Can MTS/Locking Diff be added to Tacoma Limited?

Hey everyone,

I have just purchased a Tacoma Limited 4x4 that I did a bunch of upgrades to but as much as I love the extra bells and whistles the Limited gets on the interior, there is this part of me that is wishing I got the MTS system and Locking Diff the TRDOR has. Does anyone know if the MTS can be added after the fact or only during build? What about the locking diff? I mean I'm guessing I could do my own locking diff but I'm not sure if that would void warranty?


(Also, I know everyone on this forum loves pics so here is the truck)

 

MTS and crawl control are useless gimmicks.

If you actually do trails that require a locker - which 95% of OR owners do not - get an ARB air locker that will be 1) superior 2) cheaper 3) easier to install.

 

Ok phew that's good to hear. The main reason I went with the Limited is cause I felt like putting money into things like JBL Entune system and leather heated seats over MTS and Crawl since I wasn't sure how much they actually help on trails. I'm probably not going to do super hard core trail driving, more the "highly inaccessible if you don't have 4x4 and good clearance" type areas for camping.

Regarding locker though, is Toyota warranty friendly about adding aftermarket locker? I know it gets gray on vehicle warranties and basically comes down to "did the part result in damage to the vehicle that could have been prevented without the part" but I also know that Toyota knows its market and is more friendly about these kinds of upgrades on the Tacoma.

 

If you can find a 2016 or 2107 with excessive cabin damage in the junk yard you could swap your cab out.

Typically manufacturers will void everything below a mod. So if you install a rear locker you should anticipate that the entire rear axle assembly is void.

 

Aftermarket parts are never "warranty friendly." An exception might be if the dealer installs the part and chooses to warranty it, but then the dealer next door still won't.

I say drive the truck, do whatever trails you want, and if you actually end up in situations that require a locker, then look into spending the money. Chances are, you won't ever need it.

 

Thanks for the answers guys!

 

Your truck will still be under warranty but I wouldn't count on anything in the differential that was moded to be covered. You might have luck installing a Toyota e locker at a dealer but unless you have a manual trans or OR you will have the smaller 8" rear end and I'm not sure if the newer elockers for the larger 8.8" rear ends will work so you could look into previous generations. It probably be ridiculously expensive too. I haven't found much use for crawl controll but MTS works great and allows for almost no slippage in rock mode but that's useless I guess?

 

Don't forget to pick up skid plates factory ones or aftermarket.

I don't believe the limited's come with the front diff skid or fuel tank skid like the offroad.

Sports don't have them forsure. Picked me up a cheap / cheap factory front diff skid off TW for mine. Trying to decide on fuel tank skid now.

 

That was one of the upgrades I had put on the truck. I had them do the 1/4" aluminum Skid Plates they are putting on the TRD Pro

 

hey thats not true. Depending where you live MTS is useful.
My cousin has it on his FJ. We both live on the same street, when we get a big snow storm I don't even bother leaving the house for work, my jetta is too low, but even with my parents forester still cant get out of the snow just can't get enough traction even with snows. But my cousin swears by it, he throws on the MTS and puts it on mud setting and just crawls off our street no problem.

But yes otherwise when it comes to the locker. just get an ARB. Hell I'm getting the OR and will still likely be swapping out the E locker for an Air locker. Just prefer them over the E locker.

But for the OP, you couldn't swap crawl control and MTS into the limited. but you really won't be missing much. If you just do a locker it will be fine.

 

Not sure about the US and rest of Canada but here in Ontario its actually the reverse. Toyota is very well known for being really hard on modified vehicles.

Unless you pay them their ridiculous dealer rates, the parts almost always void a warranty. From what I understand a lift is one of the few where if you pay them to do it they will honor your warranty 100%.
Just remember one thing, that howling diff problem is still not sorted out by toyota. so if you do anything to void the warranty and they turn it to say that your mod could have effected it, say goodbye to them warrantying the part probably. Wouldn't be the first time I hear it happen.

For the trails though if all you're looking for is slightly more inaccessible areas for camping...I don't think you'll be getting into anything where you really need a locker. To save plenty of money just make sure you have armor and some good recovery points. Get a hi lift and the winch kit you can get for it and just keep that with you. If you aren't planning on getting into really tough situations you could probably get yourself out with just that stuff. Save you at least $1500 when it comes to the locker and install. Look into the areas you plan on going to, you might not even need much more than just a decent ground clearance and 4x4. Just knowing where you stand can also help offroad. Try and make sure you don't get yourself in the situation where you need all the other stuff. Usually you can find another way around the really tough stuff if all you're looking for is a nice place to set up camp.

 

I've seen the ARB argument 10000x. I've set to see a non-OR 3rd gen owner install one.

 

Although you can get by without it the MTS is pretty awesome. It made my recent trip easy mode... almost felt like cheating

 

MTS works well for mud. Slows down the spinning wheel.

 

I think its because ARB hasn't released an air locker for the 3rd gen yet lol.
But I did email them last year when I was going to get the TRD Sport instead of the OR since we weren't originally getting the DCOR in canada and asked them will they be making air lockers for both the 8in diff and 8.75in diff. They said tacoma drivers are a large part of their market so yes they will be making both.

Not sure if the older ones fit for the sports then for that matter. From what I understand the 8in diff in the sport limited and SR5 are the same as the 2nd gen

 

and snow.

 

They have a part number now, however having a hard time finding it else where on the ARB website

 

lol I was actually just watching a video on ARBUSA youtube page and in the comments they had a link to this pdf.
So ya they are now being produced.
My mistake.

So I wonder how long before someone puts one in. Maybe its just no TW members have done it but other 3rd gen owners are.

 

8" is the same as the 2nd gen trucks. 8.75 doesn't need rear air locker if it already has a factory one

 

I spent the first ~third of my life in an area where -30C was a normal winter temperature, and where inches of snowfall were a daily occurrence. At the time there wasn't a single vehicle in existence that had MTS or anything similar, yet the streets were always packed with regular cars, hauling all sorts of ass.

I've done tons of driving in both fresh and packed snow in RWD BMWs - my snow tires and basic traction control made that child's play. Put those snow tires on an AWD (or 4x4) vehicle and any moderately skilled driver will be unstoppable. I don't buy not being able to leave the house in a forester with snow tires.

Ice is a different story, but MTS won't be much help there, either. If the tires don't have traction, it won't matter how slowly you spin them. That's why the serious snow tires can often be studded.

That's probably cause 99.99% of people don't need a locker in any fashion, and it would be nothing but paper bragging rights.

I've taken my long-bed sport everywhere I've wanted, and several places I shouldn't have, certainly way worse places than most of the ORs on this forum ever go, and I've yet to need a locker. Interestingly enough, while I've ran into a few TRD Sports off the beaten path, I've yet to see a single OR.

Perhaps. I don't like mud and never intentionally drive in it. I believe that a set of MaxxTraxx traction boards will work 10x better 100% of the time, and plan on eventually picking some up for the one-in-a-million time I might need them.