Rear locking differential 2-wheel drive TRD confusion

If I'm reading the owners manual correctly you should only engage the rear Locker when stuck and disengage it went unstuck, but if you're driving in the area were you might get stuck multiple times can't you just leave the Locker on as long as you're driving at low speeds?

 

that statement is only there to cover their ass.

You can engage the locker at under 5mph, and run it at any speed you want. I have been up to 65ish in the dirt with it in, no harm. Just understand that it is a locker and will change how the vehicle drives drastically. Also dont run it on pavement or high grip surfaces.

 

Dear lord.. dont run the locker unless you absolutely need it and on terrain that allows wheel spin.

@Overkill07

 

Disagree. The terrain/trails I wheel regularly I'm in 4lo the majority of the time, and I keep my locker on the entire time. Been doing that for a long time now and never had any issues with it. I'll switch it off if I'm coming up on some tight switchbacks (unless the locker is needed to get up and over rocks or shelves), but it stays on the majority of the time that I'm in 4lo. Not going fast enough in 4lo to cause any harm on loose gravel/rocks/sand/dirt/etc.

 

I like to keep the locker on and use it as a tool to help me along on a tough trail, but others like to only use it when they absolutely need to. No harm either way. I think the ARB air lockers are better for the latter though in that they seem to engage more instantaneously than the TRD e-locker.

 

Same.

Just use it

 

I expected this thread to get more traction

 

I drove the rubicon with the locker on for 2 days and 16 hours of driving.

 

Gather round kids, let me tell you a story of years ago about non selectable lockers.

 

Locked 2WD in the hooouuuuussssse

 

Had one in my '99 Prerunner....good 'ol lunchbox locker. Worked like a charm, but had to be careful not to give it much gas going around turns on the street. Rain made it even more fun, lol.

 

4x4 here with the ability to lock the bitch in 2wd... make for fun on the wider dirt roads!

 

Had a LockRite in my old 4Runner. It was great off-road. I didn't fuck around on-road. That thing was violent and unpredictable at times lol.

 

How do you get yours to lock in 2w? My 23 TRD OR 4x4 will just beep and only lock in 4L.

 

As long as the ground is slippery enough for the wheels to spin its fine to leave it locked. Cornering on ground surfaces with good traction will break something.

One thing I don't like about Toyota. They are designed to only be able to lock the diff in 4 lo if you have 4X4, but the 2wd trucks can be locked any time. Many guys have modified their trucks to be able to lock the diff at any time. Which makes more sense. Every other manufacturer will let you lock the diff. There are times when locking the diff in 2wd is handy and there is no need to shift to 4X4.

 

False. You will have increased wear, and will break worn parts faster. But these are not delicate flowers.

 

I got the crash course on handling with the locker on. I was doing a stream crossing out in Utah that had soft sand near the crossing. I had the locker on and after crossing the water I gassed it so I didn't bog down in the sand. The truck pulled through fine, about 150' up the trail it took a hard right turn right, going straight would put you going off a 3-4' drop back into the water. As I approached the turn I cut the wheel and had quite the sphincter moment when I the truck kept going straight, wouldn't turn under power in the soft sand. It wasn't till I let off the gas that the truck turned at all. It doesn't look like much on video but it was a wakeup call.

 

Engage the e-locker occasionally and prove functionality knowing when you actually need it it'll work!