Auto LSD

IF you are a 4WD... NEVER turn off TRAC or AUTO LSD if you want the most traction... If you understand open differentials, once one tire on an axle leaves the ground or gets into slime, it will SPIN and the 'good tire' on the ground does nothing. LIMITED SLIP (no matter what form) does just that... limits the amount of slip/spin so that moving power goes to the 'good tire'.

There is a BIG advantage to having limited slip or lockers on any off road vehicle, used off road. When you disable the system (VSC OFF MODE), you can expect to get stuck until you re-activate it... lower your tire pressure, get a push or pull!

Lockers are the ultimate for off roading, so get the Off Road Tacoma 4WD which has the rear locker.

A-TRAC is the next best thing and it works the front and rear tires for near-locker-like traction, without the steering disadvantage or expense of adding a front locker.

Limited Slip (TRAC and AUTO LSD) is the next best traction aide over 4WD alone.

 

Well, like I said, it takes away to much engine rpm's, and nothing happens. Deep sand and mud are probably not the best terrains to be using the factory settings to go through. Wheel speed is needed along with traction. Will have the throttle floored and the revs just fall, leaving no power to get going. I personally don't think that these electronic gadgets at their present state, help at all in bad terrain. May be next gen will be better. My impressions only.

 

Werd. The truck is more than capable of getting you into trouble no matter what mode you use. This thing is a monster truck compared to everything else I used to wheel.


That said, I am now sort of confused.

I have a MT 2012 Sport with the yellow wire mod.

I'll leave out what I thought was happening - what modes are available and how do I get to them ?

 

http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/om/OM35A48U/pdf/sec_2-4.pdf

This describes the button function in a 2012 Tacoma. Doesn't go into depth on the actual operation of the systems though.

Pertinent info starts on page 202 of the manual (or page 29 of the pdf)

 

What a clusterfuck.

 

Right there on line 4 it says TRAC on VSC on for sand and mud. The VSC is what stops power from being sent to the wheels I think. For spinning tires prefered turn off VSC, had that off as well as TRAC. The most movement I got while stuck was using the brakes and throttle at the same time, like the TRAC system does. I guess it's just not aggresive enough for me and my expectations. It's a cluster fuck because these systems are not intuitive to use at all. For my wheeling needs, TRAC is useless. VSC is for people that don't know how to drive and can't slide a vehicle and crash and die.

 

Oh no, what my problem was, and is, is doing stupid shit alone wheeling. Always run off road with TRAC and VSC off. Tried a line that was, well, undoable in that 100' deep sand. These sand trails are truly bottomless. I'll try VSC off, TRAC on today and see if I've been screwing up. Just need the wheel speed, can't seem to get it to rev out with TRAC in opperation. Revs go up, traction starts to fail, revs go down, VSC off TRAC on in my expirience. That's why I end up turning everything off off road.

 

I find sand to be as treacherous to drive in as mud, big mo is the key to forward progress here. I'll bring the camera and take some pics, not of a stuck truck today, tho. Yes I do air down, I'm running 275/70r17 Silent Armors. Pics and TRAC expierience upcoming. Thank you for being patient with me not getting the TRAC thing right in my head, just used to levers and lockers.

 

First off I am wrong, TRAC is not useless, it works well. Lets see if I can get this to come up right and explain the sequence I used. The first one is 2wd, RSCA off, auto LSD, truck with lines coming off the back off. The second one is 2 seconds later shifted into 4wd, TRAC off RSCA off. The third one is 4wd RSCA off. The forth one is with what I call everything off, 4wd RSCA off, TRAC off, truck w. lines off.
The little icon of the truck with lines, I can't turn that off and leave TRAC on in 4 hi, don't use low range much in the sand. Trying all the different settings, the best one for bonzi sand runs is everything off, just as good even better in places is just RSCA off. Traction is great, but something still cuts engine power when you need it most, like topping a hill. I can really feel the LSD effect going on hard with just RSCA off on harder surfaces, but with a foot minimum of sand beneath the tires, that traction is lost. Wheel speed is needed, momentum is key.

 

RSCA is the rollover AIRBAG OFF butter!

 

On my phone..
when I am on my PC I will examin your photos. Thanks for your post. !

 

Cool, thanks

 

My best guess at this for my 2012 is that traction flows like this:

2wd default mode (VSC on) minimum traction mode meant for times when traction is not an issue.

2wd VSC off Auto LSD on better traction that activates stronger limited slip for the rear differential. Nice for times when you need a little more traction but do not want to go to full 4wd.

4wd TRAC off four wheel drive with open differentials on both ends

4wd default mode (TRAC on) four wheel drive with limited slip on both differentials.

I am not sure what happens in 4lo.

 

Nothing happens in 4 lo, open diffs, on my sport unless I do the yellow wire mod. If I could get full power all the time with TRAC on I'd use it more.

 

IF this is the case, than the major difference seems to be in H4 (4WD-HI) in that you say the standard mode is open differentials or no traction control (TRAC OFF). On the 2009-2011 Tacomas the standard mode when you go into H4 is TRAC ON (no engine output regulation, same as AUTO LSD).

To have open diffs. or no traction control in H4 (or H2), you must stop the vehicle and press and hold for a few seconds, the VSC OFF BUTTON (truck with wavy lines below). Lights come on to let you know. Now, if you push that button again or restart the truck, you go back to the standard TRAC ON mode.

IN L4, only the OFF ROAD TRD has traction control, but it is a whole level stronger than TRAC, and is called A-TRAC (A=Active)... and instead of just limiting the non-traction tire's spin, it stops it... matching the rotation to the opposite tire, the same as done with a locker.

The big difference between A-TRAC and a locker is:

1) A-TRAC works on all 4 tires, unless you have the rear tires locked, then it only works the front tires.

2) A-TRAC is automatic in that it only locks up a spinning tire when it looses traction and not constantly. This is why A-TRAC does not affect steering ability as lockers do. You can leave A-TRAC 'on' any time you use Low Range... and it just remains on standby for when you loose traction, and only works then.

3) Another difference is because A-TRAC is automatic, the tires will occasionally spin as it checks to see if control is needed, while allowing you to make tight turns easily. The locker-only fans see this as a weakness, as their lockers don't allow any free spinning on one tire.

In the end, the A-TRAC vehicle makes it to the same location as an equivalent vehicle (same type tires, ground clearance, driver skill) with front and rear lockers, as we have seen in numerous Moab and Baja and other photos, videos. A-TRAC and a rear locker are standard features on 2009+ 4WD OFF ROAD TRD TACOMAS.

 

Yup, you just need a couple thousand dollars over what the truck cost... maybe Christian will loan you the money? I don't mind a little noise and a little spin because I didn't need to add anything to my stock truck to climb or get through anything... even if I could afford to!

Thank you Toyota for an awesome product that delivers... "Oh, what a feeling!"

 

You might be correct Christian, but voiding a warranty on a $25-30,000 new truck might be a concern? Or what if they still wanted the TRD Off Road features which include a rear locker?

Anyone who does any serious off roading should at least try their A-TRAC before automatically spending $2,000 on a front locker. There really is no 'need' to have both.... IMO.

 

That is good to hear... about the warranty not voided when the drive line is modified...

'It' does indeed work. I have driven and owned four wheel drive vehicles since the 1970's... This is my third Off Road 4WD Tacoma, the first with A-TRAC... and boy does it work! Turns the truck into a tractor and provides the confidence of being practically or possibly stuck proof! Makes it easy to pull non-A-TRAC vehicles out of stucks, too!

I feel bad for you that you have not been in a condition to experience it, or have not put yours through its paces (I have seen your video and know you are not operating your truck to its full potential). The Toyota Tacoma is perhaps the best made mid size truck in America, and the Off Road 4WD TRD model is the most capable stock truck sold, IMO.

 

OP I think the one thing you're missing is setting the VSC switch back to normal mode before (or after) going into 4H. If you were to start your truck and drive it on a highway to a mud / sand pit, you could go straight to 4H wich is your highest traction setting for 4H (AKA TRAC ON). If you hit the button while in 4H you will turn TRAC OFF wich puts you in OPEN DIFF (bad thing)

So in short, hit the button once in 2H and it improves traction with ALSD, switching to 4H you dont want the button, you will get TRAC ON automaticly front and rear just by being in 4H.

 

Anybody need wheel speed? TRAC or A-TRAC isn't going to give you that, yes it helps in the traction department, but I'm not in rocks, hard pack, slick rock, just sand and mud. Both systems are not very good in these situations.