Traditional limited slip differential?

Looking at new Tacomas. I drive some minimum maintenance roads in the winter. Driving in low range to lock the rear axles won't work. I need to keep the speed up to get through deep snow. So I think a full-time limited slip with clutches would work better for me. I can't find much info on this topic. Has anyone done this on a 3rd gen? Does anyone even make one?

Thanks!

 

Don't quote me on this, but I thought the trd sport came with an LSD

 

All Tacoma's come with brake simulated limited slip, mechanical limited slip was phased out around 2008 or 2009.

 

^^This. It's called Auto LSD. Turn off your TC and you will see the indicator on your dash.

 

Isn't there an anytime-rear-locker modification that can be done? Would allow locked rear and not limit to 4lo speeds.

 

Look at ECGS

LOCKERS, POSI's (eastcoastgearsupply.com)

 

And it's completely garbage in my experience, especially if you have larger tires. I don't understand the point of it. All it seems to do is wear the rear shoes out faster and kill all torque from the motor.

Might be useful for trying to get moving if you're lightly stuck or on ice but it's a sad and far cry from a posi viscous or torsen and is more detrimental than helpful off road in my experience.

If you have an E-Locker there do exist e-locker any time mods but they typically require adding a relay extra switch and hacking up the factory harness.

 

You're right. If you off-road it's not going to do a heck of a lot for you. I'm in the "ok if you're lightly stuck" category you mentioned. My truck is a 4x2, a daily driver, and is used for the occasional tow of my Honda Goldwing and haul of stuff in the bed. I don't off road, have stock size tires, and the worst I will see is a dirt or gravel road at one of our state parks, or grass. For me that little extra oomph is all I need, but I can see where it would be lacking outside of my situation.

 

If you have the larger rear differential ( 8.9" ) found in the manual transmission trucks but no rear locker ( TRD Off-Road or TRD Pro have the locker ) then there is only 4 options currently available. Open, ARB Air Locker, Eaton E-Locker / Harrod E-Locker or the factory E-Locker. There are no limited slip diffs made for this unit.

Now if you have an Auto without a locker then you have the smaller differential. (8.0" ) This diff is the same one used in Toyota trucks for years and had lots of options. Just follow @muddog321 's link in post #6 for a list.

 

I assume you're looking at 4X4's. If so, just put it in 4X4 and drive. You'll be fine. In my past experience a limited slip rear axle is of limited help anyway. And in snow/ice a limited slip or even locking rear axle does more harm than good except to get you moving from a stop. Once underway either is more likely to put you in a ditch than help.

It would be great if you could lock the rear axle in 2wd or even 4hi for those times when you just need a little help getting moving. But the rear diff will unlock when you get above 5 mph anyway. That is probably part of the logic of only allowing it to work in low range.

 

You can get a lunch box locker for it if it's the larger axle.

 

That's not quite right about the 5mph limit.

You must be driving *under* 5mph to lock the locker, once locked it allows you to drive as fast as the truck can possibly go in 4WD low while still locked as configured from factory.

With some mods you can lock anytime in any range.

On the 1st gens you could do the grey or blue wire mod (color depends on year and some other features) which allowed you to use the locker any time as long as you were traveling 5mph or less when you hit the locker button. (There was also the yellow wire mod IIRC that removed the speed safety but I left that in place.)

Similarly you could order the 1st gen in 2WD with a locker where the 4WD low requirement was already absent from factory, naturally being a 2WD there's no transfer case for range selection.

The 5mph safety is more so to protect the equipment than anything. Toyota put the 4wd low range safety in place as most people aren't experienced enough to know what a locker is, or how it effects handling and it was to help prevent accidental engagement on pavement which can as you said easily put you in the ditch if you're not expecting it.

Or lead to a sick drifty boi if you are expecting the rear to step out.

For what it's worth to OP when a locker is engaged that axle is effectively a spool meaning both wheels will turn at the same rate no matter what as there's no longer potential for 'differential' between the wheels they don't want to take different track circles such as when turning and only want to go straight leading to a loss of traction on that axle in a turn.

 

Thanks for the link. It looks like the Truetrac is the only option that would do what I want. All the others would be a disaster on an icy road. Has anyone here tried the Truetrac?

 

The only aid for driving on ice is having studded tires.

 

The Truetrac is an excellent choice, the traction control will counteract the one weakness it has.

 

How fast are you driving that 4lo and diff loc won’t work. I thought that’s what it made for, along with mud. The way the new Tacoma is geared I doubt high range is going to be worse.

 

- 4Lo doesn't lock the axles, you still have an open dif unless you have and engage a locker
- I drive upwards of 20-25 mph in 4Lo all the time
- A locker is best going to help getting unstuck from a stand-still in snow, otherwise momentum is your friend to get through snow

 

That is why I want a posi. Once you get stuck in the snow, engaging the locker rear is usually not going to get you out.

 

30-40 mph. In my experience, 4 Lo works poorly in mud. Not enough tire speed to clean the tires. I really don't have much use for 4 Lo. It's mainly for traversing rough trails and rocks in my experience.

 

I have an order with ECGS that should be shipping today for a Truetrac for the rear and Torsen for the front.