4 Wheel Drive Jerk!

[BABAROGA]

Alright got some snow here today, decided to go play around. When I shift in and out of 4 wheel drive my truck makes this hideous clunk and jerks. Any ideas? I am pissed! its an 05 Reg.

[Splicer]

Are you going into/out of 4Low or are you shifting between 2High and 4high? At what speed?

Are you momentarily lifting off the throttle as you go in/out of 4WD?

Are you doing this on snow or on pavement?

[BABAROGA]

Hi, going from 4 high to 2 high is where I get the clunk. I get a light hard to hear sound when I go into 4high, but coming out i get a crazy clunk and jerk


I did it twice today from almost standing still, and the second time at approx 30mph. I did it on snow both times.

[Splicer]

Can't think what it might be, then, aside from this:

Originally Posted by Splicer

Are you momentarily lifting off the throttle as you go in/out of 4WD?

If you are holding the throttle steady (or worse, accelerating) as you make the shift, try momentarily lifting as you shift. It will relieve the strain on the powertrain & may allow for smoother transitions.

[BABAROGA]

Originally Posted by Splicer

Can't think what it might be, then, aside from this:

If you are holding the throttle steady (or worse, accelerating) as you make the shift, try momentarily lifting as you shift. It will relieve the strain on the powertrain & may allow for smoother transitions.

Thanks I'll test it out in the morning on my way to the office. But tonight I was at a complete stop when I did it so i cant see it being that, but I'll try anything to avoid the stealership.

:-)

[mhadden]

Could be some slight binding if you've been "monkeying around in the snow" and have hit some solid patches of concrete/asphalt while turning. I have a small clunk, but I percieve and am pretty sure that its normal.

[Adventure North]

If you are driving slow it's normal to sometimes get a clunk or a little jerk when engaging or disengaging the transfer case, more likely when disengaging though. It's just the tension being released once the shift fork inside moves and releases the engagement of the front drive shaft. You're more likely to get a clunk or some noise if you are turning or just turned and try and switch out of 4wd, not to worry. You should hear a rear locker disengage, it can be even louder. It's a little unnerving if you've never experianced it before.

[docktortal33]

change out to syn oil front back and transfer case no more clunk

[BABAROGA]

I appreciate ALL the comments. I was initially pissed off becuase I traded in my GM Sierra for this Toyota and I never had such a clunk from the GM, but I did get about 5000 recall notices on it, and am still getting them (I hav'nt had that truck in a year).

If your all saying its nothing to worry about I wont worry. Was just kinda scary.

[PiercedTiger]

Also, if you have a manual press the clutch in.

I usually switch drive modes while moving at least a little in a straight line. I make sure I'm rolling straight, twist the knob, back off the gas, and hit the clutch. I hardly notice any noise now. I DID notice it a lot when I first got it. But I have over nearly 25k on the truck now, have used 4hi off road several times, and driven to or from work in 4hi (24 miles) a couple times so it's probably also broken in by now. The clutch part seemed to help a lot though. Took most of the tension off the system.

Edit:
When I twist the know the 4wd light flashes, and almost as soon as I hit the clutch the light goes out. Again, I hardly hear anything now. Have also driven a couple miles of straight road while checking my locker mod, and that's fairly quiet now too. I usually just here a slight "click" as either one is engaging.

[mhadden]

I have the 5-speed and have a slight clunk regardless of pushing in the clutch or not. I have noticed that if you are accelerating, even slightly, it won't disengage, so I always let up on the acclerator for it to disengage, but I don't clutch...there's really no need to.

[jdwilson]

first four wheel drive?

[BrandonM7]

If the clunks this one makes scare you, you would've shit yourself if they still had the manual lever for engaging it.

[BrandonM7]

Originally Posted by Adventure North

If you are driving slow it's normal to sometimes get a clunk or a little jerk when engaging or disengaging the transfer case, more likely when disengaging though. It's just the tension being released once the shift fork inside moves and releases the engagement of the front drive shaft. You're more likely to get a clunk or some noise if you are turning or just turned and try and switch out of 4wd, not to worry. You should hear a rear locker disengage, it can be even louder. It's a little unnerving if you've never experianced it before.

Have any of your previous vehicles had an automatic locker (like a Detroit?) That's seriously unnerving when you aren't used to it. When the one in my Jeep would release (like turning into a parking space,) it would pop LOOOOUD, almost like a gunshot or axle breaking. Once I got used to it that was kind of fun, though, as I knew how to load tension on it and pretty much make it release on command, so I could make people jump.

[PiercedTiger]

Originally Posted by mhadden

I have the 5-speed and have a slight clunk regardless of pushing in the clutch or not. I have noticed that if you are accelerating, even slightly, it won't disengage, so I always let up on the acclerator for it to disengage, but I don't clutch...there's really no need to.

Maybe no need too, but I've noticed it does engage or disengage faster if I do that.

Originally Posted by BrandonM7

Once I got used to it that was kind of fun, though, as I knew how to load tension on it and pretty much make it release on command, so I could make people jump.

Sounds like something I would do....