4wheel drive on dry pavement. How long before it breaks?

[Machine_Elf]

@Hail_Ants

Ahhh, well, I guess, although I’ve never heard the term ‘windup’ in my life in regards to 4WD. And as long as you have the same size tires all around and your drive train is operating normally what you describe should never happen.

Google 4wd windup; there’s plenty of discussion about it.

You never have all four tires exactly the same size and inflation, so you’re going to get some windup even cruising down a straight, flat road. Add in road crown, and a straight “flat” road will have windup happening eventually even if your tires are perfectly matched.

Driving around turns, the inboard wheels need to turn more slowly than the outboard wheels; if diffs (and/or a transfer case) are locked, then windup is gonna happen.

[RedSwinglineOne]

@Machine_Elf

Google 4wd windup; there’s plenty of discussion about it.

4WD windup would be much more accurately described as 4WD or axle binding.

If for example, the circumference of your front tires are 1% greater than the rear, for every 100 revolutions of the front wheels, the rear wheels “want” turn 101. It is the fact that the driveline does not allow this to happen that causes the problem. Either one or both sets of tires slip, or something breaks. The idea that
somehow this “windup” slowly builds up in the system and must be eventually “unwound” is silly.

[enipla]

@RedSwinglineOne

4WD windup would be much more accurately described as 4WD or axle binding.

If for example, the circumference of your front tires are 1% greater than the rear, for every 100 revolutions of the front wheels, the rear wheels “want” turn 101. It is the fact that the driveline does not allow this to happen that causes the problem. Either one or both sets of tires slip, or something breaks. The idea that
somehow this “windup” slowly builds up in the system and must be eventually “unwound” is silly.

That’s a better description. And why the idea that it had to be jacked up to unwind it made no sense.

[steatopygia]

Sigene, don’t worry about it. I have put more than 100K miles on a Tacoma in the exact same situation . You can leave the truck in 4 wheel high on the highway in variable conditions. When you get closer to your destination if the roads are not snowy/icy take it out of 4WD. The transmission does not like making sharp turns in 4WD on dry pavement. You can feel the tires skip on the pavement. Also when going in and out of 4WD the front tires have to be straight or nearly so. ****

[Hail_Ants]

@RedSwinglineOne

4WD windup would be much more accurately described as 4WD or axle binding.

If for example, the circumference of your front tires are 1% greater than the rear, for every 100 revolutions of the front wheels, the rear wheels “want” turn 101. It is the fact that the driveline does not allow this to happen that causes the problem. Either one or both sets of tires slip, or something breaks. The idea that

somehow this “windup” slowly builds up in the system and must be eventually “unwound” is silly.

Yeah, it can’t accumulate, the tires just slip almost immediately even on a dry road. The friction between the tires and the pavement is much less than the force that the drivetrain can apply to them. Doing this constantly will definitely put extra wear on things (CV joints, U-joints, differential, transfer case, transmission, the tires themselves etc.) but it isn’t going to ‘build up’ within it.