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This message has been edited. Last edited by: dwd1985,

I'm by no means and expert... but I think the concern if driving in true four wheel is turning.... there will be some slippage between the front wheels on one side and the rear wheels on the opposite side in the back.. So, if you don't have any sharp curves at high speed you might be okay.

If conventional 4WD there will be some wear somewhere in the driveline, likely in the transfer case and possible the drive shaft splines. Tire wear differences front to back will accelerate the problem. Is it possible to disable 4WD by pulling a fuse?

No way to get it out, or ‘disable’ 4WD? I realize you tried a few things.

How hard to get the front driveshaft off? I’d be trying hard not to do the drive in 4WD.

"sometimes, if you turn the dial from "4hi" to "2hi" and it still blinks, you can leave the dial in the "2hi" position and turn the truck off and turn it back on and sometimes it will disengage. i had this problem on my 2015. i just replaced the actuator located on the front differential."

"I can shift into 4wd hi and I hear it click in but the light just keeps blinking. Then when I got to switch in into 4lo while I'm in neutral it doesn't shift and just keeps beeping. Then the only way I can get out of 4hi is to shut the truck off, then switch to 2wd then turn the truck back on and it will then click out."



Found these on a Toyota forum. Might be worth a try.

I'd cancel the trip if I had to drive it 400 miles on dry pavement in 4wd. The damage can be pretty expensive to repair.

You are probably going to damage something, but you won't know what it is until it fails. I would advise against unless your employer is going to pay.

I was a member of the 4runner forum, I remember reading somewhere that while you're using the switch for the actuator you have to hit the case with a hammer... Im not sure if that was for the center differential or the actual front diff.

I was told always to engage these monthly so they don't stick... When I bought my 2007 it was used and the owner almost never engender 4wd or the center diff as it wouldn't engage at first I had to keep trying while going front and back. Took me about a week of fooling around but I got it eventually. Good luck

Go to tacomaworld.com forum and ask your question there. Great site.

Can you shift it manually from under the truck?

I wouldn't risk it. See if there is a way to climb under there and manually disengage the system. It may also be possible as others have suggested to tap the actuator with a mallet and get it to release. It may also be possible to disconnect the wheel locks, even thought the front driveline is running. That would take the stress of the driveline and probably be ok.

On my Ford, the front shaft is actuated by a motor in the transfer case, and it can go bad, leaving you stuck in 4x4. The wheel locks, however are actuated by vacuum and the lines are accessible. On the Ford, if you pull the vac lines, the front wheel locks disconnect, so even though the front drive line is turning, the wheels aren't connected to it.

If the Toyota has a similar system, you may be able to get by with it.

Remove the front drive shaft

Drop and remove the front driveshaft. Might be a bit of a hassle, but then you can drive it as far as you want. Typically one wrench and eight nuts.

Turns in 4WD are hard on the drive line because all the wheels are going different distances. This binds up the mechanical systems. Sometimes the differentials have limited slip clutches in them, allowing slippage of the system. Sometimes not. I did see a Ford break a differential pinion gearshaft by trying to turn too tightly while in 4WD. Hard dry pavement doesn’t allow any slippage.

^^^^ This

It takes only a minute or two to pull a driveshaft. Just pull the end at the T case and hang the shaft on a wire. It’s just like towing a RWD vehicle with an automatic transmission.

I don't know about your truck. Driving in 4wd on dry pavement and trying to turn in my truck causes the tires to chatter, the whole truck to shudder, and a lot of clunking noises at low speeds. There isn't a chance I'd run it at high speeds.

Before you do anything I'd verify that it actually was in four wheel drive. If it is I'd think the drive shaft option suggested is the quickest, easiest, and safest.

I don't know anything about your specific vehicle but I do know a bit about 4x4. If a true 4x4, I wouldn't make that trip.

I would do what others have suggested and remove the front drive shaft if you absolutely have to make the trip.

Problem comes when turning as the front drive shaft needs to rotate faster than the rear shaft. The part-time xfer case locks these 2 shafts together, creating problems. I'd not drive it. As others have said, pull out the front shaft.

Lots of suggestions:

1 Don't go.

2 Wait till it snows in LA

3 Rent a tow dolly and put the rear wheels up

4 Pull the front or rear drive shaft

5 Pull the front shaft and if it wasn't really
in 4wd, you won't notice a difference. Then
put the shaft back in.

6 Borrow a different car. If you don't know how, ask any ghetto youth.

What was the final outcome?

quote:

Originally posted by sigcrazy7:
^^^^ This

It takes only a minute or two to pull a driveshaft. Just pull the end at the T case and hang the shaft on a wire. It’s just like towing a RWD vehicle with an automatic transmission.

This is how I would do it. You only have to remove one end (the t-case end), and hang it securely with wire from someplace out of the way.