Limit Slip Dif HELP

What would help is telling us which package you have (SR-5, Sport TRD, Off Road TRD, Base, ...)

After 2008: no mechanical limited slip... all Tacomas have electronic/ ABS limited slip (TRAC and AUTO LSD). Only the Off Road TRD has more traction with a locking rear differential and on the 2009+ 4WD Off Road: A-TRAC.

 

I didn't want to drive it in the snow, but my other car was always breaking something.

 

One and only david K is here

 

I am sure there are more than just one of 'us'!

I just am the one brave enough to tell it the way I see it or have experienced it. In the case here, I just want to help Willie get the most out of his truck... and he has PM'd me already. I can't answer all his concerns, but others here can. The point is to not blow off newbies who are only asking to learn about the Tacoma. My 2010 Tacoma is the most reliable, most capable 4WD vehicle I have ever driven... and being over 55, and going to Baja all my life, that includes many many off road vehicles.

 

For those of you who have the mechanical LSD I'd like to know why you think it's better than the 2009 up Auto LSD. If it works like the mechanical LSD I had in my Dakota, it sucks. In the Dakota both wheels had to have traction or it didn't work. Not so with the Auto LSD. You just press the auto lsd button and both wheels spin. It's as close to locking the rear diff as you can get without a locker.

 

Can't you just apply a little bit of the e-brake to get it to engage?

 

I attempted to explain in other thread but in short.
1. Mechanical LSD you had in Dakota was totally different than mechanical LSD Toyota installed in 2005-08 trucks. One installed by Toyota is made by Hino for bigger trucks, and does not have the same problem.

2. I have both systems and auto LSD (or TRAC) sucks in the snow and ice. It's notch better than open diff but not even close to mechanical LSD. Electronic system has dead zone and can not deliver power to 4 or even 3 wheels in constant matter. At best can be described as intelligent 2 wheel system. With Toyota mechanical LSD system in the rear, you always get power to 3 wheels and it is constant delivery.

3. Mechanical LSD is not affected by break condition, it does not care how far or how long is traveling in slippery condition. It will never overheat because it's submerged in gear oil. It's not affected by trailer, it will not cause your brakes to fail.

 

07 sport here, had the factory lsd, worn clutch packs after 50,000km. have and arb now, the lsd was easier for me to kick out sideways in the rain then the open arb is now. the true trac lsd is audi torsen style diff, no need for friction modifiers just regular diff oil and they never wear out, are way stronger then clutch pack lsd or even open diff. both wheels have to be on the ground for any lsd to work though.

http://youtu.be/lZmsY2YvVsc

 

i was in snow a few weeks ago and my truck did a lot better than i thought it would. the mechanical lsd really helped driving up a steep snow covered driveway. other than that just make sure you drive slow, especially slow if you're 2wd like me

 

That does sound good, but I'm still not convinced its better? I posted a thread a few weeks back about my test drive of a 2014 Chevy Silverado. To sum it up the mechanical LSD on the Chevy could not back up my fairly steep driveway with wet leaves. Both my Tacoma and my friends Tundra, both with Auto LSD had no problem.

Maybe your Tacoma could have done it I don't know, but so far I really like what I have and it has not let me down.

 

I used to wheel with an Auburn LSD in the rear end of a '94 XJ. If I got a wheel up in the air, just had to apply the e-brake to get it to engage.

 

All I can say is that my 2008 sport with nothing but a LSD and 4wd (has no options other than ABS, which is disabled) seems to do better in the snow than the 2012 I had for a week that had the auto LSD and traction and some of the other options.

 

Ok but Chevy, Dodge and Ford all use TrueTrac for OEM. Only Toyota uses Hino limited slip. (Hino is Toyota Commercial fleet). And Hino Limited Slip is not the same as Truetrac not even by long stretch. I know the problem you are describing and I can assure you Toyota limited slipp does not have that. Again its built like lockright locker, except instead of teeth locking axle to carrier you have clutchpacks.
I have both, and have experience with both. (Auto LSD and Mechanical LSD) I would not trade my mechanical limited slipp for electronic one. When (IF) I had to buy new Tacoma, I will Install mechanical LSD from older truck (I have spare one already) I like predictability and don't like dead zone on Electronic traction control.

 

Thank you Blue T for nice explanations...
Can you please describe in detail what is this "dead zone" you experienced with AUTO LSD and/ or TRAC? Thank you!

 

I had a 1997 n 2008 My 2012 TXPRO Is alot better in the the snow I'm in upstate NY. I'm up n down the hills every day in the snow 95% of time in 2 wheel drive now. Before I had to use 4 wheel drive.

 

Dead air on the Dead zone! ???