4L to 4H and vice versa shifting question

[SnydersWeb]

Was playing with the new truck and was taking it in and out of 4L. I noticed that when I go to 4L or back to 4H I can feel some gears grinding before it slips fully in, it feels like shifting a older manual when the synchronizers don't catch.

Pausing in neutral for longer didn't seem to make a difference.

Is this normal or do I have a factory issue there?

 

[RayRay27]

What kind of vehicle do you have?

 

[SnydersWeb]

What kind of vehicle do you have?

2020 TRD 4Runner

 

[IoN6]

If an auto, should be in Park or Neutral. If a manual, need to have the clutch pressed in.

 

[SnydersWeb]

I might try park next time.. I confirmed the truck was definitely in neutral.

 

[On the RX]

What does the manual say about shifting between the two? Not being fastidious.

 

[DaveInDenver]

If an auto, should be in Park or Neutral. If a manual, need to have the clutch pressed in.

Unless one makes modifications the truck won't even try to do the high<->low shift unless the conditions are met. I have a stick shift and I can't even be creeping, dead stop and clutch depressed otherwise the light just blinks and the warning beeps. I'd expect a 2020 to be at least as nannyish.

My feeling is the gear mashing and grinding is normal, maybe some side effect of gears meshing being a new truck.

Is this your first 4WD @SnydersWeb or do you have experience with which to compare?

 

[SnydersWeb]

Unless one makes modifications the truck won't even try to do the high<->low shift unless the conditions are met. I have a stick shift and I can't even be creeping, dead stop and clutch depressed otherwise the light just blinks and the warning beeps. I'd expect a 2020 to be at least as nannyish.

My feeling is the gear mashing and grinding is normal, maybe some side effect of gears meshing being a new truck.

Is this your first 4WD @SnydersWeb or do you have experience with which to compare?

Nope, My old one was a 2004 V8 Sport Edition - but that one had the 4H 4L knob on my dash.. this is the first one I've had that had a stick.

 

[rover67]

Can you push in the clutch and shift the t case lever slowly and feel the gears slowing down or do they stay moving fast? The clutch or throw out bearing could be dragging a bit but in all the other rigs with conventional t cases Ive noticed the gears take a bit to slow down but they eventually seem to stop FWIW

 

[SnydersWeb]

It's an automatic, no clutch to press.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Nope, My old one was a 2004 V8 Sport Edition - but that one had the 4H 4L knob on my dash.. this is the first one I've had that had a stick.

Didn't realize the 2020 4Runner got a manual t-case again.

Was playing with the new truck and was taking it in and out of 4L. I noticed that when I go to 4L or back to 4H I can feel some gears grinding before it slips fully in, it feels like shifting a older manual when the synchronizers don't catch.

The principle is the same as the electronic knob. Re-reading this statement about "synchros not catching" makes me wonder if you're moving. You still have to be stopped when doing high-low shifts. If it's difficult or grinding and you are in fact completely stopped you might have driveline wind up. But that'll feel more like it's impossible to move. It should more or less just feel like you're moving a gear in and out, not grinding.

 

[rover67]

In park the park pawl on the tranny should keep anything on the output side from spinning..

 

[jps8460]

Didn't realize the 2020 4Runner got a manual t-case again.

The principle is the same as the electronic knob. Re-reading this statement about "synchros not catching" makes me wonder if you're moving. You still have to be stopped when doing high-low shifts. If it's difficult or grinding and you are in fact completely stopped you might have driveline wind up. But that'll feel more like it's impossible to move. It should more or less just feel like you're moving a gear in and out, not grinding.

most 5th gens have a manual lever. There’s a couple of full time options (limited etc) that don’t and one package that had a knob according to literature (never seen one in person

It’s not totally uncommon. I noticed it last summer with a brand new 2020 TRD offroad. If it was bound at all it seemed to do it. Actually moving slightly (less than 1mph) seemed to help.
If it’s really grinding (like 4sec of grinding), you might have something weird going on. If it’s a quick crunch I’d say it sounds fairly normal.

Before switching, drive straight for 30-40ft and then creep (I mean barely move) in the same direction of travel and shift.

 

[SnydersWeb]

Today I tried it again and there was no grinding. *shrug*

So far so good. Haven't taken it into 4L territory yet. Still plenty of nice dirt roads were I have put it into 4H to improve the handling on some of the washboard.