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Locking Rear Differential?

Discussion in '4 Cylinder' started by MitchMan, Apr 14, 2010.

  1. Apr 14, 2010 at 1:06 PM
    #1
    MitchMan

    MitchMan [OP] Member

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    Is a locking rear differential a necessity for driving or pulling a boat and trailer on sandy beaches in baja?

    Does anybody know what years Toyota 4x4s (4 cyl) pickups or 4x4 (4 cyl) Tacomas started having a locking rear differential as a stock feature (if at all)?

    Same question for 6 cyl 4x4s Toyota pickups and Tacomas?
     
  2. Apr 14, 2010 at 1:09 PM
    #2
    tmat

    tmat Well-Known Member

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    I know that the TRD off road tacomas all have a selectable locking rear differential.
    As far as a necessity, they are totally not necessary.
     
  3. Apr 14, 2010 at 1:10 PM
    #3
    ColtsTRD

    ColtsTRD Well-Known Member

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    Not necessary at all but handy as hell for sure...I love my locker :)

    What kind of truck do you have? Is it 4WD??
     
  4. Apr 14, 2010 at 1:30 PM
    #4
    MikeyD

    MikeyD Well-Known Member

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    No 4cyl come with a locker. Only trd off road package i believe comes with the locker and that is not available in the 4cyl.
     
  5. Apr 14, 2010 at 1:36 PM
    #5
    BirdTRD

    BirdTRD Unsuspectingly striking from above

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    Front (2.75" total): 1.6" Eibach coils, Toytec 0.5" (L) & 0.25" (R) top plate spacers, 5100's @ 0.85", Built Right uniball UCA's, Differential drop, Removed sway bar Rear: TSB springs, Wheeler's 1.5" AAL, 5100's, 2* shims, Carrier bearing drop, F and R Spidertrax, 285/75-16 Goodyear Duratracs, Self-fabbed sliders, rear bumper, and skid plates, Cobra 75 CB, Bed lined slim lo-pro tool box, Bed Extender, Diff breather mod, Two tail gate security mods, Exhaust dumped behind axle, Can't leave shit alone so plenty more coming...
    Necessary? No.
    Handy on a slick boat ramp? Yes.
     
  6. Apr 14, 2010 at 1:49 PM
    #6
    MitchMan

    MitchMan [OP] Member

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    I currently have a 1984 s10 Chevy Blazer 2.8L 4x4 with AT. It died last month and I am stuck with no wheels in Baja. I need to get a Toyota 4x4 immediately to take my boat and trailer down to Baja La Paz from Southern California. I am spending all my available time looking for one. I would prefer to go with a used 4 cyl because of the economy in purchase price and fuel usage, but I will get a used 6 cyl if I have to. My budget is around $6000. In order to make the decision on which year and which Toyota to get, I need to know what is best for towing a 1300 lb boat and trailer over Baja sandy beaches. It kinda depends on the type of differential that would be optimum in my price range. So far I have seen some 1984 to 1998 Toyota pickups and Tacomas 4x4s in this range on the internet
     
  7. Apr 14, 2010 at 1:50 PM
    #7
    ColtsTRD

    ColtsTRD Well-Known Member

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    x10000000
     
  8. Apr 14, 2010 at 1:56 PM
    #8
    MikeyD

    MikeyD Well-Known Member

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    If you want a 4cyl i think it will def do the job. A 6cyl would be better but the 4cyl will do the job. My 4cyl on 32"s had 1900lbs of steel in the bed and handled fine. They also have Lo-gear that you can use when pulling the boat out of the wet steep boat ramp.
     
  9. Apr 14, 2010 at 2:00 PM
    #9
    MitchMan

    MitchMan [OP] Member

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    Hey MikeyD and the others who have responded, I thank you for the opinions. Very helpful. MikeyD, do your comments include both the 4 cyl 2.4L (pre 1995.5 years) as well as the 4 cyl 2.7L (1995.5 and later years) as being able to pull my 1300 lb boat and trailer on Baja sandy beaches? By the way MikeyD, What year is your truck and did you have to use lifts on your truck to be able to use 32s?
     
  10. Apr 14, 2010 at 2:06 PM
    #10
    MikeyD

    MikeyD Well-Known Member

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    My truck is a 2007 regular cab 4cyl 2.7L. It has stock gears which are 4.10's. The 32"s that i have fit while it was stock and had no rub at all. I did lift her afterwards though.
     
  11. Apr 14, 2010 at 2:07 PM
    #11
    MikeyD

    MikeyD Well-Known Member

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    BHLM, HID kit, yellow fogs, Grill craft, Hellas behind grillcraft, LED cup holder mod, after market horn, extra reverse lights, under body glow for off roading at night, pro comp 7089's wrapped in 255/75/17 bfg mud terrains, Toytec coiovers sat at 3.25, 2" add a leaf with 5100's, Satoshi grill mod
    and im not really sure how much of a power difference there is between the 2.7L engine and 2.4L engine. Sorry
     
  12. Apr 14, 2010 at 9:59 PM
    #12
    kcbmx

    kcbmx doing my thing.

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    sorry for the off topic question, MikeyD, how do you like the 255/75 M/Ts? was there alot of power loss and acceleration? its almost that time to get new tires for me. the truck came with 265/75 toyo m/ts 10 ply so would i benefit from the 255?
     
  13. Apr 15, 2010 at 4:47 AM
    #13
    MikeyD

    MikeyD Well-Known Member

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    I really didn't notice any power loss at all. The tires are also great on the street and in the mud. But Sometime this summer I am going to sell them and up grade to a 285
     
  14. Apr 15, 2010 at 7:52 AM
    #14
    kcbmx

    kcbmx doing my thing.

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    Why ?
     
  15. Apr 16, 2010 at 6:11 AM
    #15
    Tacoyota

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    on the sand and ramps try airing down for traction , and yes the downside might be airing back up. Also, consider the tires, if you plan to buy some soon, consider if you want treadier and/or a bit wider to help in that sand.
     
  16. Apr 16, 2010 at 8:24 AM
    #16
    David K

    David K Well-Known Member

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    Hi MitchMan... Glad you found this forum, too!
     
  17. Apr 16, 2010 at 8:05 PM
    #17
    TacomaTSP4

    TacomaTSP4 Go Big or Go Home!!

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    when off-roading you want the widest tire possible to obtain the most traction! I had 255's and switched to 285's and i still want to go to a 305 or 12.5 33" m/t
     
  18. Apr 16, 2010 at 8:06 PM
    #18
    TacomaTSP4

    TacomaTSP4 Go Big or Go Home!!

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    And if you want a locking rear diff then get a ARB rear air locker
     
  19. Apr 20, 2010 at 12:32 PM
    #19
    MitchMan

    MitchMan [OP] Member

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    I have been doing a ton of research on the various types of LSDs and Lockers over the past several days and the towing abilities of the older 2.4 cyl manual 4x4s versus the Tacoma 2.7L manual 4x4s. It looks like both engine sizes will have the fortitude to pull my boat and trailer (1300 lbs) the 1300 miles from So Cal to Cabo San Lucas and La Paz and to handle the Baja sandy beaches while pulling the boat and trailer.

    The 4x4 will be my only means of transportation for in town and pulling the boat. In addition to having to deal with the loose sandy beaches, the off road trails to the beaches get pretty flooded and muddy for next 7 days after any rain. There is a two-month rainy season and there are intermittent heavy thunder storms all through the year. The fishing is great all year round. The in town paved streets get really flooded immediately after any rain (notoriously poor drainage). I will not be doing any hard driving "off road recreational use" at all, just going off road to get from the main paved road to the beaches while pulling the boat.

    The issue is which differential would be best, all things considered for the rear diff of the 4x4 for the 1300 mile trip to Cabo and for the combination of conditions described above. I can't afford the ARB selectable lockers, but I can afford the Detroit TruTrac LSD or the automatic PowerTrax No-Slip Lockers (don’t know if I should consider the selectable E-lockers because of all the water and mud) ... and therein lies the real question: TruTrac LSD or automatic No-Slip Lockers or maybe the E-Locker?

    BTW, what does “DD” stand for?
     
  20. Apr 20, 2010 at 12:51 PM
    #20
    gtrotter

    gtrotter Well-Known Member

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    locker,mud tires, lifted, toolbox
    I've got the Powertrax lockright in the rear of my tacoma. That, combined with the mud tires, makes a world of difference offroad. Since you will be in the sand, I would stick away from mud tires and rather look at an agressive All Terrain, like the BFG. The mud tires will dig down way too fast in the sand.
     

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