Adding a locker

Would it be a pain in the assignment to get anew electronic locker installed?

 

How about an air locker? ARB makes a great aftermarket system and arguably better then electic lockers, plus the compressor is great for airing up tires aftwr an offroad excursion.

 

How much do those cost? And I've never installed a locker. Is.it tough?

 

I just had arb front and rear lockers plus a compressor installed and it was a little over 3 grand. I love having them. I have a basic knowledge am was pretty intimidated about doing them. Look on youtube of install videos and see what you think. The ARB compressor is one of the most useful things Ive done to my truck, it is great having to air up after leaving the trail.

 

From what I gather, you'd have to replace the entire axle of your Tacoma with a TRD Tacoma's axle to get the electronic TRD locker.

An air locker i.e. ARB locker would be your best bet I think, or you could go with a 'lunchbox' locker....much cheaper but they aren't selective (they automatically engage when needed).

I had a Lockrite lunchbox locker in my '99 Prerunner Tacoma and it worked beautifully, just had to endure the clicking sound the lunchbox ones make when you're driving around town.

 

Like eon blue mentioned if you want an electric locker a stock toyota axle swap is your only option. No one makes one other than the toyota one. The only other selectable option is the air locker. Thats what i run....i wouldnt suggest a full time locker they are horrible in my opinion. They are really bad squirrelly on icey/snow packed roads. Eat tires on dry asphalt and bind everything up in a turn.

 

Another option, is what I did : Detroit TruTrac (gear-driven LSD) in the rear.

On the highway, you can't tell its there.
Automatically engages/disengages (no wires, switches, relays, solenoids)
Only disadvantage is when one tire lifts completely off the ground
and even then, I can use the e-brake to 'lockup' that tire.
Not squirrely on ice.

Its costly ($400 plus labor to install), but about 1/3 of an ARB.

 

True, I live in Southern California so I never had to deal with snow or ice during the time I had my Lockrite installed, but I can see how it might be a problem in those conditions.

 

I drive in icey conditions from October to april and can tell you the no-slip does just fine in slippery conditions and hasnt caused me any noticable tire wear. Once used to it i dont even know its there.

 

Good to know, I never got the chance to test those conditions out. Personally, if my '04 I recently got didn't come with the TRD locker I'd consider another full-time locker again, I never had any issues with it eating up my tires or binding while on dry asphalt. It only ever kicked in when I needed it to, on the trails.

 

The lockrite isnt full time locked though is it?

 

No, it engages when it senses that one wheel needs traction. Disengaged otherwise, but it was known for it's very audible "click click click" sound it makes when you're making a turns while everyday driving. I didn't mind it, back then I was 20 years old and the lunchbox locker was very affordable and effective for me at the time. I had a 2wd Prerunner and after I put the Lockrite in it, I was able to keep up with all my 4x4 buddies 95% of the time on the trails we rode. It definitely did it's job for a fraction of the price of an air locker. Like you said though, if I would have hit an icy patch at driving speed and the locker decided to kick in, I could have run into some trouble.

If I had a newer (non TRD) Tacoma, I'd save up for the air locker though. My new-to-me 2004 Taco has the TRD locker and I'm excited to be able to use it selectively, though I think I'm going to do the grey wire mod so I can use it outside of 4lo

 

Not true. The lock-rite is ALWAYS engaged unless off the gas and making a turn.

The no-slip is basically the same with a little better road maners but the main thing is that it doesnt suffer from that annoying clicking sound and is virtually silent.

 

So its not a full time locker then....
When i made the comment about not being good in slick conditions i was refering to a fully locked all the time locker. Not one that releases in a turning situation.

 

I have a 4x4 sr5 without the elocker (being that its not a TRD), and would like to put the trutrac in the rear, for the money is there any better option? from what i have hear it can be made to do anything the ARB air locker can, without the added cost. I realize it wouldnt have the on board air compressor but with the use of brakes and gas it can fully engage. if this is true why would anyone rather have an all time locker if they do daily driving? im only asking because it seems that if you didn't have the cash for an air locker a detroit Tru Trac would be the best option in that it engages and disengages automatically.

 

The arb you can turn off....the true trak is on if youre on the gas. So me for example, i absolutely have to have a selectable locker. There are times when i DO NOT want that damn thing engaged! They can cause some real detrimental effects if engaged when not needed/wanted, like safety type detrimental effects. They can sometimes be almost scary in traffic when packed snow or ice is present, the rear end just gets crazy squirrelly if youre not careful. Another issue i have is when in a snow situation out "wheelin" or whatever and you're on an out sloped road. If for whatever reason you're kinda loosing forward momentum and your rear end starts spinning faster than you are going that damn rear end WILL seek the direction of least resistance, in this case its the downhill side of the road. Its super frustrating when this happens and causes a shitty situation at the least. Sometimes ya just need that other tire to not spin, with that tire being stationary it really helps with keeping the whole rear of the truck in place and not wanting to walk all over the place while the front end is staying put. I absolutely love my locker and wouldnt not want to have one, but honestly if i couldnt have a selectable one i wouldnt have one at all. Other people will have different wants and needs for their terrain, weather and driving style but thats my two bits for ya to ponder.... Anyway those are my reasons for going with a selectable locker. There are only two options there aswell, for a selectable one, an ARB or swap out youre whole axle with a stock toyota elock.

Oh another thing i sorta dislike about a non selectable is the increased tire wear and that lil bit of drive train bind. A true trak like you are lookin at will minimise this slightly but only if you're not on the gas when turning at all, and i guarantee thats not possible, coasting around every turn just isnt doable.

You're absolutely right in the fact that the truetrac will do everything that the arb will do, in a locking sense. But what it cant do is just turn off and fully disengage. Thats where the selectable locker comes in to play and where the added benefits shine.

 

I have an aussie in the front and elocker rear. With the front end disconnect you can't even tell its there until you put it in 4wd. Advice to you, unless your regearing front and rear your probably going to be better off buying a elocker rear end with matching gears and bolting it up yourself. Otherwise you going to be paying stupid money for a locker and install. If your driving it on the road all the time the ratcheting lockers get irritating after awhile, usually every so many miles you need to pull it out and replace the pins in the locker as they wear.

 

thanks for the advice! i really havent heard the negatives of the tru trac so it was good to get more info on it