LIMITED Hybrid Max folks: How is the FT 4WD?

[CurryBob]

Mine is great, no issues. I have the stock Michelin tires.

Sponsored

 

[Baltimore]

Any info on whether the 4WD system will put up with different size tires ?

On my wife's AWD Highlander, an unrepairable flat means I have to purchase four new tires because they can't be more than 2/32 different. Big $.

Don't have that problem with my 2nd gen Tacoma with old school part-time 4WD.

That's too vague a statement.
If the wear life of the remaining three is close enough to new, it can be a single swap. If it's just outside you have to do both on that axle. If it's more than halfway (iirc) you have to all four.

Speaking from owning a Toyota AWD/F4WD for 20+ years.

When this did happen to me, I would always have the shop compare the good take-offs against the spare, and if the rubber or tread was better, update the spare. This had a few benefits: spare was periodically getting a "health check" (rubber crack/brittle, tire pressure, valve stem, etc), spare had slight wear so it was a better fit rotationally when needed, make sure the spare was periodically dropped and I wasn't going to have something stuck and inoperable when I needed it most.

 

[Baltimore]

Mine is great, no issues. I have the stock Michelin tires.

Interesting. My stock were "General Tire Grabbers".

 

[CurryBob]

Yeah, they do contracts with different brands. I was hoping for Michelin's and got lucky, which is usually not the case. Lol

 

[Baltimore]

I'm also wondering if the rough ride that happens between 36-43mph is related, even though I had a tire shop remount and rebalance the OEM tires...

 

[dholmq]

Thanks for all the replies to my thread. I now have a Hybrid Limited with FT-4WD in blue crush. Holy sh*t the driving experience is so much better than a non-hybrid limited. This thing sticks to the slick ground. Drives more like the Land Cruiser (probably due to same engine/FT-4WD) I love it!

 

[Ron]

Holy sh*t the driving experience is so much better than a non-hybrid limited. This thing sticks to the slick ground.

Put some proper tires on and it gets even better !

 

[TacoFreak]

The full time 4WD is standard on the new Land Cruiser, which tells me it is very capable on and off road. The reviews for that system in low traction situations are all very positive. That makes me wonder if they will transition other hybrids from part time 4WD to full time eventually.

 

[Chuck]

I'm also wondering if the rough ride that happens between 36-43mph is related, even though I had a tire shop remount and rebalance the OEM tires...

My Limited hybrid has that same behavior. Rough ride/shaking at 36-43mph. Can feel it in general in the whole cabin area but not much travels through the pedal or steering wheel. Not very noticeable if I accelerate quickly through that mph range. The truck came with General “Grabber HTS 50” tires and has only about 500 miles on it. Haven’t taken it back to the dealer or anywhere else yet. Other than it’s my first 4WD (my last was a 2WD Tundra) and I’m liking the truck more and more every time I drive it.

 

[Baltimore]

My Limited hybrid has that same behavior. Rough ride/shaking at 36-43mph. Can feel it in general in the whole cabin area but not much travels through the pedal or steering wheel. Not very noticeable if I accelerate quickly through that mph range. The truck came with General “Grabber HTS 50” tires and has only about 500 miles on it. Haven’t taken it back to the dealer or anywhere else yet. Other than it’s my first 4WD (my last was a 2WD Tundra) and I’m liking the truck more and more every time I drive it.

Same trim, same stock tire. Same feedback on how/what the vibration feels like.
Please keep me posted if you learn or figure anything out!

Sponsored