tacoma auto-lsd poll and how to turn off trac control vsc

"How do I turn on the Ken Block mode on my Tacoma" is the most asked question for the Tacoma community during the snow season.
Instead of creating a tread simply to say hold the VSC off button for 5 seconds, I took advantage of the snow and tried to figure out what actually happens in each traction mode.
The Tacoma has 3 main traction control modes that im gonna call auto LSD ON, traction control off, and the 3rd being stock mode. I am not going to get into a-trac.

Firstly, I want to address that the Tacoma auto lsd is not activated at all until the VSC off button is pushed and the auto lsd bulb is lit, which I think it defeats the purpose of having limited slip diff.
Second, the Tacoma uses VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) and traction control. Everyone asks how to turn off traction control to slide the truck but its really rather a question of how to turn off VSC, which will allow you to go sideways. If done right with momentum, you can still slide a vehicle with traction control on. Traction control limits the powerband when the wheels slip too much in relevance to the front wheel speed.

Now onto the feedback of the Tacoma when doing slides and hard acceleration in snow.
Under hard acceleration, most likely only 1 wheel is slipping and rpm seems to limit the rpm to about 2k rpm. This should be the traction control. The auto lsd does not kick in.
In 4x4 the rpm will still be limited to a 2k rpm burnout.

When sliding, the VSC is notably only within the front brakes. With both the VSC and traction control active, its nearly impossible to slide the car as the VSC will sense sideways action and use the front brakes to straighten/slow the car while at the same time the traction control cuts power to the rear wheels and your slide will come to a stop.
This is true to both the 2wd and 4x4.

Straight to when you push the VSC off button which can be done at any speeds and gear. What you are doing is 1) activating the auto LSD and 2) disabling the traction control.
Lets call this mode: auto lsd ON. Its the only mode that lets auto lsd work.

The auto lsd on and squiggly VSC off is illuminated.
In this mode, the VSC is still active mainly within the front wheels. I do not understand why the VSC off would be illuminated since VSC is still on!

Under hard acceleration, both wheels spin! yuppie! How do I know both wheels spin? The rear end can slowly be agitated to move left and right. Also, you will be able to spin all the way to redline. This signifies the traction control is disabled.
Since we are only going in a straight line, the VSC does not kick in.
*4x4 not sure if both rear wheels auto lsd lock but you can do a hard 4 wheel launch to redline. I kinda think you can not have 4x4 and auto lsd on at the same time. Its hard to prove atm.

When sliding 2wd, both the rear wheels are lsd locked and the rear end will kick out and you can throttle as much as you like
but then with a slight delay that damn VSC will stop the front end and cease the drift, although the rear end can still be rotating as the rear wheels is not being traction controlled (for lack of better term).
This will signify the VSC is still active. This is the reason why you can not slide simply by turning off traction control.
Sliding 4x4 has the same effect, but normally you would be carrying more speed and the rear end don't kick out as easy and fast.
*4x4 not sure if both rear wheels auto lsd lock. I kinda think you cant have 4x4 and auto lsd on at the same time. Its hard to prove atm.

With auto lsd ON, there is a second stage to it. Above approximately 30mph, the squiggly VSC off disappears.

(sorry for the bad pic)
I can only assume if your rear wheels are going to slip going through a icy patch on the hwy, the auto lsd will work and both the rear wheels will spin the same speed and not one will will spin faster than the other creating a hazardous situation.
But, I assume this means traction control is back on so per say you are doing a 35mph standstill burnout then both rear wheels will spin but the powerband will be limited to lets say 4k rpm.
I really don't want to try it to test it out.

On with holding the VSC button for 5 seconds which has to be done at 0mph and in any gear.
What you are doing is turning on the Ken Block mode. 1) turn off traction control 2) Turn off VSC 3) you will go back to no auto lsd aka open diff
Lets call this mode traction control off. Since this is the term everyone uses.

The auto lsd light goes off while the trac off and squiggly VSC off is illuminated.
In this mode, both the VSC and traction control is disabled. Worth mentioning the auto lsd is back to being disabled as well because in the hard acceleration only one wheel is slipping.

Under hard acceleration 2wd, only one wheel is spinning and slipping. I can tell because the tire noise is only coming from one side. You will be able to spin all the way to redline. This signifies the traction control is disabled.
Since we are only going in a straight line, the VSC does not kick in.
4x4 you can do awesome hard 4 wheel launch that sends you gliding sideways. Not sure which wheels are being powered.

When sliding 2wd, the auto lsd is gone so only one wheel is able to spin and the other wheel just has to follow through. I can tell because sometimes you hear one wheel spin and you just got to know how it feels to have one wheel spinning.
Once the slide is initiated, there is zero VSC to straighten/slow the front end and zero traction control in the rear which allows the front end to slide and the rear wheels to have all the throttle control you need.
This signify both VSC and traction control is disabled.
4x4 slides, you do awesome long slides and donuts in the snow.

I would like to take this moment to rant that auto lsd is garbage because when you need it, its not there until you hit the button. Limited slip diff is supposed to be readily available and lock when too much wheel spin is involved between the two driven wheels.
For example, I live where it snows. Every other time I come to a stop and try to go, only one wheel is spinning and not grabbing. It will never try to lock so that the other wheel can help the truck move.
Why would I even have to click a button to lock the lsd? It should be activated and ready to lock when needed.
Also, why can I not activate auto lsd while having disabled VSC and disabled traction control so that I can do awesome drifts?
Only excuse I can think of is auto lsd relies on using the brakes and if you use auto lsd too much, your brakes will prematurely wear.
End rant.

The last mode is when you are on 4H already and then click the VSC off button.
I am not too familiar with this mode. It illuminates only the trac off light.

Clicking once on the VSC off button with 2wd will activate the auto lsd light and VSC off light.
But when you click once on the VSC off button with 4H will activate only the trac off light.
If you hold it, it simply illuminate both trac off and vsc off like the regular traction control off mode.
*This is a reason why I believe the auto lsd does not work with 4x4.​

 

FWIW, the best tutorial I've seen on the system is @David K's... https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...lsd-trac-off-vsc-off-a-trac-rr-locker.577229/

 

Wow might as well delete my tread

 

DavidK rides again

 

And his Horde! LOL