2WD with rear locker - why? when?

New Tacoma owner (2011 PreRunner V6 2WD with TRD off-road) and new to the forum.

My wife and I wanted a Tacoma and she fell in love with one over the weekend, so we got it. We're in southern California and don't need 4WD, so got the 2WD, but the one she liked had the TRD off road package. It's awesome and I love it so far, but why would they put a rear locker on a 2WD truck?

I have owned jeeps in the past and done my share of off-roading, so I know what lockers are for, and I think they are great for 4WD use. But when am I going to use it in a 2WD truck? If I'm in the snow I'll have to use chains anyway. When do you guys use it if you have the locker?

Thanks

 

So people who get 2WD can claim to be hardcore and go "Everywhere a 4x4 can".


But honestly they rock for boat launches.

 

^ ^ This.

Fink

 

Badass burnouts?

 

say your doing some light off roading and you flex your truck and 1 back tire isnt gripping and just spinning while the other stands still, even if its 2wd the locker will pull it out

 

Or slide you sideways into something.

The corkscrew effect is under-appreciated.

In any event locked 2wd > open 2wd, but no 2wd is going to get you terribly far off pavement. Dual-locked 4x4 is needed for that.

 

or ATRAC

 

Putting aside all the horseshitting we do on here, you might be surprised.

I'll just put it this way: I have no plans to lock the front of my truck. I don't think it would get me anywhere I don't already get with a rear locker/front traction control.

 

It has helped me get out of tough spots when if I had an open diff, I wouldn't be able to get out.

 

Oh I know , I would have it if it was an option for the Sports

 

Both my father and i own 2nd gen prerunners. Mine is a TRD Offroad w/locker and his is just an SR5. he cant go over or up half the stuff i can. The only reason i have the TRD is because thats what they had at the dealership when i was looking for a truck, however im very glad i have it. I wish i had the money for a 4x4 but at the time our financial situation just wasnt where it needed to be, but my locker gets me to my surf spots so im good for now

 

Someone from socal claiming you need chains for snow.

Do you know how many people in michigan and other northern states have never had 4wd and its illegal to use chains?

 

This ^^. I have turned mine on, and got up hills or through mud and snow I normally would not have had gotten through. I have no dellusions my prerunner is like a 4x4 and Im not going rock-crawling anytime soon, but for going to out of the way camping spots or whatever, it was just enough for what I need.

 

Question about the locking rear diff. I only use mine off road, but have always wondered about the use of it for the sweet 2 wheel burn outs, or launching better in a drag situation. How hard is it on these e-locker setups? Not that I do either of these, but have always wondered. Cant bring myself to be that hard on my truck.

 

Ground out teh locker and you can certainly do a 2 wheel peel. Launching at the drag striphowever... You still drive a slow ManVan

 

I would love a rear locker. I guess none of you have ever been stuck on wet grass.

 

Ahh, i have no intention on doing any of this, it was more of a theoretical question. I understand 4 wheel drive works better for launching. I just wanted to know if using it like that would lead to breakage. And how much in the category of 'miss use' that would be. I dont know the limits of the lockers that come on our trucks is all.

 

I see people driving old Caddys and any other 2WD, RWD brick in the snow that you can think of, and we get our fair share of snow.

As my dad says, back up until the 80s, not too many people had 4WD at all. Everybody still got around who needed to. And even further back in time, cars didn't have any of the traction related features we take for granted at all, they drove on much smaller tires, had snow tires around, etc etc. Nobody seems to keep snow tires around anymore either.

Half is your driving, half is just being reasonable and sometimes, giving a push or taking another way.

We're very blessed today to have the capable vehicles we have.

 

You will blow the ring gear or the shaft before the locker fails.