It was raining really hard today so I put in the 4 wheel drive after I pulled out of the driveway. As I got up to speed on the highway I noticed that it was pulling noticeably to the right.

Since it wasn't pulling yesterday I realized the only think different was that I was running with 4 wheel drive engaged. So whiling driving down the highway around 60mph I clicked the button to disengage 4WD and as soon as it unlocked the pulling was totally gone.

All four tires are in the same condition and it was aligned by Toyota 3K miles ago.

Any thoughts ???

BTW I have a 01 4runner with multi-mode

 

Don't drive in 4wd, problem solved. Unless there is snow on the ground you shouldn't ever need it on the road. Which i see your in Galveston, so I dont see snow being a problem.

 

The reason I drive with the 4WD on in the rain is so the VSC/TRAC doesn't constantly kick in and defuel me and it makes it ALLOT less prone to slide and spinning out.

I asked my question because my 4wheel drive never caused this problem before so something is causing a problem and I would like to figure it out and fix it before it causes a more seriously one possibly.

But thank you for your about as useful as a screen door on a submarine answer.

 

4wd is designed to give traction to only 1 front tire and 1 rear tire at a time. When none of the tires are allowed to slip, especially at speeds of 60 mph, it will cause binding, which will cause pulling.

 

http://www.top4runners.com/runhist/runhist32001.html



I guess you and the other poster completely missed the fact that I said I have a 01 4runner or don't understand how the 4wheel drive system in the 01-02s is different from the rest of the 3rd gens.

The 01-02s transfer case actually have a differential in it to allow slipping to prevent binding so you can run the 4wheel drive all the time on hard pavement without binding or other problems.

But if you want it to act like a traditional 4 wheel drive system you can LOCK the center differential in the transfer case by bushing a button on the dash board.

Thats why in the 01 and 02s there is a "center differential lock button" on the dash board.

 

Driving in a straight line doesn't matter if your in 4wd or not, no binding should be happening. Heck what is it, you can engage 4wd upto 45mph or something like that.

 

Hubs. Manual or auto? I don't have your model in front of me so I have to ask.

 

Right, I was just thinking if he is going around highway curves and changing lanes at 60 mph in 4wd, he might expect a little binding and maybe some pulling. I wasn't aware that the AWD could handle pavement at those speeds like a Subaru or an Audi is designed to do.

 

Neither, the front spindle is fixed to the CV joint. There is no way to "unlock" the wheel from the CV axle.

 

Check your front CV Axles. . see if a boot is split then there could be corrosion in the axle which could explain your issue. .

 

At first I was thinking CV axles as well but if I'm not mistaken the axles spin all the time. Only when you engage the ADD does the front diff engange the axles. So if there was a binding in the axle I would think that it would pull without the 4x4 enganged as well.

I wonder if it is possible that when you are engaging the ADD that it is only engaging the one side?? I don't know if that is possible but that is my guess

 

Well I guess it could be possible however unlikely it is. I have not had one apart to see how it all moves about.

 

normally they just free-spin in 2wd mode last I remember, since you wouldn't notice an issue until they are engaged. Or for all we know the OP's alignment is off

 

You have auto hubs then! and my bet would be the ADD system or somthing in that little hub is messed up and your definetly not engaging on the one side thus the pull

 

Didn't think about that. .

 

Ive broken a few manual hubs before and had the pulling sensation just like explained. Actualy destroyed a wheel when I pinned the gas and was pulled off the road and hit a stump at 40. I dont know how all that ADD POS stuff works especial on the newer rigs. ripped mine all out a long long time ago thank god

 

The ADD is not locking hubs "automatic disconnecting differential". All you have in the "hub" is the spline, nothing really to hangup or cause pulling issues in there. Now as far as in the diff I'm not real sure. As I had stated I have not had one of these apart.



Just found this... http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/techsite/add.htm

 

Still brings me back to the thought that it would almost have to be one side not engaging. Since the Axles are always spinning and he is only getting this when the ADD is engaged.

Here is another article: http://www.off-road.com/trucks4x4/ar....jsp?id=399612

According to this article the 4x4 light won't come on until the sleeve in the diff slides all the way to the right. Was your 4x4 light on?

 

Yes light was on.

 

Just wondering something, are all your tires the same size and at the same psi? Also, when was the last time you checked the front diff fluid level? When you were in multimode was the center diff locked?