Locking Rear Diff.

I spent 12 minutes in my driveway this morning trying to get the locking rear differential to unlock. I'm not sure why it was on in the first place, but I don't doubt that I accidentally hit the button.

I tried cycling the button on and off. I tried with the engine on and in Drive, I tried in Park, I tried with the engine off. Nothing worked for 12 minutes! Then I tried while slowly rolling forward and turning the steering wheel back and forth and it worked. (I read the owner's manual, which suggested something similar, though it didn't speak to it getting stuck in lock.)

Is there something wrong with my truck, or is the "turn off while rolling forward and turning the wheel back and forth" the way to do it?

 

Bump... Just to see if anybody's had this experience.

Thanks.

 

Perfectally normal. The gears in the diff have to be turning the right way to engage/disengage.

 

It's pretty normal to have to roll/rock the vehicle to get the locker to disengage. You're helping relieve the torque on the drivetrain so it can disengage.

Since you have a Prerunner - the act of turning the wheel probably makes the vehicle roll a small bit to allow the locker to disengage. BUt otherwise - turning the wheel wouldn't do much in the actual 'disengagement' process.

When you have a 4WD with a front locker - steering the wheel helps disengage the locker because it's more directly connected to the axle shafts than your situation.

 

Thank you both. I couldn't figure out why turning the wheel mattered. I guess it was just ancillary to the rolling I was doing anyway.

Thanks again!

 

the more you use it, the easier it will lock/unlock. mine used to be a PITA but has gotten better with more usage.

 

I think I've figured out DISengaging the locker (by rolling forward about 20-30 feet). What I can't figure out is consistently ENgaging it.

I can turn on/off the Auto LSD function all day long with just the push of the button.

But the manual is clearly full of poop where the locker is concerned. It basically says to 'stop the wheels', then push the button, light blinks, then turns solid. Done. Then, to turn off, just push button; voila! Uh huh. Yeah, right.

Now I'm reading in the forums about plenty of folks like me who have difficulty turning it on/off. Pretty bad job on the manual given there's obviously so much more to it than pushing buttons.

(Oh, mine's a new 09 PreRunner Off Road pkg --- so any advice for ENgaging the locker more consistently; particular order/steps? Thank you.)