Limited or Platinum any good on off road trails?

[NotApplicable]

Thank you so much for explaining the differences in a language I can comprehend.
I recently moved into a rural and wooded area and as a result will be spending the majority of my driving (time-wise) on highways that in the winter can and is a mix of loose, packed snow and icy sections. It is for these reasons I wanted FT4WD. So if I understand what you said I should be in H4F on these highway conditions and if I run into a deeper snow issue, switch to H4L?

Sounds about right! Basically H4F should get you through more inclement road conditions than 2Hi before you need to engage H4L, but H4L is still there for if you need it, if things get even slipperier.

I think you’ll be very happy with the Limited! Though you might want to put some better tires on it… it comes with all-seasons that aren’t rated super well for winter conditions. Tires are really the weak spot with the stock setup on the Sport/Limited/Platinum.

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[Jets Fan]

As it would happen, I was recently forced to buy new winter tires for my SR5 (265/70R17’s). My choice was limited (no pun intended) so I got BF Goodrich’s T/A KO somethings.
So I planned to purchase plain steel rims from Toyota that will accept these tires and fit my new Limited. I’ll bring my summer tires to pick up the 2026 and have the dealer put them back on the SR5 and the new winters and rims on the limited, then store the 20” rims with tires till spring. What do you think?

 

[NotApplicable]

As it would happen, I was recently forced to buy new winter tires for my SR5 (265/70R17’s). My choice was limited (no pun intended) so I got BF Goodrich’s T/A KO somethings.
So I planned to purchase plain steel rims from Toyota that will accept these tires and fit my new Limited. I’ll bring my summer tires to pick up the 2026 and have the dealer put them back on the SR5 and the new winters and rims on the limited, then store the 20” rims with tires till spring. What do you think?

Sounds perfect!

 

[Desmolicious]

You can see how a stock Ltd does off road here

 

[4RunnerJay]

H4L and L4L are exactly 4Hi and 4Lo from any PT4WD system you’ve used before. In these, the center diff is locked to a fixed 50/50 front/rear split — both axles will spin at the same speed all the time.

H4F takes the place of 2Hi, in that it’s your everyday setting. All 4 wheels are getting driven all the time, with a default 40/60 front/rear torque bias in this case I believe. The thing is, with an open diff, traction is limited by the side with the _least_ traction. So if one side has 0 traction, you get nearly 0 torque all around. It’s an extreme case. So long as the minimum traction of all wheels is above 0, you get torque all around.

When wheel(s) are spinning, you either need a locked differential or the application of brakes on the spinning wheel(s). The latter creates artificial load which substitutes for actual traction, solving the problem.

We see this in action on the test when the front wheels are on the spinner- they spin, the vehicle notices this, applies brakes, which gives the rear wheels torque, and it gets off the spinners. What’s unclear is why this didn’t happen when the rear wheels were on the spinners.

But again, I’d argue that if you were actually in such a situation, 4Lo or 4Hi (L4L/H4L) are what you should be using anyway. H4F is for the everyday scenarios where most of your wheels have at least some traction most of the time.

How fast can you actually drive in 4L? I see different options everywhere.

 

[MikeD]

Lots of good info above re: OPs original question. Just adding a perspective from driving 5-6 different onX Green trails and 4 blue in VA, PA & TN (with my TRD ORP - both stock and with larger tires):
There is no green trail - onX rating 1-3 (in my experience) that cannot EASILY be run in the full time 4WD trims.
The one #4 onX trail I've run can probably be handled in L4 - clearance may be tight in several places (e.g., I dinged up the lower control arm and frame near where control arm rotates on the trail stock - cleared without dings after running it with larger tires).
The #5 and #6 trails I've run were challenging (and fun!). I've not run them stock and not sure I would have made it without the additional clearance. I now have steel LC skid and transmission skid as well which certainly lowers the pucker factor on these trails. And I definitely needed the rear locker. And also depended on crawl mode for some tricky up and downhill sections. (and downhill assist in H4 on some long steep downhill runs without clearance issues)
I don't think locker and crawl mode are on the trims you are looking at so.... that might be a factor if you are aiming for Blue trails at 5+.

All this is from someone who had essentially zero real offroading experience before getting my 6G TRD ORP. My 02 Sequoia and 90 2G4Runner both did their share of fire trails and beaches but nothing close to recent experience. I'm still a noob. But getting there.

Now that I have rock sliders on I may even try a #7 (black?) trail - but where I live that means going to a dedicated off road facility. Which I'm planning to do soon.

 

[4RunnerJay]

Lots of good info above re: OPs original question. Just adding a perspective from driving 5-6 different onX Green trails and 4 blue in VA, PA & TN (with my TRD ORP - both stock and with larger tires):
There is no green trail - onX rating 1-3 (in my experience) that cannot EASILY be run in the full time 4WD trims.
The one #4 onX trail I've run can probably be handled in L4 - clearance may be tight in several places (e.g., I dinged up the lower control arm and frame near where control arm rotates on the trail stock - cleared without dings after running it with larger tires).
The #5 and #6 trails I've run were challenging (and fun!). I've not run them stock and not sure I would have made it without the additional clearance. I now have steel LC skid and transmission skid as well which certainly lowers the pucker factor on these trails. And I definitely needed the rear locker. And also depended on crawl mode for some tricky up and downhill sections. (and downhill assist in H4 on some long steep downhill runs without clearance issues)
I don't think locker and crawl mode are on the trims you are looking at so.... that might be a factor if you are aiming for Blue trails at 5+.

All this is from someone who had essentially zero real offroading experience before getting my 6G TRD ORP. My 02 Sequoia and 90 2G4Runner both did their share of fire trails and beaches but nothing close to recent experience. I'm still a noob. But getting there.

Now that I have rock sliders on I may even try a #7 (black?) trail - but where I live that means going to a dedicated off road facility. Which I'm planning to do soon.

Thank you.

I’m close to those areas. Do you know what trails you were on? I would like try them. I also have OnX.

 

[Hobb3s]

the limited and platinum both have a center locking diff if your on a off road trail anything besides a simple dirt road put it into h4 locked and a trac will kick in. the limited or platinum both are perfectly capable for light to medium off roading.. i would probably not go rock crawling in it though… watch the belo video for the comparison between the limited and land crusier.. sure the off road premium is “more capable” but the limited and platinum are very capable as well

 

[127.0.0.1]

I have watched that video a couple of times and frankly I’m quite confused and more importantly concerned about the Limited’s performance on the rollers’ tests.
I am expecting to take delivery of a Limited next month and cannot fathom why a vehicle that is supposed to be full time 4WD cannot pull itself off the rollers. When both rear wheels were spinning on the rollers, why did the two front not pull the truck forward? The same for when the front wheels were on the rollers.
I decided to go with the Limited for many of the comfort features but mostly because I wanted the full-time 4WD. How is this performance 4WD?
Was the reviewer doing something wrong (tranny set-up) ? Can someone please explain what is happening here and did I order the wrong model?

I been driving my 99 4runner limited (4wd, AWD, locker) almost 300,000 miles now,
and not once in all my travels did I encounter sets of rollers.

I mean the roller test is absolutely not real world.

 

[MikeD]

I’m close to those areas. Do you know what trails you were on? I would like try them. I also have OnX.

Happy to share. Using onX links here are the some blue trails I've enjoyed the most.
Bald Mountain Rated 5. Ran this 2 weeks ago for the first time. Its relatively close to weekend place at Lake Anna (90 minutes) and I will be running it frequently in the future - and taking some more of the side trails which are even more challenging. I'm stoked to have found it. Will be posting photos and video from there from my new Wolfbox mirror cam later today. Unfortunately its closed for the winter (I must have lucked out running it on 3 January when the signs near the Blue Ridge Parkway Bald Mtn overlook where I entered said its closed Jan-Apr.)
Walter's Gap off Peter's Mill Run - Rated 4. Have done this 3 times including once completely stock. short offshoot from Peter's Mill Run (rated 3). Now that I've found Bald Mountain and still need to get to nearby Flagpole Knob area I probably won't be back for a while but it was my early favorite.
German River Trail - Rated 4 (with some 5+ side trails)
Dicks Creek to Dark Hollow (rated 6). Cherokee Natl Forest - TN. This is farther away from me but I was in Abingdon VA for my son's wedding and had a free morning while the ladies were getting hair and nails ... SO much fun. Almost got stuck multiple times (mud, etc.). Profile photo is from in front of AirBnB we were staying at after I got back.

I'd welcome other recommendations in VA or PA (where I go often). I'm going to head to Rausch Creek in PA on 21Feb26 or 4Apr26 for a Blue guided ride - this is where I might get the chance to try out a Black trail after I have more experience and bring a friend with a winch:>)

 

[4RunnerJay]

Happy to share. Using onX links here are the some blue trails I've enjoyed the most.
Bald Mountain Rated 5. Ran this 2 weeks ago for the first time. Its relatively close to weekend place at Lake Anna (90 minutes) and I will be running it frequently in the future - and taking some more of the side trails which are even more challenging. I'm stoked to have found it. Will be posting photos and video from there from my new Wolfbox mirror cam later today. Unfortunately its closed for the winter (I must have lucked out running it on 3 January when the signs near the Blue Ridge Parkway Bald Mtn overlook where I entered said its closed Jan-Apr.)
Walter's Gap off Peter's Mill Run - Rated 4. Have done this 3 times including once completely stock. short offshoot from Peter's Mill Run (rated 3). Now that I've found Bald Mountain and still need to get to nearby Flagpole Knob area I probably won't be back for a while but it was my early favorite.
German River Trail - Rated 4 (with some 5+ side trails)
Dicks Creek to Dark Hollow (rated 6). Cherokee Natl Forest - TN. This is farther away from me but I was in Abingdon VA for my son's wedding and had a free morning while the ladies were getting hair and nails ... SO much fun. Almost got stuck multiple times (mud, etc.). Profile photo is from in front of AirBnB we were staying at after I got back.

I'd welcome other recommendations in VA or PA (where I go often). I'm going to head to Rausch Creek in PA on 21Feb26 or 4Apr26 for a Blue guided ride - this is where I might get the chance to try out a Black trail after I have more experience and bring a friend with a winch:>)

Thank you! I know of Rausch Creek, but have never been. I might have to check out one of the guided rides.

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