4X4 Auto Limited Slip Differential LSD

I am long time Tacoma owner/operator with two wheel drive only. I waiting for delivery of my 2016 Limited 4X4 according to build sheet it will be equipped with LSD I don't plan to do any serious wheeling with it, just basic east coast snow in winter and jersey shore sand in summer. My basic understanding of limited slip diff is that it applies traction to the wheel that would have more bite then the one that don't on the same axel. But with 4X4 truck there are 2 drive axles so my question is do both front and rear axles have LSD? Or if not which of the two axles has LSD, the front or the rear axle?

 

LSD is rear only

 

Yup.....and just a more aggressive traction control with the engine cut off deactivated. It works surprisingly well when you consider it's just trying to "fool" an open differential with the abs system. Works only in 2 wd. It is great for situations you need a little temporary extra traction in a area of snow for example but bare roads after prevent you from using the truck based 4 wd.

 

may be a bit of a noob question but regarding LSD, would you lose it if you put in an ARB locker or no?
I'm inclined to think you obviously loose it but I could be wrong.

 

I would not know with after market. But the OR model with a locker, the LSD is deactivated in 4 wd and the locker is only available in 4wd low range.you have a lot of electronics to get around to add an after market unit. I would be really hesitant unless you just don't care about your warranty.

 

Lockers are of little to no help in most snow conditons you would ever encounter. Your basic traction control will handle sand. Lockers are reasonable features, only if you are a serious off roader. Otherwise, it could be a waste of money. Just my opinion.

 

I'm pretty impressed with the LSD in my 2nd gen. It picks up on wheel spin very quickly and seems to hold the diff locked until you let go of the gas. I've gotten into a few situations in snow and mud where I assumed I would have to switch to 4wd to get out, and yet the LSD has gotten me out fine.

It's also great in the rain with no weight in the bed, I don't have to worry so much about being super light on the gas when starting from a stop like I did with my old truck.

 

You can over heat the previous generation Tacoma's (2015 and before) LSD so I assume you can over heat the 2016's. I have done it after driving in very heavy snow. Lights and alarms go off and leave you with 2wd, one in front and one in back. I was luck enough to have a locker in the rear and needed it get where I was going. It was no fun driving in low with the rear locked but it got me back.

Just something to think about.

 

I have a locker (GM G80) and I use it all the time in the winter. I do not off road at all.

And considering it only cost $395, its hardly a "waste of money".

 

You drive on snowy roads with a locked rear end ?

 

absolutely. It locks up leaving most stop signs/lights when its slippery. It's super handy. Combined with proper winter tires it completely eliminated the need for bed weight, though I have weight in anyways.

 

We are talking about Toyota Tacoma products that only allow activation of the locker while in low range. Low range is a very infrequently used in snow conditons.

 

Not Toyota , missed that in your first post

 

@OZ-T you seem more familiar with the ARB lockers, if I put one in do I lose the LSD or no?

 

I don't have an ARB locker , but I would assume so

 

Unless you do the Locker Anytime Mod

 

Better winter tires would alleviate 90% of the wheel spin you encounter in snow conditons that over heat these traction control devises. They are almost always the culprit of excessive wheel spin in snow.

 

For guys who like to do donuts....there is a reason you have to do a mod.

 

You will still get the "automatic LSD" action of the braking system but it will not do anything if you install and USE the locker.

the LSD they are talking about is not a mechanical device inside the differential housing. It is a braking system that uses the ABS sensors and system.

If you run a REAL locker and actually turn it on, the ABS system will never see a difference in wheel speed so it will not activate the brakes. Does that make sense? It took some background info before I could say that

 

that mod only applies to the OR doesn't it? Since the sport doesn't come with a locking diff, or can you do that to the LSD as well?