Rear Diff Question: Lock Only in 4LO?

Does anyone know if the rear diff can be locked in 2HI & 4HI on the new Gen 4, or can it only be locked in 4LO? I searched but didn't come up with anything.

 

New Tundra is lock low, Toyota has always been like this. 5mph speed limit recommended by Toyota.

Biggest reason is protects drivetrain, but also it disables ABS and Traction, so Toyota wants to limit speed and keep it disengaged on the road.

It looks like the days of rear lockers on 2WD models are gone and only 4WD models will be getting it. 2WD will get the old Auto LSD button.

 

I thought in the videos they said the Pre-Runner was going to have a Locker?

 

Rear lock may still be 4Lo, but crawl control now both 4Lo/4Hi. So computer does the schnitzeling. For the simulated locker.

 

We still aren’t sure if they are still going to have leaf springs! Using what little info I have. But you’re right, pre runner should have locker

 

the previous prerunners w/ locker you could lock in 2hi cuz that was the only thing they had.

 

Right, that's also the way the 2024 one sounds too.

 

This would be my guess too. But I do think it's dumb. Jeeps can lock the rear in 4hi. Bronco can lock the rear on demand in 2 or 4 and the front independent of the rear in 4 lo. I with all systems worked like the Bronco. It locks up fast and easy.

 

Unfortunately no grey wire mod, as it is run by the ECU. Maybe someone has a hack…

 

The ZR2 can also lock the rear in 2HI & 4HI. I think the Ranger Tremor can also, and I believe the Ranger Raptor can as well.

 

I don't get why Toyota doesn't see that and fix it. They have the lowest functionality of all of those in their lockers. And I had issues getting into 4lo and getting the locker to engage pretty constantly. The whole get to flat ground and roll slowly forward and back until it will engage thing sucked. I hope they fixed that. Axles are new in the '24 yes?

 

I believe they are new, but don't quote me. I'm betting that there will be some recycled parts in the Gen 4. I doubt it's truly 100% new from the ground up. Hell, they couldn't even put wider axles in the Pro when they bragged about it being 3" wider than other trim levels. They just tossed in some wheels with enough offset to give them a 3" wider truck. Lame!

YES!! Getting the Tacoma into 4LO is an absolute PITA unless you're on anything other than perfectly flat ground.

 

My last CO trip there were a couple Jeeps behind me that had to think I was an idiot. I swear I was rolling back and forth for like 10 mins trying to get it to engage. I don't even understand how being level has anything to do with transfer case engagement unless you are under tension. Slowly rolling on a hill should be fine, but it is not.

 

Same here. I'm not sure what being on level ground is all about. It's the first truck that I've had so much difficulty getting engaged in 4LO.

 

Never had a NP205 then I am guessing? That thing was a pain.

 

As far as I know every other 4X4 will allow you to lock the diff in 2wd, 4hi, or 4lo. My F150 does. No reason why Toyota shouldn't.

No one, and I mean no manufacturer will let you go to low range in 2wd. And there is a reason for that. You can damage the drivetrain. Hopefully you'll only break a U-Joint. I see lots of guys here modifying their trucks to do this. My 1st few 4X4's had manual locking hubs and 3 sticks in the floor. It was easy to go to low range without being in 4X4. There were also warning labels in the truck advising that you not do so.

I've NEVER had the 1st problem getting INTO low range with my Tacoma or any other 4X4 vehicle. It is pretty common to have issues getting OUT of low range with all of them.

 

I don’t fully understand why the 4lo only locker complaint comes up so much. The locker is only needed in very extreme circumstances where you should have been in 4lo a long time ago. I see no reason not shift into 4lo in the parking lot of your favorite trail head.

Wheeling in 4hi is equivalent to mountain biking on single track in high range.

IMHO, 4hi is only good for road driving in snow or muddy conditions. I can see it also useful in the desert but I don’t have any of those near me.

 

My theory on why the locker is not available in hi range is because it’s a safety concern due to its effect on steering/handling and also the fact that it’s not really needed in situations where hi range is being used due to the presence of the safer traction control.

 

This whole thread makes me wonder why the locker is a selling point on 3g Tacomas. 5mph and 4lo only makes the use case pretty slim, especially if you can’t engage it on an incline

 

There is no speed limit once it is locked. There is only a speed limit when trying to lock it. I personally haven’t had any trouble locking on an incline, but I have had trouble locking it while stationary. It’s best engaged before you get stuck. In my experience, there are very few cases where off-road traction control plus the locker is any better than off-road traction control alone. That might be partly due to the type of terrain we have in the Midwest (mud, snow, dirt, clay, loose rocks, where wheel spin is often unavoidable).