2wd with a ARB locker?....

Been slowly doing research and just curious if any members have installed air lockers on there 2wd Tacoma’s.. if so how do they perform? Not doing any crazy off roading but think it would be nice for a little added assurance.. (no reason to get all negative on us 2wd owners)..

 

Waste of money. If you want to offroad, sell your 2wd and buy a 4x4.
There is no replacement for 4x4.

 

That’s an expensive endeavor. I would rather get a set of maxtrax and call it good. Go with a buddy so they can tow you out if something happens.
Then if you really get into off-roading, trade it in on a 4wd. 4wd open > locked 2wd.

 

Winch and Recovery Treds

 

FYI, there was a guy many years ago with a 1st Gen 2WD, TRD. It came with an e-locker. It got him to many places that most 2wd shouldn’t have been able to go. But he basically had to thrash his truck to get to those places. When you don’t have traction, momentum is key. So he had to get a running start and ram through some of the technical parts. It tore up his tires and was very hard on his drivetrain. He eventually converted it to 4wd.

 

Moral of this story: buy 4wd if you want to 4wd

 

A good set of tires for the terrain of your most frequent outings will serve you better than a rear diff lock on a 2wd. A locker will only introduce more probability of rear diff damage or failure with very little benefit for the cost.

Just post the type of terrain you most encounter, i.e. mud, sand, clay, rocks and what and you'll get plenty advice on which tires can best handle that terrain.

Hope that helps
Cheers!

 

I can contest to that..


I pulled a guy out of a snow bank with my 2002 F150 diff locked 2wd...

He had a newer body F150 4x4... Limited slip I guess..

2 tires spinning front and back...lol

 

wouldn't you be better just trading it in? I mean, if you are going to put in $2000+ for purchase and install, wouldn't just taking the hit on a trade in for a trd or with 4x4, thicker diff, and e-locker be a good alternative? If the locker and install wasn't so expensive I wouldn't suggest this. But the locker, plus air compressor, plus price of install seems like it would be a LOT just for a little additional insurance, and I have to wonder if loss from trade in would be similiar to purchase and install of all those goodies. Just thinking about it from an economic perspectice.

That being said, I've been in some spots where I just had to turn the LSD on an it got me out of trouble so I'm sure locker with RWD would have been just as good. Deep sand and deep snow have been where I really needed 4x4. Good luck with our choice.

 

Anyone know roughly how effective auto lsd is vs an e locker?

 

Good, but not great.

Auto LSD only kicks in after it senses slippage, and it sometimes seems like there has to be a reasonable amount of it before it actually starts triggering. So for light duty, reasonably effective. Something where you need that locked axle effect immediately, not good at all.

For what it's worth I used Auto LSD to back over & free myself from a reasonable sized snow bank that had iced over, in my 2WD. Had no room for runup, it basically just pulled me out and over but had a lot of slipping at the beginning.

I certainly think they could have made it a lot more aggressive.

Here's a good demonstration for how much slip it allows:

 

Having onboard air would be great, and the locker install isn't that difficult. All these guys who say it's a waste or to get a 4x4 without knowing what type of "off roading" you're looking to do are ignorant. Most of the folks in your neck of the woods prefer locked, LT'd 2WD since it's mostly high speed desert stuff, and you're not limited up front by CV angles. If you want to go crawling or mudding, then 4x4 would definitely be the most viable option, as 2wd just doesn't cut it in those environments.

A solid air compressor is a must in southern CA, so even if you decide against the locker you should consider an ARB. It's nice for airing down and not having to find a gas station. With all the trash people dump in the desert you get punctures left & right. The last time I was out your way I had three flats and that ARB compressor + plugs saved me from a nasty hike & tow bill.

 

This is the most useful post yet. There are too many variables to have a straight answer. What type of “wheeling” do you want to do? If you’re in SoCal and just want security in mild terrain, a locker does great.

If you want to truely wheel and hit some more difficult trails, then a 4x4 is what you want. There is something to be said that a 4x4 open technically has the same amount of wheels spinning than a locked 2wd. I’ve seen some impressive shit with a 2wd locked. I won’t go as far as saying it’s directly comparable, but it does some good.

I had a 4x4 open, and threw an ARB in the rear. I have to say I drive with my rear locked more than anything out here. I have to really look for stuff to use 4x4 in, but it fits my driving style better so I wouldn’t go without it.

 

It’s not. The LSD is an effective half ass idea to achieve power distribution, but it’s nothing compared to a locker. E-locker or any other type.

I may be biased, but I didn’t have too much luck with my auto LSD. I do have a 2011 though so maybe it’s just the electronic controlled one that I wasn’t I pressed with

Again, really depends on what type of terrain you are hitting and your driving style.

 

Yea it seems like many people are thinking I’m wanting to do the extreme here in SoCal. I’m just looking for a little more reliability. Thanks for the solid response!

 

Yes! Yet another solid reply. I’m not looking for the extreme. Just a little more reliability... when you had your arb locker driving with it always on never effected anything? A coworker had a 2wd and added a locker.. said it was a night and day difference. Still considering it cause I’ll also have a on board compressor when needed and can add some train horns

 

If you're going to leave it locked, then just get a lunch box or Detroit locker.

There are plenty of places where 2WD, locked or not, will get you into trouble. Mild roads turn to rough terrain, wash outs, etc. Like I said, max trax would be cheaper and better, in my opinion.

 

I wouldn't advise leaving it on when you're on pavement. That's a lot of added stress on components, and in the ARB manual they advise against locking when off camber due to excessive slippage. I engage mine only when I need it, or if the section looks really nasty. If you're looking for something you can just set & forget I'd agree with @phsycle. The Jeep guys love Spartan lockers, and they're really cheap. I'm not sure if they make one for your diff, but they might be worth looking into.

When I was living in the southwest I had to use 4x4 pretty frequently in washes and any other deep sand. Here in Colorado, I can do most of the "red/difficult" rated trails without touching 4x4 and just using the rear locker as needed. A big part of that also comes down to tire size and how aggressive you want to go.

 

I should clarify. I don’t use it in my daily driving. I meant when were are on the dirt. In SoCal a lot of the trails are loose dirt so the locker allows for some more fun through turns and such. If it’s hard surfaces such as rock or pavement then you do t want to add stress to the drivetrain.

It is also VERY beneficial in off camber areas where one tire looses traction. We have a lot of off camber stuff out here and being able to keep power to the ground is huge.