My Brilliant LSD Idea

Hello all
I had a brilliant idea the other day while day dreaming in Pre Calc.
I've been researching different options for LSDs and lockers in my truck, and I have determined that everybody hates 5 luggers.
Anyway, I was thinking about how they don't offer a true LSD in Tacomas any more, they just use the rear brakes to simulate one. I want mine basically for traction in snow, and I was thinking I could use the E-brake to achieve the same result. I would just have to keep the brake cables separate all the way up to the cab and have 2 levers. When one wheel starts to spin, I pull its corresponding brake to transfer power to the other wheel. Brilliant, right?
Would this work? I don't see why not, but my ideas tend to overlook things and fail miserably.
To get really fancy, could I tap into the wheel speed sensors on the ABS in the rear to determine which wheel is spinning? Then, i could put a light on each lever that lights up when that wheel is spinning.
What do you think?

 

your crazy! i don't know if it would work, but clever idea

 

Get a locker lol. Im not crafty enough to help you in this area.

 

I have heard reports of prerunner folks using the e-brake to trick the truck into engaging the Auto-LSD. I think your specific idea would work but it may be easier to invest in a locker.

 

A locker would be of no help to him, because with the locker in, once you start to slip, game over, and you slip easier in snow with it on. I believe the OP is talking about daily driving in snow, not offroading.

 

I'd like something like an Ox locker, a manually actuated locker I can engage really quick just to get moving and then disengage once I'm started.
I would love to have a real locker, so I wouldn't have to bust out the tow rope as often. I would go with one of the lunch box lockers, but from what I've heard they are extremely unsafe in snow and ice. I don't believe anyone makes a manual locker for my truck (axle code A02A, 3.58 ratio and 7.5" ring gear). If I'm missing something, someone please let me know.

 

you will be going through brakes like crazy. if you have open diffs this wont work.

 

Too much work for something you'll very rarely use.

Sounds like its time for you to trade or sell that 5 lugger and get a 4WD.

 

I thought this thread was about drugs.

 

Yeah...Differential braking and line locks are not impossible to build and work with. But if you are worried about driving on snow- You are crazy to try to add MORE things to do with your hands while the truck spins.
Work it out to either trade and get a truck that has the parts you want or find the aftermarket parts for your truck.

Also keep in mind- Folks drove in snow with out LSDs for YEARS...Jus saying...

 

I guess I'll chalk this one up to "Matt's stupid Ideas that will never work".
It seems like that file is getting bigger and bigger...

 

OK ... Now that the laughing has subsided, let me tell you how you might actually try this (not that I'm recommending such a thing, mind you ...) ...

You have a 2004 5-lug Tacoma with standard ABS. 2004 was the only pre-2005 model year in which Toyota offered a VSC / TRAC (with 'Auto LSD') system for the Tacoma. It was only offered as an option on V6 PreRunner and 4X4 XtraCabs and Double Cabs. Like the later traction system(s), this one basically added a bunch of sensors and controllers to manipulate the ABS system for the purpose of traction control.

In *theory* it might be possible to transplant all the 2004 VSC / TRAC apparatus from a donor PreRunner into your 5-lug XtraCab and monkey with it until it actually works as advertised. I can't tell what (if any ...) differences there were between the equipment used on 2WD PreRunners and 4X4 models, so I can't tell for sure whether there's a chance of doing such a transplant from a 4X4 donor truck.

However ... I suspect that by the time you locate all the (relatively rare) donor parts, do the research, do the swap, and do the experimentation to get it all working, you'd have spent a lot more money than you would have spent simply installing an aftermarket LSD or doing an LSD-equipped Supra axle swap.

 

I'm still considering one of the auto lockers. I would like to take mine mudding with a couple buddies. For anyone that has one- is it completely impossible to recover once the rear breaks loose (esp. in snow?), or is it something you could get used to and save it. I figure if drifters usually run lockers, there's gotta be a way to do it. It's not like we have snow on the ground all winter here, it's just the occasional storm.

 

LOL, Yeah me too. Haven't dropped acid since the 70's.....

 

"drifters", afaik, have LSDs in the back.

BTW, the 05-08s had mechanial LSDs, not the brake ones that are on the 09+.

 

Not sure how well this would work on the snow, but esentially an LSD turns into an open diff when one wheel loses traction or completely comes off of the ground. So by engaging the e-brake a few clicks it gives the LSD enough resistance to do its job. Same thing for our open diffs except i dunno if you'd be able to do the braking fast enough manually. The A-trac/VSC system on the newer tacos can do it much faster than you could.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1Dbkvgiozs

 

Just as ABS can pump your brakes faster than you can, but some is better than none...
Anyway does anyone have any input on the auto locker in the snow?

 

Taco+studded tires+140lbs in the bed will get you anywhere. I did that last winter and got everywhere.

The use of the e-brake as a "lsd" has been around for years in the serious offroading community. I dont think it should be applied to daily driving lol...

In all reality, an lsd or locker really isnt needed on these trucks unless
1. You're actually offroading
2. You have high horsepower and need to put it to the ground.

 

yeah i definitely was expecting a cool acid trip story...