Locker options? Is dropping in an e-locker Axle reasonable?

I'm on a budget as far as truck parts and I'm looking into locker options. I have a solid amount of mechanical skills and I'm not opposed to dropping in a locking axle from a TRD Off-road if that's possible. Is this a viable albeit less expensive alternative to say an ARB locker? I've looked into those lunchbox locker types but I want to be able to hit a button and know for sure that I'm all locked up.

Any advice on this would be awesome, thanks

 

If your truck didn't come with an E-Locker it is in my opinion better to go with an ARB air locker, ARB's are slightly stronger from what I have read and more versitial from install as you just push a button and you get locked. ARB's engage a little more solidly and quickly too. Also as you need OBA to run it, well then you have OBA.

When it comes to lockers budget usually doesn't jive too well. Also if you install a locker you have to have one with the same gearing as your front diff, or if you go ARB you may as well regear since you'll be in there resetting lash coast and drive anway.

 

If you can find an e-locker axle for around $500-600 it will be well worth it. If you can't source one around that price range you'll be better off going with an ARB unit.

I swear I used to be able to find them for $500-600, but they seem to becoming more rare/expensive these days.

 

ARB or if you don't need to spool lock it and are just needing better traction when you have wheel spin an axel from a 2005-2008 TRD Sport works VERY WELL! Very good mechanical LSD. I have a 2006 TRD Sport, OEM LSD has never let me down. When you have wheel spin it pretty much turns into a spool.

 

Just get an arb. I've done the swap and the motor is just so fragile. Not worth it, get an arb and you'll be happier in a year or 2

 

FYI after 2008 no Tacoma has LSD.

 

Plus e-locker rear axles are a tad weaker because the ring gear is smaller not 100% sure on gear ratio, you need to check that out too.

 

Didn't think about gear ratios with a new axle that's a good point

 

Looks like you have 4.10 gears, any 6cyl will have 3.73 gears. Anyone know if they made any TRD Pre-Runners between 2005-2008 with 4cyl? I'd LOVE an OEM rear with 4.10 gears and TRD LSD!

 

Is the 05-08 lsd mechanical? So it's basically an automatic locker?

 

05-08 is lsd mechanical. No it is not an auto locker. It is a limited slip

 

I'll have to read up on that

 

A locker locks the 2 axles together. A limited uses mechanical means to keep traction on both sides, mainly clutch packs. There are other types out there (like the Detroit). The clutch packs help a little but will slip eventually, hence the name.

 

detroit trutrac for a damn good LSD

or an ARB air locker.

Like stated unless you can find a full elocker axle for cheap, but you would still have to get 4.10 gears for it as the elocker never came on a truck that wasnt a v6 in the 2nd gen (which means 3.73's) and then have the knowhow to do everything your self as far as wiring etc.... the above two options would be much better.

 

Only the sport models.

 

The "Auto Locker" is the junk system put in 2009-2015 TRD Sports. what it does is use sensors to detect wheel spin and use the rear brakes to control the wheel spin. Similar to the trick you used to do when you got your dads old truck stuck, slightly engadge the E Brake, try to get unstuck and hope he never finds out, LOL!
The mechanical LSD uses centrifical force to physically lock the the differencial so both tires spin at the same rate no matter what. TRD mechanical LSD is similar to the Detroit locker.see video for basic explaination.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ekgBnktLw8k

 

un no wrong. 100% wrong.


The mechincal LSD found in the 05-08 sport and some Sr5 trucks were clutch pack LSD's.... they were not auto lockers, dont believe me. go to an oem parts fiche, you can buy a clutch pack rebuild kit for that diff. The clutch pack LSD's did NOT lock both axle shafts together like a selectable or auto locker. They simply created a friction force via the clutch packs to make it to where the axle shafts would have a harder time to spin at different rates (150ftlbs)

In fact you will NEVER find the term LSD to describe an auto locker differential as they are 100% different products.



Next.

There is no "auto locker" system found on the tacoma. What you are referring to is
"Auto LSD" which you are correct it uses the brake system to stop or slow down the wheel that does not have traction. This was standard feature on the 09+ tacomas. To put your truck into Auto LSD mode you simply tap the traction control button once and the Auto LSD light will illuminate on the dash, if you are under 25mph VSC will also deactivate and will reactivate above that speed. Auto LSD removes throttle regulation as well. This function works VERY well when paired with something like a detroit true trac that needs a little bit of resistance on the wheel with less traction to transfer power to the wheel with better traction.

 

Oh my no. You are way off the mark.

Lsd stand for limited slip differential. An lsd does not lock the axles together. The lsd is not even close to the Detroit.

You are confusing some terms I think.

The system Toyota has that uses the abs to limit wheel spin is called auto-lsd. It is not a locker. It is a form of limited slip Diff.

The mechanical lsd that early 2nd gen had used clutch packs to try to limit wheel spin, not centrifugal force.

The Detroit locker is an auto locker. It is a Tru locker in that it locks the shafts together. It uses centrifical force to do this (kind of).

I feel like you just intertwined all of this stuff lol.

 

The video, was just to give him the basic concept of whats going on. Hense the term "centrifical". My Lexus had the "Auto Lock" it worked pretty well but different. It worked more like a 'cat crawling' meaning, wheel spin was distributed as needed, the diff. never 'locked'. My Tacoma... put one wheel in sand on the side of the road and the other on the road, the diff. 'locks' once wheel spin on one side reaches a certain RPM. Then both wheels spin at tge same rate. Now, with 'auto lock' in the same situation, the wheel in tge sand would pretty much stop turning and power diverted to the wheel on the road. The Lexus system has more options in regard to traction, if I remember 3 diff. settings, not just 'on/off' like 2009-2015 Tacomas, but same basic principle.

 

No, your Diff does not lock. What you are describing is the limited slip system that your truck has. Again it uses clutch packs to provide some traction to the slipping wheel. Your Diff does not lock.