Real life auto lsd uses?

I don't do any off roading and was wondering when some of you have had to use your LSD button? I know what it is and how it works, but want to know actual, non off roading situations where you have used them. So far this and 4wd Low are the only features i have not used...

 

I use it to pull my Carolina Skiff up a slippery boat ramp.

 

Shitty gravel roads

 

Snow.

 

On ice tonight.

Backing the truck into the garage. Half of the road is covered in ice. Back wheels are on ice and the front wheels are on dry pavement. Front wheels are turned all the way to the right. No room to straighten out, so I don't want to put it in 4hi with the front wheels on dry pavement. Try to back up with a small amount of throttle... back tires just spin and the back end slides sideways to the right a few feet. Apply the brakes, stop. Try again by just letting foot off the gas... hoping the truck will idle backwards on the ice. No luck. Little throttle makes it all spin again.

Push the auto lsd button. Let off the brake, gave it a little gas... and it backed up just like it was on dry pavement.

 

Personally I think my mechanical LSD in my '07 does an excellent job.

 

personally I wasn't impressed with the auto lsd when I used it. the mechanical posi in my old GMC was much more effective. Find it easiest to drive my tacoma in the slick stuff if i just turn off traction control entirely, including the auto lsd off.

 

I wish my truck had mechanical LSD. I tried to get up a slippery hill tonight and the alsd didn't do crap. I know mechanical LSD would have gotten me up it.

 

Just a little 2 wheel drive here and I really like the auto LSD. I hit the button when the powder is fresh and it helps a ton. I plow snow for work, of course they have me use their big ass 4x4 Chevy but I have to get to work first and usually about the time we go out, the streets are at their worst condition. This year I have been out five times already and my little 5 lugger has done amazingly well. Deepest snow so far has probably been 6 inches. Pretty impressive for crappy Dunflop 215's!

 

I normally leave it in the default (TRAC) mode, but there have been a couple of times in snowy conditions that I wanted a little more engine power while accelerating from a stop. Hitting the A-LSD button works perfectly.

It is way more effective overall than the LSD equipped vehicles I've had in the past. I've been in some RWD trucks that were plain scary to drive in slick weather, but with TRAC/A-LSD/VSC this truck is excellent in bad weather.

 

I've found when I get stuck in 2wd, Auto LSD doesn't help. Maybe it would help if you enable it before getting stuck, but I just use 4wd.

 

LSD button?

There's no LSD buttons on mechanical LSD. It's constantly ON.

Are you saying, there's a button to turn ON the Auto LSD? Hmm...I always thought that was constantly ON also.

Or are you referring to the TRD Offroad locker?

 

Nope 09 and up models have an electric lsd. Actually its an open diff that uses the brakes to send the power to the left or right drive tires.

 

I knew that....
I didn't realize the AUTO LSD has a button to engage it.
Atleast, that's what it appears....

 

Yep. There is a button that turns the VSC off and the ALSD on. Hold it down and it turns it all off.

 

I would think that traction control is the most of the time program that would be useful.. ICE hello. You don't want to be spinning both wheels on that. Traction control.

I've only had a few trucks with limited slip or lockers. Most were open diffs and I've never been the one being pulled, always the one doing the pulling.
Wouldn't complain about em or pay for em. Not for normal truck use. If you were a mountaineer that was trying to get stuck.. eh.

 

For snow/ice condition

In my experience, ALSD is far superior then a mech lsd. If you don't believe me, use it when you have 1 wheel on ice and 1 wheel om asphalt, you'll be amazed.

 

If they allowed people to run Auto-LSD constatly they would glaze their break pads and kill them self, then sue Toyota (order may be slightly different)

Hence Mechanical LSD is FTMW !!! 100% of time with out worry about glazing break pads.

My mechanical LSD does work in those conditions too, and does not require my intervention, and.... can provide constant slip control.

 

Sorry but "auto lsd" is always active with TRAC or ATRAC equipped trucks. It's just that when you "turn it on", you remove the throttle regulation, but yoi always have that locking effect on rear wheels. And I don't think anybody has any problem with glazing brake pads. Mine kicks off pretty often here in Snowland, no problem.

Also, with one wheel on ice/one on asphalt, the traction is by far superior from a mech lsd, the launch is nearly like both wheels on asphalt even with full throttle applied.

 

I find that I have far better directional control on the TRAC/A-LSD equipped vehicles than I ever did with a mechanical LSD. It just works better.