How important is the rear locker?

Hi guys I've been looking around a while for a 1st gen. I've got one spotted that is trd and sr5 v6 with locker very clean but with salvage title asking 6500. I'm gonna put an offer in around 5 to 5500 due to the title, but not sure if he'll come down that much (truck looks to be in great shape). In case he doesn't take it I've been looking around at other trucks. Most of which don't seem to have the locker. So how important is that?

Also I'm an off road noob which is why I ask.

 

when i first got my truck it was an open diff. i quickly got into doing some light wheeling which progressed into me installing a locker and i love having it. Gets you to some pretty good places you cant get without. Remember that you can install a locker into one without one so i wouldnt pass up a nice truck just because of it.

 

I agree

also, I would probably pass on a truck with a salvage title to begin with

 

I never use mine, I would swap a non locked rear for mine anyday.

 

Pass due to salvage title. Just cause it looks clean doesn't mean it drives like poopoo.
The factory Locker always breaks anyways.

 

The salvage is a concern but not a deal breaker. I've gone to see and drive the truck twice and it is in awesome shape. I've seen pictures of the damage. I've taken someone more mechanically inclined than I to drive it. The guy is even fine with me taking it to be inspected by a shop of my choosing. So with all that I'm still considering it.

I just didn't know how much of a difference the locker made. I've watched a ton of videos where it's come in handy and thought having that would sweeten the deal.

How expensive of a job is to add a locker. Just out of curiosity.

 

$350 to $2000 depending on locker and if you do it yourself or have someone else install it.

 

You can usually use 4wd to power through things. Most people don't really need a locker. The locker is sort of gimmick-ish to me.
For the people that do actually NEED a locker or go on more serious trails that NEED a locker, they usually don't use the factory Locker. Most people that need it usually install an aftermarket one. Not sure how expensive it is to do, all I know is I'm tired of breaking the factory one and I would like to do an aftermarket locker one day.

 

Without 4WD, a locker or limited slip diff can be extremely helpful. An open diff in dirt or sand is just asking to get stuck. There are lots of aftermarket options out there so I wouldn't pass on a truck you really like because it doesn't have the factory e-locker. I bought the Eaton TRD limited slip ( http://yhst-99618682857744.stores.yahoo.net/trdkazamalsd.html ) and had it installed for about $300 ($600 for the part and labor). With it and airing down the tires (another really helpful thing), I have been impressed where the 2WD can get to.

 

A locker isn't important at all, until you get stuck. Same with a winch. If you only see dirt roads and pavement you'll never need it. With 2 open diffs, in 4wd you have 4 wheels turning if all 4 have equal traction. Put 1 axle on slick, you've got 2wd, put both axles on slick and you have 0 wheel drive. With 1 locker you will always have at least 2wd and with 2 lockers you'll always have 4, unless you have both wheels on 1 axle in the air. NO amount of power makes up for having no traction.

99% of the time when you're stuck 1 wheel is on all the traction you need to be not stuck, but receives 0 torque so stuck you be.

 

You're probably right in that I wouldn't really need it. Any offroading I actually do would be mild and 4wd would likely suffice. And if it came right down to it, I could add a locker later. I just thought It'd be cool if it was already there. I'll just have to see how flexible this guy is with the price.

 

May or may not be important to you a salvage title will mean you can not insure it for collision or comprehensive.

 

That's interesting. I've already talked to my insurance. They told me $22/mo liability only. $35/mo for full coverage. They just need to do a visual inspection to make sure it's road worthy.
I do realize they would probably pay out next to nothing if I carried full coverage since its already salvage.

 

I'll tell you this, I took my family to run the alpine loop last summer while attending my nieces wedding. I planned the trip so that I could take a "more difficult/scenic" way in. Well it was definitely more difficult, I enjoyed it immensely, but the wife didn't care for the straight down drop on her side, and I had my one year old boy in the truck. Point is, I didn't need to use the locker at all, but the fact that it was raining and slick, and I didn't want to bounce the wife and kiddo all over the cab trying to bump up and over some bigger obsticles, the locker got used, and it really allowed me to crawl over most everything without a lot of drama. I really enjoyed having it even if it was not truly necessary it added a little insurance with the precious cargo. That and I didn't want to scare the shit out of my already nervous wife. I do after all want her to go back.

 

If you plan to do any sort of 4-wheeling beyond "moderate" level you will 100% need a rear locker. If you are driving up even a slight slope plus anything other than hard, packed dirt your back end is essentially useless and will be sliding and bouncing around like a washing machine with a cinder block in it.

A TRD locker is about a $1500 piece of hardware. It is by no means insignificant and further it is also a select-able locker meaning you can turn it on and off at will. Incredibly useful for a DD. The only reason I would opt for a non TRD model is if it had a different type of select-able locker already installed.

 

That helps thanks. I'm in the central valley and I've been down to L.A. once and I'm on my 2nd trip to northern California today looking at trucks and trd equipped trucks in my price range are far and few between. I'm really starting to think 6k for a trd is better than 4500 to 5k for a non trd model. (yes I have found a couple 1st gen trd's in good shape for less than 7k)

 

Is the Eaton TRD limited slip activated by Centrifugal Force or a Switch ? Thanks.

 

I think your right. I go some pretty rough places and never needed one. Thats not to say that some people don't need them, but I think it is fewer than ppl think. I laugh when I see all the TRD models with a locking diff that have never left the highway. Waste of $$$$$

 

people saying a locker is not needed are fools, come to AZ or CO to wheel and it makes things easier, and causes less abuse on other parts in a truck. I would get a locker in any offroad toy

ps never broken a stock locker, not even on my 5000 pound crawler