02 taco 5 speed manual 4x4

Oh ok I thought you meant weld it when you said having it locked all the time...yeah I would always suggest a selectable locker over all others if you daily your truck or drive it to the trails. Lunchbox lockers are good too just gotta be mindful of them back there in certain conditions. But nothing beats having an on/off switch for the locker, whether it's air controlled or electronic.

 

so I just need to find same year model and pull actuator and bolt up n be done with it

 

That would be the safe bet yeah, but maybe someone else could confirm if an 03 or 04 actuator would work as well

 

ok I've heard alot about lunchbox lockers what are they exactly is it the same as a limited slip or is it the next step from limited slip

 

I'm not 100% sure... @eon_blue probably knows better than me. But I think the ADD actuator is pretty much the same on 1st Gen Tacoma (96-04) and 3rd Gen 4runner (96-02)

 

guys I prolly look like a rookie wheeler lol I've been around 4x4s and offloading my entire life but this is first time I've gotten into actually wanting to make my truck stouter and perform better offroad I want to do it all right tho I don't want to take shortcuts

 

Limited slips are something different, limited slips supply partial power to each wheel for better traction..making them more ideal for street usage. Lockers supply equal power to both wheels giving you equal traction to both at all times while locked.

Difference between a lunchbox locker and a selectable one is that a lunchbox automatically engages when the right amount of torque is applied. Under 'normal' driving conditions it will stay open. A selectable locker of course will only lock when you engage it via a switch.

 

good article explaining auto/lunchbox lockers

https://www.offroadxtreme.com/news/what-is-a-lunchbox-locker-and-how-does-it-work/

 

Yep... forgot about that.

I'd look on 00-04 Tacos and 00-02 Runners... you'll know when you compare to your old one if it will work.

 

so I'd be best to get electric lockers for front and back if I go that route

 

can i take actuator off truck and still drive it or is that bad for truck

 

IMO yeah. If you do get a lunchbox it's better to put it in the rear...like mentioned earlier CV axles are a lot weaker than solid axles and using a front locker can break a CV quick if you aren't careful with it. So having one that you can turn on/off up front is ideal on an IFS truck imo.

There are people here that run auto lockers up front and swear by them so maybe they can chime in, I've only ever run a lunchbox in the rear on an older Tacoma.

 

By the way guys thanks so much for all the help you guys are absolutely amazing and I've learned alot just from reading y'alls tips and helpful experience

 

where are the auto locker guys at lol y'all are welcome to chime in I like learning about these things

 

honestly if you're new to offroading I would start with a rear locker first and go from there...I've never had a front locker and have only been in a handful of difficult situations where it would have been good to have. For the most part, 4wd will get you through most trails if you pick your lines wisely and have good tires/ground clearance/armor etc. If it doesn't, then there's a good chance a rear locker will be the difference and get you through.

Front lockers are one of those things you eventually decide you need when you get to a point that the really hard trails you're doing are demanding it more often than not. And by hard trails, I mean some pretty damn hard trails. An experienced driver with 4wd and a rear locker will be able to get through most things.

 

@eon_blue ok from what I just read lunchbox lockers would work very well for the front diff so I could get a lunchbox locker for front and get a electronic locker for rear and be good to go

 

I am gonna just get a rear locker for now but since i daily drive my rig I'm trying to figure out best locker for a guy on a budget lol

 

He's suggesting it for a front solid axle I think...mostly referring to Jeeps. Front lockers and solid axles are one thing but front lockers and IFS is another. I personally wouldn't even worry about doing a front locker now because most trails you won't find yourself needing it on. But this is just one opinion, I would take others' into account as well before deciding.

 

@eon_blue for now I'm gonna fix my clutch get my 4x4 back going and eventually get me a rear locker just want to figure out best locker for my money for rear

 

Welcome to TW!