locking vs. limited slip

going through the listing of features i noticed that off road package features locking rear differential whereas the sport package has limited slip.

i have no idea how much off road i will do, but i liked the additional features of the hill assist and downward assist on the off road models. why? just because

however, most of my need for 4WD is inclement weather...would a limited slip serve better in that regard? or is locking just as easy to use and perform just as well or better?

in another thread I started a lot of people chimed in they really wished they had gone "off road" or that they did get that package and were totally happy with it....of those, I wonder if they say that primarily because they....well duh, are off roading with it.

 

I think the locker is something you only use going very slow, not something you use doing 50 in the snow.

 

x2

 

LSD is awesome in the rain, can't really run the locker on the HWY.

 

so its not an either or, they all come limited slip with some models having the ability to lock it?

 

in what situation would you use the auto LSD? when i had my elocker is was always on the rocks in tough spots..but this LSD has got me...

 

i think LSD for snow, ice and bad rain slick roads.....with the locking for rock crawling

 

LSD is automatic, no button, on/off, or toggle. its awe-toe-mat-ic. whenever you loose traction power is transferred to the other tire. its hard to break her loose with out mashing it to the floor and cranking the wheel really hard. make sense?

 

All '09s+ have VSC (vehicle stability control) with TRAC traction control. This is automatic (it can be turned off on the dash but comes back on whenever you restart).

VSC with TRAC uses the antilock brakes to keep you heading straight in the event the back end slips / breaks loose (i.e. one tire on ice, back end slides out on snow). But it's my understanding that VSC with TRAC also reduces engine power when activated. It's primarily meant to be a road use safety feature - one that all cars are required to have by 2011.

AutoLSD on the other hand can be turned on with the push of the VSC button (its not automatic), is rear axle only and though it also uses the brakes to transfer power from the slipping wheel to the stationary or underpowered wheel (it is an electronic LSD and not mechanical), it does not reduce engine power.

Regular TRAC operates in 2wd and 4hi, but completely shuts off in 4lo (though apparently there is a yellow wire mod where you can clip a wire to the computer behind the glove compartment to override this). But unless you do this, my understanding is basically both diffs operate open in 4lo on non-TRD models (autoLSD also is unavailable in 4lo).

The TRD models (offroad and sport) however have A-TRAC which basically is 4 wheel, offroad use traction control for use in 4lo. And it works awesome and is reason enough to go TRD.

The TRD offroad then also adds a rear locker to all of this for those situations when you really get stuck. If you buy without a locker and find you have a need you can always add an ARB air locker for about $1800 or so. Personally I didn't want to mess with that so going TRD offorad was worth it. I've been in enough snowy ditches to know that eventhough I may only use the locker a handful of times in my life, it's nice to have.