3rd Gen Traction Control Modes Explained

No. I'm pretty sure you can run it up as fast as you want. Toyota only recommends that you not exceed 5mph with the locker engaged. I do not think the locker will attempt to engage or disengage if you are moving even if you press the button. I've never actually tried that though. Manual calls for you to be stopped to engage/disengage it.

You may have it confused with A-TRAC. If you have the locker engaged and A-TRAC on, A-TRAC will automatically turn off over 3mph.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I thought that I read that along the way. Maybe it was the part where you have to stopped to engage it?

 

Again... the 3 mph limit is for the A-TRAC when you also have the locker on. A-TRAC goes off above 3 mph only when the rear is locked.
The 5 mph limit on the locker warning sticker is an advisement to not drive fast with the locker for safety as steering is restricted. It is only to get you unstuck, not race. Most of us know you can drive as fast as the truck will locked. It is just not wise to do so.

 

Wow, amazing progress and revelations. Great job everyone!

So no or limited engine regulation with trac on?

As you guys point out Crawl & mts being independent entities that work cooperatively makes sense to me. Crawl being about ensuring constant speed via throttle and brakes regardless of the terrain and probably doesn’t care what’s happening at each wheel. MTS being about traction aids depending on the terrain and is acutely monitoring each wheel for traction and uses algorithms based on the terrain setting. So MTS in auto is the equivalent of turning a-trac on in manual, while crawl by itself doesn’t have a-trac. This is what I think doggman and others have been saying.

However both together should ideally surpass what you have in manual with a-trac since no user input (other than steering )is required to determine throttle and traction based on computer algorithms. So it would make sense that they work cooperatively if on at the same time for optimal traction.

Without crawl perhaps mts just defaults to regular a-trac (because it may be really hard to determine terrain based traction with random speed inputs )? Has anyone tried mts without crawl?

 

That brings up another point; engaging the locker.
Unlike A-TRAC which is on instantly with the push of a button, the rear locker has gears that must line up and that may not be so easy if you are already stuck!
Generally, to activate the rear locker, you press the RR Lock button when stopped (works only in low range for 4x4 models), and then gently move forward. If the light remains blinking, then you are not locked. Turn the wheel all the way to one side (left or right, pick one) and again slowly roll forward. I have never had the locker light not instantly go from flashing to solid when doing this.

 

I've seen this very thing happen to a stuck 4runner. It can be difficult to get it locked if you are unable to get the gears lined up. Whatever you do though do not get it up to speed or floor it (while stuck) while the locker is attempting to engage (blinking light). You need to be very careful in this state. Same thing for 4Lo. Someone posted a thread here not long ago where they did exactly this. Tried to put it in 4Lo, was blinking, decided he'd just carry on while it was blinking. Eventually it went but ended up destroying the T-case because he was at speed.

For both the transition from 4Hi to 4Lo and locker engagement you need to be stopped. It is okay to roll forward a bit to get the gears to mesh but do not just start driving off. Wait until the transition is complete before carrying on.

 

Is there a youtube video out there that explains all of these while actually driving the manual 6 speed tacoma?

I've seen the Crawl control mode but NOT the manual...

Pls post any link anyone....

 

For the SR/5,SPORT, LIMITED. Good 2016 video of a steep climb. Minute 2:01 and 4:31. Impressive clamping force on the way down.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FutBBbglZvo

 

For reference. Minute 1:00 or so, found TRAC vs ALSD interesting.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YUs8Vg-acKE

 

How fast can you go comfortably in 4 low? With my older 4Runner it was very slow. In this video they are going at a good clip in the snow in 4w low and mts mogul. He says this at around 19:55 and then they engage the rear locker shortly thereafter while moving. They are going a lot faster than I envisioned for 4w low.

https://youtu.be/FeeeJMNNErM

 

It is a crawling/pulling gear set, so more like 0-10 mph usually... I think 30 mph might be as fast as I have gone, perhaps on the beach? If you can go that fast or faster, then you don't need low range as you are just burning extra gas to drive at the higher RPMs.

Edit, just watched the video... hard not to laugh as they are driving on a paved road with a dusting of snow.. and other cars are going by.. Around min 30 they finally are in low range to use the Crawl. The male, incorrectly mentions in 2WD there is a "limited slip clutch". Oh well, they have their heart in the right place!

 

So is he bs’ing at 19:00 that they’re using mts mogul mode, 4w low and then engages the locker? They seem to be going to fast for that at that time, and I don’t hear the engine revving like I would expect in low.

 

The OM says 49mph or 58mph depending on transmission:


I'm not recommending that for either 4Hi or 4Lo, but . . .

 

Thanks, interesting....

 

The locker will not engage going at the speed they were, or would surprise me. They pushed the button and maybe saw a flashing light (not knowing the light stops flashing when the locker is engaged?). They were not doing anything that required a locker. I never heard a tire spin beep-beep-beep warning, either. I could hear the popping noise of Crawl (which in my truck is the same noises as the DAC device). So, they were in low range for at least that part. I never saw them stop, go into N, and rotate into L4. They probably edited out their panic when they tried, and got the beeping when you go to L4 position and are not in Neutral!?

 

Hahahaha! I had the same reaction when trying 4Lo while test driving the first Taco, a 2009. It was funny since the whole Fam was along, laughing at me.

I went home and RTFM. Clutch in for MTs. I still can't get it to go in or out without being at a full stop. <2mph as said in the manual does not seem to be accurate.

Given my preference, clutch in and <10mph seems more reasonable?

 

That makes sense. As you mentioned their heart is in the right place.

Ahh, can’t wait til I get my truck to try these things out

 

The 107 in 2wd isn’t correct. Speed limited at 114.

 

Those are the first 4 gears in the 5spd and the first 5 gears in the 6spds (AT and MT).

 

The traction control on these 3rd Gem Tacos is bad ass. I took a drive out to Hungry Valley after work yesterday to try some short steep hills.

I have a couple of videos, but don’t have an account to show them. So I apologize. I figured it would have uploaded from here. In one of the videos, I decided to stop near the top, at its most steepest angle. I was blown away expecting to slip some or back up some or have trouble period. No, it went up and over with no hesitation whatsoever. Too damn awesome. I’ll keep shut now and enjoy this thread. Thanks to everyone, especially @Thechief86. Peace.