Rear Diff Lock - Worth it?

I have an order in for a crew max TRD OR long box on order. The only reason I added the TRD OR package was to get the rear locker. Is it worth the extra $2300 CAD and the ugly chrome?

When I'd think I'd use it:
-Towing a boat out of the local muddy lake. The boat ramp is just gravel/mud going into the lake. Haven't seen anyone get stuck yet but...
-Hunting/logging trails that I access during hunting season.
-Muddy property trails. We have some acerage that has some pretty wet spots and high clay content mud. Would a locker help me here?

I know getting proper off road tires would be more beneficial and I may invest in those as well. I'm hesitant to hurt the fuel econ/noise with off-road tires.

Who has experience activating a rear locker to get un-stuck?

Thanks!

 

Lockers are like 4WD, you don't use it until you need it, and when you need it you're very glad you have it. I would get it.

 

Unlock most, it sounds like you might actually have a decent case for needing one. Although I think out of the scenarios you describe the boat ramp is where you will least likely need it unless it's a very heavy boat.

 

A rear locker would help in all of those situations.

This is important. A rear locker is great to have but will do very little if it can't apply that traction to the ground via good tires. Tires are always the important upgrade. If you think you'll use the locker...then upgrading tires should be a priority as well.

I've owned/built a couple of trail-focused XJs over the years. One with an air locker. I'm a big fan of lockers for both road vehicles & trail vehicles. Like the other poster said, having a locker is like having good insurance. You'll only use it occasionally, but when you do...you'll be thanking the heavens that you have it.

 

It would help in all those situations, but whether you need it is another story. Toyota's A-Trac system is very effective and can get you through a lot of situations.

Also, with these trucks not having 4x4 Auto, I really think an LSD is a better option. If Eaton comes out with a Truetrac for the rear axle I would way rather spend my money on that than the TRD OR package just to get the locker.

The advantage of a Truetrac is that it is always on. So when you are on the street in 2wd it will be functioning 100% of the time and will prevent the one wheel peel. Additionally, a Truetrac and A-Trac will work in almost perfect harmony, making the Truetrac effectively like a locker.

I ran Truetracs in both axles of my Jeep Liberty. It also had an AWD mode on the t-case. So I could run in AWD with LSD's in both axles and it was phenomenal on road, offroad, wherever. I'd love to do the same with my Lexus GX since it has a torsen diff in the t-case. I'd have an LSD in the center and on both axles. Would probably never have to lock it in 4x4.

 

Kinda like seat belts and tow hooks?

 

Worth it? That is all up to the buyer since the prices of vehicles are so far up there, if someone can afford a new truck then $2300 for a rear locker is worth it relatively speaking

 

OP, I encounter conditions much like those you've described. I have a locker on my 4Runner that I've never used. I don't know what surface your boat ramps are - in North Idaho, ours range from textured, striated concrete to dirt/gravel, and 2wd usually gets the job done. I've only needed 4x4 on our back 40 when the snow gets slushy on the switchbacks.

I think it has as much to do with tires and the lines you take as it does anything else. I mentioned it in another thread, but the locker on the 4Runner subtracts nearly 400 lbs (180 kg) from max payload on the 4Runner. I don't find it worthwhile in my situation. If I decide I want a locker down the road, I'm sure an ARB air locker will be an option - probably end up losing as much payload, but with the added benefit of having on-board air.

ETA - to the poster above regarding trutrack, if that's anything like positrack, they're dangerous in snow.

 

I recently bought a '22 TRD Sport and noticed this thread so I'll chime in on why I didn't go with a locker on this truck. I had a 15 Tacoma TRD off-road with the locker and never needed it to be used. Also owned a '11 tundra without a locker and a boat so I'll provide my .02c below.

-Towing a boat out of the local muddy lake. The boat ramp is just gravel/mud going into the lake. Haven't seen anyone get stuck yet but...
Good all terrains and 4wd is all that I feel is needed, if you get stuck in this configuration then a locker is minimal help and more so a winch would be better. All the guys driving in sand (beach fishing) including myself, I don't engage the locker, just air'd down and had good tires with 4wd. I've been on many slick concrete boat ramps and if the back tires spin w/o traction you better make sure the front tires grab. Many times before I'd back the boat down the ramp I'd engage 4wd for two reasons. One, the front tires will likely pull me out if the rear slip; and secondly, if it is in 4wd and you put the parking brake on with 4wd engaged that locks the front tires, otherwise if you are not in 4wd, if the rear slips backward nothing in the front is stopping you from rolling back down the ramp. No parking brake exists on the front axles.

-Hunting/logging trails that I access during hunting season.
Same response as above. I am in the same situation, tires and air down, possibly a winch, otherwise use common sense. Ran several trails in the taco and never turned on the locker, all the while hoping I would need it.

-Muddy property trails. We have some acreage that has some pretty wet spots and high clay content mud. Would a locker help me here?
Same response as above Tires and air down, possibly winch, use common sense.

 

It will help with street oriented tires offroad and keep it safe in the snow.

I have found on my fords it works best when pulling something in 4lo, when off kilter like in a ditch, or getting out of a muddy spot. Downside is it only likes going straight when locked, steering performance is reduced substantially so you will be turning it on and off, really only limited usability but they work well.

 

It's kind of useless for me. You can only engage the diff lock when you're in 4 lo, which is really pointless. You need to be able to use it in 2WD, 4 hi or 4 lo. Really limits how handy it can ever be. Hoping there will be a hack to allow it to be engaged at other times.

 

I don't know how much the electronics have changed, but there is a work-around for the OEM locking diff in the 4Runner, which operates similarly. It will allow you to engage the locker regardless of what your t-case is doing. I'm not going to try to find the thread, but it's somewhere over at t4r.org in the 5th gen forum.

 

I use a locker to go where these guys cant.



Just sayin

 

You can probably bypass it with a switch. Thats what people do on the ford as it disengages at 25 or 45mph.

 

I'm (ignorantly) planning on adding a locker down the road. Getting a hold of an off-road right now is tough so rather than wait I figure eventually there will be aftermarket options. I've added ARB air lockers to most of my off-road vehicles over the years and assume eventually there will be something.

I personally think they are worth having, but I don't think they are worth obsessing over.

 

If you aren’t in a snowy area I would prefer a trutrac or limited slip type of set up.

The LX600 has a Torsen limited slip. Probably would work on the Tundra?

 

I spent $2k having TruTrac installed in my truck, so worth it.

Regarding modifying the stock e-locker to be able to engage whenever you want.... don't do it. There's a reason OEMs limit when the diff can be locked. You can cause expensive damage to your truck engaging a diff lock in the wrong circumstances.... which is pretty much every circumstance that you should be in 2WD.

 

The raptor lets you run the diff locked in any drive mode and up to something like 80 mph i am pretty sure.

my F150 is the same but unlocks At 25 mph. 2wd, 4hi, 4Auto, 4lo. Doesn’t matter. Makes drifting in snowy parking lots more fun.

Toyota just doesn’t want you to have any fun.

 

I would love to take your F-150, lock the rear diff, and just spend all day in an empty parking lot doing medium speed full-lock turns. I'm sure it'd be fine and you'd be more than willing to let that happen.

BTW, Ford specifically says you mustn't use the ELD on pavement. Other manufacturers just remove that opportunity for "oopsie" because, as I am sure you know, if some people can't even use a turn signal correctly, they could cause a lot of wear and tear by using ELD inappropriately.
https://www.fordservicecontent.com/...&userMarket=USA&div=f&vFilteringEnabled=False

 

That’s fine, but im an adult and like to be able to make those decisions about when to use the ELD i paid for.

 

I loaned my old 2016 f150 to a dumb lady once. And she was complaining about how it turned like shit etc.

Got it back and the locker was on. She had it a couple days.

Worked fine but I did notice it took longer to engage after that debacle.

 

Is your truck a 22?

Does anyone know if these share the front and rear diff with the LC300 and LX600? They have several front and rear locker/posi options across those line ups.

 

Has anyone experimented with this yet? I just found a used ($6k mi) army green for MSRP.. but it doesnt have TRD offroad, are the MTS options able to be added later too?