive once a month if you haven’t been using it. “Exercise it.” Ok, does that also imply exercising absolutely every setting that’s available once a month? Starting with 4 Low, exercise both 4 High AND Low once a month? Should I also exercise Atrac, all the crawl control settings, hill accent assist, and rear lockers once a month too, everything?

And how so? I have only heard passing comments in some videos, and people could be dead wrong of course…I forget the video but this dude said exercise the 4X4 for 10 miles. Lol 10 miles?? That sounds off (I hope it is). Ok so if I do also need to exercise things like hill descent and climbing assist…do I just need to slap them on once a month and I’m good, or do I actually need to make sure that I’m exercising them up & down at least a semi-steep incline?


And lastly, do I exercise being a bad mother f*ucker once a month? That was a trick question, we’re 4Runner owners, we’re bad mother f*ckers every day!!!

 

The owner manuals says to run the 4WD once a month for ten miles (or more). I will slip into 4H on a long straight stretch of freeway for ten miles. I have a spot where there is dirt / gravel and plenty of room for gentle turns where I will put the truck in 4L and engage / disengage the locker and use ATRAC and crawl control just to make sure it works. I don't think it matters if you are on level ground or going up / down a hill. But since I have made a habit of doing that, my 4WD ADD actuator operates without hesitation. The locker, because I don't use it as much takes a little more finesse to get it to engage.

And yes - you should exercise being a bad MFer at least once a month - more often to maintain smoothness!

 

I exercise anything that moves. 4H while on a straight street, 4L on a back street and the locker while in low but I get it to where it goes in then cycle it about 5 times.

 

You don't really need to do 4H and 4L, the idea there is to just exercise the FAD and transfer case actuator if you have one. The only reason you should do 4L is to work the locker which also isn't a bad idea, but will require dirt.

 

I just pop into 4H on a short dirt road nearby and 4L rarely. I don’t think it needs that 10 miles but it’s good to keep things sliding and lubricated as you know.

Actuating the locker on/off if you have it periodically is good too.

You don’t need to run ATRAC, Crawl or other features like those since they’re all computer settings making use of things that are already moving around like brakes.

Minimum I’d say is some back and forth in a lot but I wouldn’t sweat too much about meeting that every month.

 

If you dont use the rear locker, I would most certainly engage it every few months.

 

Locker is important. Lots of reports over the years it stops working when not regularly engaged.

 

And I thought this thread was going to be about exercising your biceps lifting beer cans.

 

I like to go into L4 whenever I have a grocery bag on that shifter area and take a nice, real nice left turn.

 

I put it in 4H on the long straight stretch of road leading to our Costco. We have a long gravel driveway, and I slip it into 4L frequently, and also engage the rear locker. Learned a trick from this forum: after selecting the locker, swerve left and right a few times to “align” the gears and it engages quickly. Have fun!

 

Just focus on anything that has an electromechanical actuator. So basically on yours, the ADD and the locker (which means engaging 4hi and 4lo). Like whipersnaper mentioned, I like to get a few reps in every time because it’s really about keeping the actuators in working order. They’re very basic actuators…brushed dc motors, electrical contact limit switches, etc. if they dont get moved I think layers of corrosion build up on the switches and motors which eventually cause them to not work when needed. The Off Road trim has a shift lever instead of a big actuator for the transfer case, but the add and locker motors still need to be run.

 

I will turn on downhill assist, switch to 4lo, turn on 2nd ECT and lock the diff several times a month just to move everything around. I think the Car Care Nut has a video where he says just turning the stuff on and off will go a long way in preventing premature failure of the components.

 

2nd ECT?

 

Sorry...on the GX460, there is an option to start forward motion in 2nd gear. It prevents the trans from moving up and down between 1st and 2nd when going slow in really slippery conditions, especially in low4. It works very well.

 

I'll work the 4H for a few miles while driving into town. And the 4L and rear locker in my backyard. But the other nanny buttons go unused. I don't need them. Too bad there wasn't an option to not have them installed. It would have been a great spot to tuck my shades into.

 

I love all the other extra buttons I press them every now and then and hear clicking and grinding and whatnot !!

 

Can't find em, grind em.

 

Thanks for the reminder! Need to do mine today!

 

Just a thought, but if you have to plan out when and how often to exercise the 4wd, you probably bought the wrong vehicle.

 

That's just the suburban struggle, off-road shenanigans are generally limited to trips and off-road parks when life allows but to go any less in capability and not have to mess with part-time 4WD we'd be talking about stepping "down" (in this context) quite a bit to something like a Passport, Outback, Crosstrek or Bronco Sport.

(or a 4-Auto system with a clutch but that has it's own baggage)

 

I was about ready to say the same thing. There are times in the Summer when it is impossible to get away from the routine and the weather doesn't give you the opportunity. I wish I lived in an area where there were off-road trails nearby but that's not the case.

 

I agree. My 4WD gets used in the snow or driving on the beach. Other than that it doesn’t get touched. It could be many months. I’ve driven a 4WD vehicle my entire life and never had issues from not using it monthly.

 

Yeah man use all that good sh1t, and if you dont want to just do that in a parking lot, go off roading, you got the best vehicle for it.

 

Yeah in a way I consider it to be the ultimate car camping & fun vehicle WHEN time allows. If time doesn’t allow it could be awhile. I don’t want it as a daily driver either. I’d rather have a 2nd cheap little gas sipper to share the mileage and keep it nice and low on the 4Runner, to go to places with tight (and/or shady) parking spots where I don’t care if a car door hits the piece of crap, and most importantly…to make sure that the 4Runner never ever drives on a salted road!! Yes, I will happily take a Corolla out into a blizzard and get stuck, and have to deal with being stuck, than let the 4Runner be exposed to salt (add to that the times that they salt roads in preparation for snow, and the snow doesn’t happen).

 

I understand your concern about the whole rust thing, especially on a car you plan to keep forever (I'm planning on keeping mine forever too) - but there's a point at which you have to decide whether or not your possessions start to own you. I see this all the time in the firearms world. Guys will pay thousands for whatever rifle is being used by whatever tier 1 group cause it's the most rugged thing out there. Then baby it and barely shoot it because god forbid the barrel wears out.

I would get it properly treated for rust prevention, and go use it in the mountain, beaches, wherever and enjoy it.

 

Those situations that I mentioned aren’t actually that common, especially the past few years snow has been almost non-existent. Lol and people might think this sounds crazy, but I actually love old Corollas, and IT would also feel like a toy to me. I love the old school automatic transmissions with the Drive 2 and 1 modes. The paddle shifters just aren’t the same IMO. I am guilty of over babying other things though.

 

I was going to ask this same question.. can you ask how to fold down the seats next? Last time I asked a question they gave me hell. Lol. thanks man

 

If you have any 4Runner trim other than Limited you need to drive in 4Hi for 10 miles a months to keep transfer case lubricated. Maybe it's a good idea to engage 4Lo and locker once in awhile, but then if you never need it maybe you won't notice it doesn't work : )

 

Well if these are ‘Captain Obvious’ questions then my days of asking annoyingly obvious questions in here won’t be over anytime soon lol. I also like asking questions that might be easily available anyway, because you’ll get a lot of replies that build on each other, explain things further, straighten out misinformed replies, etc. Like the tidbit about steering wide to the right then to the left for easier locker engagement for example! You people NEED ignorant bastards like me to keep these great advice threads flowing lol…

 

4Hi, 4Lo, and locker. The first one for the recommended 10 mi/month, the other two for as far as a convenient parking lot allows. Fortunately, there's a gravel parking lot in the park by my house, so it's quick and easy.