TRD Sport for off roading

I have a TRD sport and I run it with KO2 tires and have RCI skids on the bottom just wondering how much better it would be with a rear locker or if the Auto LSD is good enough.

 

I have a 2017 off-road and if taken it on some pretty fun trails (read: pushing my comfort limits) here in Colorado. I don’t feel like I’ve come close to meeting to use the locker or crawl control.

 

Crawling on rocks?

 

Rock gardens, some mud puddles, a few stream crossings, and a few 2-3 ft drop offs. Haven’t had a situation with one wheel in the air.

 

Would like to know how others are doing off-road with the sport as well.

 

Have you tried wheeling with it?

Back in the day, my brother ran an open diff, nearly stock 86 4Runner (had some custom leafs and rancho torsion bars, 32's, and a lo-pro rear bumper, but that was it) on the rubicon and numerous other damn hard trails. Showed up some guys running $10k+ in suspension mods, lockers, etc...

It's more about driver skill than the tech you have on board. The tech is cool, and a lot of it is useful, but it doesn't make you a better driver. A good driver can skillfully utilize all those fancy wizbangs, but if you aren't experienced, it won't do you all that much good, and can actually just confuse you.

Just run what you brung, drive the shit out of it. Beat on it. Repeat. Have fun.

The more you drive, you'll be able to tell for yourself if the LSD is up to the task, or if you really want a locker. If you find you need a locker, get an ARB. IMO, don't go eyeing the latest and greatest Tacoma TRD Pro sport widget things.

However, I'm of the opinion that the high end TRD Pros don't actually come with the stuff you should be running on a trail rig, anyway. Yeah, sure a locker is cool, but if I'm going to spend $50k on a trail rig, it better have steel bumpers, a winch, rock sliders, etc...

 

If i'm not mistaken, the auto LSD is a traction control system that uses the brakes to slow down wheels with no grip. Example: with one rear tire in the air, auto LSD will apply brake to that tire so the tire on the ground with ALL the traction can move under power. It's essentially a brake driven locker.

FWIW, I have the mechanical LSD in my sport. No traction control/ATRAC/auto LSD. Been through my share of situations and I've only experienced a handful of instances where I needed a bit more traction. Remedy to that problem is to "Bump it" aka hit things faster and use your momentum to get up and over challenging obstacles. Helps that i'm lifted 6".

Run what you brung and focus on your lines. Use a spotter and get out of the truck to check things out if you don't feel comfortable. Tire pressure is also important.

 

"When in doubt, throttle out" lol

Also a good way to find the weak points in your drivetrain and suspension...

 

Jeeze read the toyota product manualz!


TRD OFf Road. the only thing toyota makes that can go offroad. lern it, live it.

TRD Sport. you cannot go offroad, you -can- go on ballfields tho, but must take city streets to get to them.


the more you know !

 

I've been keeping up with SAS locked 35" tired rigs with 33s, IFS open diff my entire life.

The trick is getting a suspension with as much flex as possible so you have less chances to lift a tire. Then like stated above "when in doubt throttle out".

Funny the locked guys get mad at us open diff guys for eating up the trail.

 

As @jbrandt & @5678tad stated... Run what you brung.

A rear locker is going to be more capable than Auto LSD.

That said can you wheel your sport with out lockers and be just fine. Might have to select a different line or stack some rocks. Line choice is key.

Wheeling said Sport...trail was easy/moderate. I didn't die....

 

I searched for three months for an acess cab TRD Off Road so it would have at least a rear factory locker. I’ve put about 4000+/- miles of off road under it since buying it and this past weekend was the first time I used it. I didn’t need it but wanted to check to make sure it worked in case I did! We were riding a narrow rocky fire road near Amicolola State Park in GA.

The other guys covered it pretty well above, pick good lines, air down as required, get out and look if you think...”maybe i should get out and take a closer look”, already be in the right range and speed when you need it, learn good recovery skills, try not to go through difficult routes solo, and practice. I chose the OR so that’s my recommendation but the other mods like lifted front suspension, bigger tires and better rear leafs will still get you over and through more stuff, most times, better and faster than just a factory locker. But....l do love my 2015 OR!

 

What is A trac

 

“Active Trac” is an advanced traction control using the ABS system. I believe it first came on the four runner in 2010?

 

Auto LSD for all four wheels. Detects slip and applies brake to move other wheels.

 

Contrary to what the Toyota salesman is trying to tell us, even a bone stock poverty spec is perfectly capable off-road. But, they don't make nearly the commission off you if you buy a $25,000 rig vs. the $50k TRD Pro.

That said, systems like A trac aren't just available on the TRD's/OR's. I have A Trac and decent control on my '17 SR5 4Runner. I've played around with the decent control a little bit while towing my tent trailer down a really steep hill, and I actually found it more annoying than helpful. I hoped it would be more like a jake-brake and use a combo of low range and engine braking. But... Ever slam on your brakes and have the ABS get involved in a panic stop? You hear a really loud popping sound. Well, using the decent control was like that, but I was going 5 mph down a steep paved road (no loss of traction). I stopped and turned it off after not even 10 seconds. I'd rather just use my gears (low range) and feather the brakes.

This tech can actually give people a false sense of security, too. Take traction control. Sure, it helps your tires maintain traction by trying to prevent tires from spinning (starting out on snow, etc...), but there are times while off road, that you're going to skid, no matter what, like panic stops in gravel/dirt/turns, or even times when you want to skid, coming off a steep rock ledge, donuts to impress your gf, etc...

IMO, it's best to 1) know the limits of your vehicle so as to minimize getting in those situations in the first place, but also 2) know what happens when your vehicle *does* get in those situations, and be able to react accordingly. Tech won't always prevent those from happening, and really, teaches people they don't *need* that knowledge since they have this piece of technology that does it for them.

Anyhoo, I suggest finding a wide open dirt lot somewhere, turning everything off, and have some fun.

 

Your trd sport will do fine without adding a locker. I've got more pics to make the point but my lunch is almost over. A neat little trick I learned off T.W. is when you're losing traction on a steep incline, lightly press your brake and ease on to the gas until you gain traction. That's gotten me through quite a few places that the lsd didn't like.

 

I few more pics wouldn't kill us.

That's a good lookin' rig you got there.

 

If you don't KNOW you need it... Don't spend the $.

 

Thanks! I appreciate that. I may dig into the archives a little once I get a few beers in me.