How do you actually use your LSD?

From what I understand(which may very well be wrong) the limited slip differential is just a weaker(bad word) version of a locking differential. The reason I ask is today pulling into my driveway (there is about a 6in thick sheet of ice/snow from the plow pushing it up in front of the driveway) one tire was on dry pavement the other was on the patch of ice. So naturally with open diffs in 2h the tire on the ice began to spin. So I stopped, decided to try out the LSD and clicked the VSC off button, which according to a thread somewhere on here and the little light on my dash turns on the Auto LSD, so now according to what I thought the tires should spin at relatively the same rate. However the tire with no traction continued to spin and i was "stuck." So to get out of this I just backed out of the drive a bit and got a little momentum and got up no problem lol.
Thanks for reading this whole lame story but any help will be appreciated!

 

hmmm. . . .I thought the autolsd was always active unless you turn off vsc.. . . I guess either way yours didn't work though

I guess there are limitations to the system. . . I don't have it so im not very familiar. hopefully some one else chimes in

 

How much gas did you give it? My understanding was the auto LSD uses breaking pulses to transfer power away from the path of least resistance (tire on ice). But from my own experience it takes a good bit of the skinny pedal to see a noticeable effect.

Just my $.02

 

Auto LSD is always active. It is opposite of a locking differential. A locking differential locks out the limited slip and the axle essentially becomes solid. Both wheels spin at the same rate. If you've ever driven an old model 4x4 or have an elocker on your tacoma you'd know the feeling of it while driving. Limited slip, transfers wheel spin allowing one tire to spin and the other to not. VSC helps prevent sliding more so than getting you unstuck. I can't even explain how it works. So turning that off wouldn't have helped you. When my wheels spin going up my drive and I'm not in 4 hi, my dash lights up, dings, and my front transfer case engages the front wheels momentarily to help me up the slope. I'm almost certain that is vsc. It's like a part time 4 wheel drive. In your case, I think you just got stuck. 4 hi would have worked.

 

Hmmm this may be it, my bro's FJ was parked in the driveway also so i was trying not to catch traction and plow into him.

 

Hmm I'm not sure bout all this. Auto LSD is not always active. What you are speaking of (I believe*) is the standard function is open differential which is what allows the wheels to spin at different rates relatively freely. Auto LSD must be engaged by a switch on the left of the steering wheel (unless switch was relocated). What this does is disengages TRAC and VSC to allow unregulated power delivery. However at around 35mph (+/- 5 maybe?) VSC comes back on. Which basically power delivery is regulated when utilizing the LSD.

I'm pretty sure of this but if someone with traction control knowledge wants to jump in please do. Always like to learn more

 

No, you don't have it right at all. You were on the right track with the first part of your post, but this part I quoted is wrong. You never have 4 wheel drive unless you actively select 4wd, there is no momentary 4wd, your front transfer case is only engaged when you select 4wd. The rest is correct for the most part. LSD in our trucks uses brake pulses to stop or reduce whichever rear wheel is slipping and direct more power to the wheel that isn't slipping. And it is always active unless you turn it off.

 

Auto LSD is always active unless you specifically turn it off. And it will revert to being auto and ON whenever you restart your vehicle.

Auto LSD is basically the same device as your anti-lock brakes. The brake will pulse to slow the spinning tire and direct more power to the one not spinning.

 

This is completely wrong. There's no part-time 4x4 on any Tacoma. It is not in 4x4 unless you select it on the switch. What you felt "kicking-in" was the auto-LSD transferring power to the other drive wheel.

This. When you press the VSC switch that makes the auto-LSD light come on, you are disabling the throttle management part of VSC. So, auto-LSD still works, but the motor won't reduce power, so you can get un-stuck. Holding down this button turns VSC and auto-LSD off and you have no traction control, other than ABS.

 

Oh, I only knew half the story... so there is also throttle management going on? I assume when VSC kicks in it's not just the brakes that pulse, but it also backs off on the throttle and reduces overall power? Kinda the same idea as trying to creep out of a hole rather than flooring it and spinning the tires? I didn't understand the whole story.

 

Yes, VSCs purpose is to keep you pointed in the right direction. So, if it detects a loss of traction it brakes the spinning wheel and cuts power to prevent a slide. Pressing the VSC button once, turns off the power reduction (as long as you stay under 35mph) so you can get unstuck.

 

I'm pretty sure Auto LSD is not on all the time and have to be activated by switching off the VSC button. With it on, braking is applied to the spinning wheel. In the OP's case, you are stuck regardless unless you have 4WD(or rocked back/forth in your case) IMO,I don't know having torque and traction to that one wheel with Auto LSD will help in this case. I would think any other slippery surface other than ice would be benefical.

 

I put it on my tongue and wait for it to kick in.

Sorry, someone had to say it! LOL

 

Auto LSD is always on unless you specifically turn it off. Always.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...-controls-trac-auto-lsd-trac-rear-locker.html

The switch is actually referred to in the manual as the VSC OFF switch which means Vehicle Stability Control Off. So it is always on unless you push the button. Pushing it quickly while either moving or stopped removes TRAC which is the engine management component. Pushing and holding for 3 seconds while stopped turns off both TRAC (again, engine management) and your LSD (limited slip differential which is controlled by brake pads).

I must be the only redneck meathead who within the first 50 miles of driving their truck off the lot decided to squeal a tire leaving a stop light and went "WTF" when it didn't happen!! LOL

 

LOL can't believe it took this long.

Guys who believe the auto-LSD is not auto.

Why would they call it an Auto-LSD if it was not automatic?

 

Everything I've read here in the past confirms these statements. And I'm pretty sure it works the same way when 4HI is selected. What I don't know is does it work in 4LO. Anybody?

 

I was waiting too.


This will explain it.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...-controls-trac-auto-lsd-trac-rear-locker.html

 

2HI and 4HI work the same except there is no throttle management in 4HI, so I guess pressing the VSC button once while in 4HI makes no difference.

Unless you have A-TRAC (TRD Off-Road), there is no traction control (other than ABS) when in 4LO. You can do the "yellow wire mod" to trick the truck into thinking it is in 4HI when it is actually in 4LO and it will use TRAC while in 4LO.

 

Auto-LSD is always on unless the VSC Off button is held down for 3 seconds. Pressing the VSC Off button once turns off the power reduction part of VSC/TRAC. In the OPs case, Auto-LSD could help. His other tire could have had more traction than the slipping one. Even if both tires were on ice, 2 wheels turning equals more traction than one wheel turning.

 

Ahh crap, lets just read our owners manuals. Toyota explains everything in there.