Crawl Control on SR5?

Anyone ever considered adding Crawl Control to your Tacoma aftermarket? Would it be worth all the effort to install crawl control in my SR%?

 

What do you intend to use Crawl Control for? Getting your vehicle out when stuck or actually using it to crawl up hills or other rough terrain? From my limited knowledge a locking diff is damn good for getting you out of a jam, that could be something else to possibly consider instead.
I have no knowledge what would need to be done to install it aftermarket but I think you might want to give it hard thought as to if you actually would NEED it or do you just want it because it’s offered in the higher trims?

EDIT: Here’s a thread I found on the 4runner forums of someone fitting Crawl Control on an SR5 4runner. Not exactly the same but I assume it’ll be somewhat similar in terms of parts needed and changes that need to be done. Might be worth the read to see what you’re possibly looking at getting yourself into.

 

It would be either stupid expensive or nearly impossible. The ORs and Pros have a hydraulic brake booster and different programming compared to our vacuum boosted system. That said, there are videos in the TRAC system sticky and the earlier linked thread that show our Tacos do pretty wheel with wheel spin and tires not on the ground.

I did find an exception though. Heavy slush. There, CC / MTS shined where it took me a lot of careful skinny pedal.

 

They both have hydraulic brakes, the pros and OR have an electronic booster which allows crawl control to be possible.

 

Okay, electrically boosted versus vacuum boosted. Still, a massive hardware and software change.

 

In most cases it seems crawl control is just a substitute for driver experience. I went wheeling with @Rokyr, there were times were he was climbing up hills that I couldn't b/c he locked his rear diff.

 

If it were me, I’d just put the money and effort into front and rear lockers instead of crawl control.

Just my stupid opinion though

 

Get a set of Maxtrax and a front winch. Much cheaper and more useful.

 

Lockers make a huge difference. Like @adk_tacoma said, it can make the difference between getting an obstacle the first try, or not.

Crawl control is cool but, unless you’re in sand 100% of the time, a locker (or two) is exponentially more useful.

 

The best way for you to add Crawl Control is to go to the Dealer and trade for an Off Road or Pro.

 

There’s a 2019 bright blue 6-speed Pro with a factory snorkel at my dealership. It was practically calling my name when I was in for service.

Get a Pro. That’s the best solution.

 

The OP has an interesting question. The answeres offered, in the main are not helpful.
The traction control system is already a rudimentary crawl control system. It senses wheel spin and apples braking force to create power transfer from the lower traction wheel. The major difference is manual throttle control vrs automatic throttle. When using the traction control you are basically using manual crawl control.

The question asked is a natural one and deserves more than a flippant answer.

Just saying

 

We don’t really know why the OP thinks he wants crawl control. Knowing more may help others give more useful input.

If the OP wants to crawl, like others have said: adding a rear locker is money better spent.

If the OP wants added overall traction: on the trails, on the beach and in winter conditions, adding a rear TrueTrac may be a better idea.

Adding crawl control seems like too much work for the little benefit he is likely to gain.

 

Any model with an airlocker in the rear is more capable than an offroad or pro simply due to ability to command it on when desired.

The crawl control is a gimmick and never helped me. The locker helped but it takes time and doesn't always engage.

I will likely never own an offroading vehicle with an electric locker again. My 99 4runner took forever, and my 16 taco was the same garbage.

 

The labor and work that would need to go into it simply isnt worth it. Finding a donor truck and a wire harness and programs to the ECU....plus more electrical shit to break, better off going air locker front and rear.

 

It requires a new main harness, brake lines, and abs actuator. No one will add crawl control to a tacoma unless they have a donor vehicle.

It's 1000% not worth it.

 

Seems pretty cut and dry to make systems easier, not more complicated.

 

Problem is Toyota really pushed it on launch and there's lots of youtube videos of the truck in sand, so it gets the tech guys like me excited. I was super excited to try it out, but never saw a need for it past downhill ascent speed.

 

Oh boy.
Now you've done it.

Brace yourself for the "Pro isn't worth it" vampires that you've summoned from caskets in the back of their ORs and SR5s...

 

Crawl control impresses the vast majority of auto journalists who know nothing about off-roading. Using a gimmick that works by rotating a plastic dial, Toyota got them to write impressive reviews and post positive videos on YouTube.

Can’t fault Toyota for playing the media, though.