TRD off road questions..

Hi,

I've been looking at them, not bad but:

The rear locker, can that be engaged in 4x4-hi? The one I test drove would only go in low, or so it seemed.

The crawl control, will that do anything for me in mud or snow? If so, how?

I use 4 wheel in snow and hunting which often includes lots of mud, the gas peddle has always been my friend in these conditions, having to put it in low seems counter productive. Just wondering if I need the Off road or should I put better tires on a sport.

Opinions welcomed,
Thanks
Doug

 

I went with the sport for that bottom reason exactly... And that skewp

 

locker in 4lo only. You can use crawl control in any surface but seems to do best in sand. In mud/snow, you generally need wheel speed which is the opposite of crawl control.

 

OP, I bought the OR, just for the locker.

Once/twice a year I travel from Texas to some remote areas in Northern Alberta; some of the travel is in the remote off road bush country. I have been through some serious mud, and never needed the locker or 4 lo yet. I will never use the crawl except to play.

Unless you are in a very remote area with no help, the sport mode will be fine,

 

Usually I'm in 4 H in mud and snow too. However, once this winter while off road the snow was not light and tacky, but wet & very heavy without much traction and 4H struggled. Even with just 4L and ATRAc it was having a rough go in some sections. If it weren't for rear locker, I'm sure would have had to shovel out or turn around. I don't use it much, but when needed, very grateful.

 

I'm sure before top long someone on here will figure out a "2-HI" mod for the 2016. Essentially you just truck the truck into thinking your in 4-LO to allow the locker to engage. I've done it on my last Tacoma and absolutely loved it!

 

I'm sure there will be a mod to the electronics on these third gen trucks like there was for the 1st and 2nd gen trucks with the "grey wire mod". If no one else figures it out once I get my truck in April and look through the FSM schematics I'll do a post on my findings or the mod if one is possible. Pretty sure it will be it is just a 12v coil to apply power to. Now weather or not it the ECM/TCM/BCM will like me powering the locker when ever I want to in what ever range I want to is a different story.

 

Hopefully, the Multi-Terrain Select on the 2016 works as well as the A-TRAC, on the 2009-2015 Off Road TRDs. You seriously don't need the rear locker if you have A-TRAC... A-TRAC "locks" automatically all four tires if any one spins free of the other tire which balances power, so you keep moving. The rear locker is only on the rear tires. It is there for emergency if you get stuck. With A-TRAC I have not been able to get my truck stuck (and I have tried)!
If you want peace of mind when off road, if you travel alone, etc. then get the Off Road TRD.
I have had three Tacomas, all with 4WD and the locker. I needed the locker on the 2001 and 2005. I did not need it on the 2010, thanks to A-TRAC.

 

Thanks all, still not sure which way to go, Does the Sport come with A-trac.??
Also, the sales man said the sport also had Bilsteins, it was dark by that time and I didn't look but I doubt it..anyone know? (Not a deal breaker either)

Thanks again,
Doug

 

No.

No. 2nd gen came with Bilsteins, 3rd gen Sport comes with Hitachis.

 

I have a manual so I can't say about the Crawl Control...

With the Off Road, you get ATRAC and the Locker, both of which have already saved my ass.

I had originally ordered a Sport, but changed to an off road because why not have the ATRAC and the Locker for the same price? Unless you're really in love with the skewp and painted fender flares, go with the Off Road and don't look back

 

You should put better tires on the OR if you are going to mud.

 

Doug, the basic answer in deciding is, do you want looks or do you want function?
The Sport is a "looks" package (decorative hood scoop, painted bumpers, etc.). The Sport has no additional traction features than any other model.
The Off Road is a "traction" package (A-TRAC, MTS, Locker, Crawl Control, etc.). The Off Road only has the rear locker and the 4WD Off Road model only has A-TRAC/ MTS/ Crawl.

 

The TRD Offroad has more and better operational capability to offer when off road. The suspension on the sport did not appeal to me either as it's stiff and bouncy (tuned for pavement). Bilstein is the way to go for a softer ride.

 

The offroad has a larger, stronger ring gear to go with the locker.

 

The offroad also has a superior master cylinder braking system

 

Accord to the brochure only the MANUAL TRD OR gets ATRAC. Everything else including the Auto OR get Auto LSD.

 

The auto trans OR gets CC/MTS, which is basically of road cruise control and terrain selectable A-TRAC

 

Oh okay, So when there is no terrain selected with the MTS feature all A-TRAC properties are absent?

 

All Off Road 4WDs since 2009 have A-Trac and in 2016, on the auto transmission trucks, it is incorporated into the MTS system, which fine tunes the A-Trac for multiple terrain driving.