Why buy TRD if I am going to replace the gears and suspension?

I wouldn't want either of them either. But in the world of people interested in buying modified vehicles, all things identical, the higher optioned truck will fetch more.

Even if you plan to return to stock, the Pro would have more value once you get there, so the same is still true. The higher trim will always have more value. Value may not mean anything to you if you plan on keeping the truck forever, but this is a truth.

Regardless, if the OP doesn't intend to ever sell the truck, it's a moot point.

 

AutoLSD is available on all models and is 2hi-only. What the OR and Pro have that the others do not is ATRAC/multi-terrain select/crawl control which is 4lo-only.

 

Cool. Like I said, it was an honest question. I know that I think differently sometimes, so what I think isn't necessarily what others do. I also have never really been concerned with resell, so I didn't know how it would be affected.

 

Note that the traction control on your SR5, i.e. TRAC, is not particularly useful off-road and is not available in 4lo. I'm guessing it was designed for on-road use only. If you want off-road traction control you need the ATRAC/multi-terrain select/crawl control that comes on the OR and Pro. I have owned both a 2016 SR5 and a 2020 OR so I have first hand experience with both. When I want to have fun in 2hi/4hi, I typically disable both TRAC and VSC using a long push of the button because they just get in the way. On the other hand, I have never found a reason to disable ATRAC in 4lo.

More info here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-traction-control-modes-explained.530695/

 

I guess that's the difference. I'm always buying and selling vehicles and toys. Resale is always on my mind, which is why I have every part required to put my truck back to stock and can do it in a day.

 

I work with a guy like that. I swear he has a new car every month. I'm the opposite. Buy it, keep it forever, then damn near give it away when I'm done.

 

Lol. I'm not that bad. I've had my current car and dirt bike for about 10 years. But I buy and sell gear and stuff. Usually at a profit or close to what I pay for it. I own a Tacoma almost exclusively because of its resale. I also own a Jeep Wrangler (wife's car) for the same reason. I stopped toying with modern sports cars because of losing money on mods and I bought a classic instead. Mod all you want, so long as it's tasteful, you can recoup your costs.

 

No, TRAC works on the SR5 in 4lo. The thread you linked literally says it's on in 4lo by default on the SR5. I see the blinky light going off and feel it cutting power when I'm wheeling. It's no substitute for a locker but still makes a difference.

I'm glad you have experience with both, but I have lots of experience offroading with my SR5 and it most definitely has traction control on by default in 4lo. Check my build thread, I offroad a good bit.

 

I realize what it says, but I never noticed the ABS brakes working in 4lo on my SR5 (without the the brake pedal applied), so to me that means there is no traction control. It's possible I just didn't notice the light or sound, but I certainly never noticed it giving me any reasonable increase in traction. Cutting engine power is something a bit different which I know VSC does, but I'm not sure if TRAC does that; it might.

Also, why would you ever want something to cut engine power when off-roading? That sounds more like a safety feature rather than an off-roading aid. I'm confused by your statement.

Semi-related I also did some experiments comparing AutoLSD to TRAC/VSC in 2hi. TRAC didn't get me unstuck, but AutoLSD did. Details are in this post:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/traccontrol-or-lsd-in-4wd.646499/page-3#post-22474647

 

Snowy hills and LSD is a completely different set of scenarios, and why the LSD worked but traction control didn't. Snow driving is very different than offroad driving and out of scope of this discussion. Put simply, you were still getting some power down with the LSD that kept you moving forward - this power is limited by traction control as it should be, so it didn't work in the snow.

As for traction control, not my video, but tons of results on youtube:


More videos here: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=4lo+trac+tacoma+sr5

Trac cuts power if you don't have traction. You don't want revs to build up with a wheel in the air, catch, then break shit. That's why the truck cuts throttle. The fancy traction control on the OR and PRO does the same thing, only with more brake modulation, which is why it's more effective... Plus the OR and PRO have a bigger brake booster to support that.


The bottom line is, the SR5 is very capable stock. The locker makes more of a difference than traction control, and a good driver will make a better difference than either.


Edit: and this whole discussion isn't remotely on-topic. The bottom line is, if you're replacing gears anyways like the OP, do lockers while you're at it, which means none of the traction control modes matter

 

SRs have radar cruise and intermittent wipers standard and are far from "very basic".

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "Snow driving is very different than offroad driving and out of scope of this discussion." If I am driving off the road but it happens to have snow on it, then I am not offroad driving? The makes no sense to me. I will agree that there are many different types of driving surfaces, e.g. pavement, snow, dry dirt, rocks, mud, sand, etc.

If ATRAC cuts engine power, then it is very subtle, because I can spin the tires like crazy. On the other hand, when VSC cuts engine power it is very obvious. I remember when I first discovered VSC. Shortly after buying my 2016 SR5 I took it out in some sand in 2hi and tried to drift around a corner. Rather than the desired behavior, the truck cut engine power and came to an abrupt stop which left me temporarily stuck. I was like wtf?! lol

BTW, in my AutoLSD vs TRAC experiment I attempted to rule out throttle control differences by applying the same amount of gas pedal and observing the engine output, but it was far from perfect. Regardless, AutoLSD got me unstuck and TRAC did not. I brought it up because I feel like TRAC is relatively useless compared to AutoLSD and ATRAC when getting unstuck.

EDIT: I may have to eat some of my words. It seems like many people have reported TRAC working in 4lo including one with a video showing a wheel off the ground being stopped. See parallel discussion at end of this thread.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-traction-control-modes-explained.530695/page-20

 

Snow is COMPLETELY different than normal offroading simply because the coefficient of friction on a snowy surface is substantially smaller. It is really a completely different scenario and discussion and is completely off-topic to this discussion.

I edited after you quoted me, but this whole discussion isn't remotely on-topic. The bottom line is, if you're replacing gears anyways like the OP, do lockers while you're at it, which means none of the traction control modes matter. If you're wondering about traction control modes and Tacos, look it up on Youtube or read the thread you linked yourself!!!

 

Do you only off road in dry climates? Mud and snow have comparable coefficients of friction. Am I not off roading if I am in mud?

I also edited after you quoted me.

 

I think it is on topic because the OP is asking about whether to buy a SR or a OR/Pro and one of the things that the OR/Pro has that cannot be easily added to a SR is ATRAC. I considered the very same thing before I traded in my SR5 for an OR.

EDIT: that said, the 6MT and the rear locker were the larger reasons I went with the OR. The difference in price between a SR5 and a OR was not much different than a price of an ARB locker.

EDIT2: I might be biased to ATRAC over lockers because I only have experience with the OR's factory e-locker. It is really finicky to engage/disengage and so I only use it when I think I'm going to need it. ATRAC on the other hand is simple and always on. I have heard that ARB air lockers are less finicky.

 

Just know that you turn your truck into a TRD+ but if you sell it or trade it in, you will most likely get SR value, unless you find someone who really wants the exact mods you want.

 

The factory locker is fairly finicky. Two reasons for this. First, the dog clutch mechanism is fairly coarse and therefore if not lined up requires more relative rotation of the components to get into alignment than a setup with finer teeth. Second, the solenoid that drives the dog clutch is not capable of producing very high forces and thus needs everything in clean alignment without interference or resistance to get engaged.

This is where an ARB shines. They've designed the system so the dog clutch aligns quickly and by using compressed air extremely high forces on the clutch are achievable which overcomes error and resistance and drives the thing aggressively into engagement when requested.

 

Thank you very much for that explanation. I had been curious about the differences. I’m still a bit confused though. Is there enough electrical power on board to apply the same force as compressed air?

 

Their 2013 charger commercial is my favorite

 

I want to thank everybody for the feedback. I am really thinking about all sides of the argument and researching the issues you are raising. Luckily, I think going either way will give me a truck I will absolutely love for a reasonable amount of money.

My current thinking:

The Denver Toyota dealerships must have a glut of 2020 OR's, because I am seeing a price difference of $4k-$5k between SR's and OR's accounting for all other options in the cab and drivetrain. Comparing it to TN where I will have to travel soon, I see OR's going for at least $5k more than that with almost no 2020 stock. When it was a SR with $10k in aftermarket mods vs an OR, I thought I had an argument. When you factor in all the time and effort to modify that I could be camping instead, I just can't see going through the trouble in this apparent buyer's market.

If I get the OR, I will probably resolve myself to leaving the wheels, gears, and suspension stock. Im either going to pay for it and use it or not. Call me cheap or hardheaded or both. I will likely channel my energy and money for mods to adding good rock sliders or a mean looking bumper with more clearance and functionality.

If I get the SR, I will take advantage of the double cab plus 6' bed option. Upgrade wheels, suspension, and gears in one go this winter when we would not be getting out as much anyways. I better love it, because I will not be able to get my money out of it.