Locker question and situational use

I have been reading and reading about lockers and the different types of differentials. From open, gear driven LSD, lunchbox, automatic lockers, to air/E lockers. I guess I am not fully understanding all of their uses because I have one question. Why is there not an LSD/air locker combo for both front and rear difs? Or is there one I am not seeing?

Something like a Detroit truetrac that can be air driven to be fully locked when needed.

Would this not be the best ALL TERRAIN setup? Aka a built and armored weekend warrior/ weekday daily driver.

Can anyone help me understand if this is even a good idea?
Go.

 

Yes that would be the ultimate setup.
There's not one from the factory because enough people wouldn't utilize it. Tacomas aren't designed from the factory to be crazy off road vehicles. Jeep, for instance, has the rubicon model with locking front and rear, but jeeps are designed for off-road.
Yes I think its a great idea if you off road a lot, especially really difficult terrain. I will hopefully be doing this is the future

 

I would love to see a taco from the factory with front/rear lockers. But I'd like a solid front axle to, I don't trust a locked IFS. Toyota could build a BAD ultimate off-road vehicle that would leave the Rubicon in the dust. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but a Detroit Truetrac is a LSD, and will never fully lock. A Detroit locker will fully lock, needs no air or any outside source to lock it, and will ratchet out on turns so you truck won't hop. But even a LSD in the front would make a difference. Maybe toyota will get wind of posts like these and build this dream truck.

 

What I have gathered is the locked/spooled/solid axle dif was created. The open dif was create for on road use due to binding on the inner wheel. The the automatic locker was created. It appears the LSD is an improvement on the open dif with some characteristics of the auto locker. The the selectable locker was created as a situational choice. Is the next evolution of dif an LSD/selectable locker combo?
One of the few situations I can think of were this setup would not be good is on the side of a hill in snow. Even so with it may not be so bad?

 

Also, when I say LSD/selectable locker I am referring to within a single carrier in either dif. Not front dif/rear dif.

 

Well living in Mississippi, I don't know much about snow. We just have mud but we run a variety of diffs from welded to selectable lockers. I may be wrong but Toyota has LSD rear ends, do they run those with the E-Locker on the TRD pkg? Also when dealing with the front end certian lockers should be avoided. Correct me if I'm wrong, but when you put a Tacoma in 2wd, it unlocks one side of the front end. This is called ADD, automatic differential disconnect. It unlocks at the axle instead of the hubs. The spider gears allow the other axle shaft to remain stationary even though the other is turning. A lunchbox style locker, or spool, would replace the spider gears forcing both axles to spin. This can be solved with lockouts, but who runs those anymore. We ran into this on a friends '04 when he locked the front end. But the new Tacoma's may unlock/lock differently. I may also be way off track. Just thinking of why a front locker hasn't been offered.

 

Yep the mechanical LSD is in the 05-08. I am unsure if it is in the off-road package. 09+ has ATRAC. E-locker is only on the off-road TRD package. Fortunately, I have a 07 TRD sport, so no e-locker. Guess I am asking for to much looking for the LSD/locker aftermarket rear dif replacement.

Selectable locker up front from factory would be awesome...
As far as Toyota not putting an elocker in the front dif


Good to know what the ADD actually is. I did not know that. I thought the transfer case actually engaged and disengaged power to the front end for selectable 2wd/4wd. I need to research completely how this works. Thanks.

Edit: thinking about the ADD. Reread your post, you mean it is a disconnect so the left and right wheels can spin independently of each other while in 2wd. Got it.

 

LSD is not in the off-road package.
Yeah I know, bummer. Lets be honest though, for the extra cost not enough people would want/use it. Gotta be something we mod ourselves

 

There is a LSD/selectable locker made by Aussie lockers I believe. Just saw it in a thread the other day, but I think it only fits in the 8.0, or elocker, diff. Not your 8.4 LSD diff. I have a detroit truetrac in the rear and it is a godsend. It's almost like a locker, and runs like an open diff in the street. Every once it a while it spins both tires on a wet road, but it's only a chirp if I gas it too much. I've actually tried to drift a little in the rain and it won't let me, I had a better chance spinning out with an open diff. The reason most trucks don't run LSD and locker is because in ice or rainy conditions, it can cause both rear tires to spin and spin you out

 

On ice, If you are pushing to much on the gas or break your gonna spin out. Just a bad situation. Its better to just point the truck in a direct your momentum is headed and pray you get a little traction.

The entire reason I am even considering this is because when I had my oil changed a tech pointed out my rear was acting like an Open dif while on a lift. They quoted me at $3000 for labor/parts to correct it to factory spec. (mec LSD) I changed the fluids with dino gear lube and added a friction modifier and that seemed to help. But wheeling this winter I got stuck and noticed it was still not kicking in as it should.

I might go the direction of the truetrac because it is gear driven. I suppose if I really need to lock it I can throw the Ebrake on and power it enough to get out of the situation. Essentially that is what ATRAC does..I believe.

 

3000 is rediculous, your clutch packs have probably just worn out. Order the truetrac from Jegs, cheapest I could find at $469 shipped. A transmission shop did my install for a little over $600, I could have saved myself a lot of money if I had ordered fluid and the bearings and races off of rockauto, but didn't find them on there till after install . The truetrac really is awesome for a DD. And the ebrake trick works great. Check out my build thread for videos of me testing it

The truetrac can wear out, the gears can wear. But it takes a long time. There's people on here with 150k+ miles on it

 

Sean
Did you take the 3rd to the tranny shop or the whole truck? I plan to pop the 3rd out. If I did it at my dads shop, I could do the swap myself but I won't be able to do that until October. He is 900 mile away...
David

 

I took my whole truck. It would be easier and cheaper taking the third member.

 

I don't understand why you would need both, ever.

 

I am not sure what your local terrain and environment is like but I will try to explain mine. My truck is a daily driver. All types of terrain and weather. The limited slip work wonders in the snow for me on daily use. If it was locked for the daily use and on road snow.. Not wonderful. I also wheel my truck in locations with lots of rocks and tricky spots where I can't articulate enough so wheels do leave the ground. At these times a locker would be nice over locking up the ebrake. If I went with a selectable locker, I lose the LSD on daily use. The benefits of both could be useful for a great all around truck.
If I am not seeing (understanding) something and you would like to try and explain. Please do. It was part of why I posted this. To better understand all the uses of each dif type to fit my situations and adapt to many others if needed.

 

There's only 1 available that I know of and I don't believe you have the right axle for it. Your gonna have to choose either or. Most people don't like limit slip in the snow because it's too easy to spin out. They use the selectable. If they need it at a stop they can engage it, and once they get going they release it

 

Thanks Man
I think I found what you are talking about.
http://www.4wheelparts.com/Drivetra....aspx?t_c=12&t_s=237&t_pt=5589&t_pn=AUB545019

 

That's the brand but there is one for the tacoma. I do believe it is for the elocker diff though