Newbie question - RR Diff Lock

Hi,
I just made an appointment with a private seller to go and see his '02 Taco XtraCab TRD 5sp. I'm really excited about it. I have one very important question about he 4x4. The dude is the second owner, owned it for six yrs:

1. has never used the 4x4
2. has never engaged the eLocker


How do I check they they both work? - remember, I'm a newbie (never been off-roading before)

Thanks guys.

 

If you're stuck in a paved parking lot, checking both might get a little complicated.

For 4x4, put the truck in 4wd and make a tight turn. If it's working, you should hear your tires chirping on both sides of the truck.

Now, unless he's done the gray wire mod, the truck needs to be in 4 lo for the locker to engage. So, you wont be able to easily tell if it's engaged by sound. The only thing I can think of for that is to put the truck in 4 low, engage the locker and then jack the truck up and spin the rear tires by hand. If you diff is open, one tire will spin in the opposite direction when you spin the other. If it's locked, they will both spin in the same direction when you turn just one.

 

Are you assuming his dash indicator lights are all burned out?

You can test on pavement, just DON'T turn... once you are engaged in H4 or L4. The locker only works in L4 (unless mod'ed). The locker is trickier to engage. One you are in L4 (shift into N if an automatic to go into or out of L4), then press the RR Lock button from a stop and creep forward... the RR Lock light will blink when button is pushed, but goes solid when locker is engaged. If it doesn't go solid driving slowly straight, then turn your tires ONE direction and creep forward until light goes solid.

There should be 4WD instructions on the drivers sun visor and locker instructions on the driver side door, near the window. I have them if you need them posted... the details are the same for 1st gen and 2nd gen. Just the transfer case shift lever/ button changed to a dial in '05.

 

Thanks for your input fellas, this is valuable 411.

If you wouldn't mind, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

Sure, and again this is from a second gen Taco, but the only difference is the first gen had a stick and a button for 4WD instead of the dial.

 

When I called the dealer for my 3rd first generation 4x4, they told me the diff didnt work. When I took it for a test drive without them, I got it to go in by using some tacoma world tips (in 4L only, turning wheel, driving slow) and got it to engage. The dealer still thought it was broken. I used that as a negotiation point to get the price down.

 

Please don't ever do this

 

I disagree with the above, Just throw it in low and turn into a space while IDLEING and you will be able to tell right off the bat if the 4wd works. As for the locker, engane the locker in 4 low and listen for a little "clunk" sound out of the back and you know the lockers working, you may have to drive forward or backwards a few feet.

People are paranoid about "ruining" the 4wd and locker system on dry pavement, if you engage it for a short period and idle around while turning you will easily be able to tell if either works and wont cause any damage to anything. If you want to be extra safe go find a gravel parking lot/surface and test it out there.

 

X2 It's pretty funny to hear folks harp on this and not think twice about driving on Moab slickrock in 4wd all day long.
Driving down the freeway for any length of time is different story.