Is a rear locker worth it?

...^^^... I learned something about the "duck and the weed dragging thing" ...

 

@TacoFergie To answer your question, yes. Especially if you like to go off roading or hit the trails. If you don't, then it's really not that necessary. As other members have answered, the Tacoma DCLB does not come with a rear diff lock, only the TRD Off Road. But if you do need a long bed for work or just wanting a longer bed, then get it. DCLB are harder to come by and sought after.
The main differences I see between the TRD Off Road and the TRD Sport are these:
TRD Off Road has a rear diff lock, ATRAC, firmer suspension, 16" wheels, chrome grille surround bezel, chrome rear bumper, no hood scoop, no turning signal lights on the side mirrors, no long bed.
TRD Sport has no rear diff lock, no ATRAC, softer suspension, 17" wheels, color matched grille surround bezel, color matched rear bumper, hood scoop, turning signal lights on the side mirrors, long bed option.
So if you really do like the Sport styling and long bed, then get it. It will save you upgrading costs of color matching the grille surround and rear bumper or trying to swap a hood for a scooped one.
But if you want the true off road truck, then get a TRD Off Road. The two switches make it a true 4x4 off road truck. Nice to have those options when needed, than not having them there when stuck. What makes me smile are people who get the TRD Sport then try to make it a super-lifted, mud slinging, 4x4 rock (mall) crawler. As eon_blue stated:

TRD Sport has the long bed option and is more stylish. I do like the color matched grille bezel and bumper than the TRD Off Road chrome shit. But the Sport is more looks than tough guy truck. The Off Road is more of a true 4x4 truck. No fake hood scoop or extra side mirror lights, but the chrome is lame. I do like the hood scoop on the TRD Sport though!

 

Rear locker makes a night and day difference. Having both rear and front locker, well that's a different story!

 

What? All I can think is that they are both on the Y axis... I'll let you think of that

 

easy way to remedy that, just Plasti Dip the chrome! That's what I did to my '04, blacked out the chrome bumpers front and back with plasti dip. Easy to do, did all the chrome all around in one afternoon. It's held up really well.

 

Locked front & rear makes off roading so much more less stressful and easier on the running gear

 

Sorry its been a little bit guys, just got back into town.

Probably the most helpful post yet. haha I don't really do any "serious" off-roading, at least not yet. Mostly for me I am kind of wanting a locker just because I can, plus I like that it's oem and I don't have to throw more money at it to get something I want. Plus I feel like oem is usually more reliable than aftermarket, especially with toyota. How often would I use a locker? Maybe a couple times a year or less, but when you need it...you need it. I really wish it was available in the long bed. I wouldn't mind the short bed, except for when loading up my dirt bike the rear tire is really close to the edge of the tailgate. I know a lot of people do it, but if get a street bike in there I feel like thats a lot of weight that far back on the tailgate possibly damaging the hinges over time. Plus I feel like the long bed is more utilitarian. I have noticed that the DCLB do tend to be very difficult to find. In my area I can find more DCSB TRD Off Roads than I can DCLB TRD sports. I'm sure there are write-ups on it, but is easy to swap the Off Road axle with locker and get it set up to work with a push button?

 

One thing about this kind of situation that worries me is that the locker rarely ever engages right away when I press the button, I always have to drive a few few for it to actually lock. A few times it's even taken almost 20 seconds. I have a 2004 though, do the lockers in the 2nd gens come on instantaneously? I was talking to a third gen owner at a trail run the other day and he said his always comes on right away.

It would suck to get stuck and then not have the ability to use the locker because it can't activate without moving, or I wonder if just spinning the tires for a few seconds would get it to click on?

 

Mine typically engages within a couple seconds.

 

hmm, must be a first gen thing I guess. It always comes on without fail, just sometimes takes a little longer than others. Same with disengaging it.

 

I've noticed that if I engage/disengage it every so often it helps it work when needed faster. Mine sometimes doesn't like to disengage right away, but usually clicks in pretty fast.

 

This thread can help with that.

 

Awesome! Thank you very much! Hopefully later this year I will be a Tacoma owner! I always liked driving them when I worked on them at the dealership, but that has been almost 7 years now. lol

 

If you opt for the sport with no locker and decide you want one later, go with ARB. I had ARB lockers in my last 2 trucks and they are bullitt proof. I just bought a TRD-off road taco with the factory locker, but I haven't had it out in the soft stuff yet so the jury's still out. One thing about the ARB is that its an air locker so you have an on board compressor. The compressor was invaluable to me for airing up tires when going back on the pavement and running air tools. If I decide to add a front locker I'm definitely going with an ARB again.

 

Not easy. Easy would be buying an ARB. If you have a TRD you have pausy track which gets activated by 4LO so don't waste money if you don't Offroad. Buy a tow strap and use your 4LO. Spend money when you get into off-roading. If you never do 4x4 will be good enough. If you are 2wd and Offroad a bit, buy a locker.

 

I suppose that makes the most sense. In Iowa there isn't a lot of intense offroad other than mud, which I hate because it's a bitch to get out of all the nooks and craneys that ends up causing rust. Pretty much no rocks, not really any much more than some big hills and much of it is flat. Lol

 

Yeah... Mud, I did a lot of that this year and regret it. But it will happen naturally when using the truck Offroad. Lockers are deadly but only dig you deeper in mud. Save your money, buy some lights or something you know you can use

 

It's hit and miss in my experience. Sometimes it engages right away, other times I have to turn left or right and roll a little bit for it to engage. Everything inside of that rear differential has to sync up before that e-locker does it's thing. If your friend has had his engage every single time right away, he should play the lottery.

 

Although it doesn't come close to a locked differential, ALSD has helped me through some tricky spots while trail driving my stock 4x2 prerunner. A locker would be fun but I'm not planning to go places where I'd need it.

 

Is it worth it? Yes.

Will you need it, hard to say. Dirt roads and light trails will not require a locker, these trucks with some semblance of skill and speed will plow through almost anything with two open diffs.

Slow, slippery and off camber is where the locker will save you.