Locking diff on a 2011 trd sport 4x4

Here's your problem. You're in a different vehicle now. If anything...keep running with your stock diff until you really start having issues. You might could save yourself a couple bucks.

 

Limited slip does what anyway? Work better in the mud? Yeah...but if you're really worried, I'd get some better tires.

 

x2

 

limted slip: send power to the wheel with no traction for a limited amount of time

 

Not trying to be harsh, but what's the point of this thread becoming? Your truck is very capable being a 4x4 as it is, plus being an '11 you have the ALSD. We know how it works (actually not how you describe it above, its the opposite - it cuts power to a spinning wheel, if I remember right), and we're trying to help you so you don't get stuck in the Texas clay. Save the money you'd use on a locker right now, get some good 265/70/17 A/T tires, and see how you do before jumping to conclusions.

 

alright well thank you everyone the help much thanks

 

i recently bought a trd sport and i spent some time before comparing the trd and trd sport before i went shopping for a truck, and i never picked up on this until i bought the truck. i was kinda bummed but i was like how many times am i really gonna use a locker seeing how i dont off road.

 

TG8... You have 2 levels of Limited Slip and you can also turn off the limited slip feature so you can play with open differentials if you want...

1) Standard mode is called TRAC (Traction Control) and is the normal way you will be in 2WD at start up. TRAC is a lite limited slip that uses brakes and regulates engine output to reduce spinning of a free tire and transfer the torque to the traction tire... Helps you start moving or speeding up.

2) Press the VSC OFF button once (the car with wavey lines below button) and that changes TRAC to a stronger limited slip syatem called 'AUTO LSD' (ALSD to some here)... ALSD has NO engine regulation, so more power to the traction tire and more braking to the spinning non-traction tire... this will help get you moving from a stuck... if one tire is in a bad place, but the other is on a good surface.

3) Press and hold down the VSC OFF button for 3+ seconds WHILE STOPPED... and that turns OFF the VSC, TRAC, ALSD for pure open differentails should you be in a stuck and need to spin all tires without any braking applied.

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IF you have a 4WD, then TRAC in H4 is like AUTO LSD in that there is no engine regulation for max. power. You can also turn off TRAC by holding the VSC OFF button down while stopped until the VSC Off lights come on.

In L4, it is open differentials only... unless you have the Off Road TRD, then you will have A-TRAC which is like front and rear lockers but steering is not affected. The Yellow Wire Mod. gives non-ATRAC Tacomas TRAC in L4.

 

what part of texas you in? east i'm guessing....

 

Thanks for explaining it so well "david K". Sounds like you know what your talking about. So because I live in Alaska, I dont have all this slick clay crap like all these other guys but instead have some pretty ferce winters, what would you recommend as far as possibly upgrading to an ARB diff? would it be worth it or do you think what ive got with LSD will be good enough? Also, if I left the rear with the stock LSD, would you upgrade the front to a locking diff?

thanks for the advice

 

David K, nice writeup.

A couple of you really need to learn to use punctuation and proof what you post before posting. A lot of this was really hard to read and frankly, it should be embarrassing.

 

I just picked up my TRD Off road yesterday , it has the locker ( which I wanted ) , is adding an ARB to the front going to work decent with the factory locker ? Also how decent is the factory locker ? I have always run Jeeps and still have a JK Wrangler that is locked front and rear with a snorkel and all the goodies . I will take the Taco to that level when money allows , but was wondering about the strengths and weakness of the locker it came with . Thanks for your time .

 

proof read?

 

that was my original thought

 

If you have a 4x4 with a locker, then you must have the Off Road TRD, correct?

If you have a 2009 or newer TRD Off Road 4x4 then you have A-TRAC. A-TRAC is an automatic 'locker-like' very strong limited slip on the front and rear. When a tire begins to loose traction, the A-TRAC matches the rotation of it to the tire with good traction. Because it doesn't stay locked, steering is not affected... and trailing is effortless.

Before you spend good money on something that you may never need, take your A-TRAC equipped truck out and do some climbing.

The A-TRAC makes some crazy noises, but it works!

 

Hi Green Machine,

I am not a big time snow driver (live in San Diego County, coastal California)... but I have snowed a few times (see avatar). I liked using the rear differential locker in snow when I was in L4... I had no traction issues... Because traction was intermittent in snow, the A-TRAC does make some noise, and isn't needed with the rear locker (in this case).

In H4, the standard TRAC works very very well.

So, before spending hard earned cash on a front locker, do give the A-TRAC a chance!

 

Thanks for the advice. Ill have to wait till next winter and give er a try!

Hope my grammer is are good enoughist this time....

 

TRAC in H4 works great for normal speed four wheeling.

A-TRAC only activates if one tire per axle looses traction... not 100% of the time it is turned on. A locker is 100%, but A-TRAC is always on standby for when a tire starts to spin free. I ran for many miles in L4 and my A-TRAC button is pushed in and never over-heated or turned off.

 

In winter wonderlands you have something like constant slip for xx miles.
I can imaging in Alaska its going to be similar with more miles. Thats like driving xx miles with emergency brake on. Can't be good for brakes.

 

omg

Maybe I need to take a bit of my own advice.