TRD Off-Road - necessary or worth it?

I'm curious about the NON TRD OR trucks limited slip. If it's like the previous gen, it had what they called " auto LSD" . It would just apply brakes to the side that was spinning. Forcing the power to go to the wheel with traction. Kinda like an old tractor. I have the TRD OR and have only used the "elec. locking diff 2-3 times. Sux it only works in 4Lo.

 

My thoughts on the utility of a rear locker. Had a Tacoma 4x4 with a rear locker and don't think I ever once used it. I then bought a gen 1 Tundra 4x4 (2005) which didn't have the rear diff locker. On one occasion I was backing into a driveway with a steep downhill slope and missed the driveway slightly. My truck had the 2 front wheels planted on the gravel shoulder part of the road, one rear wheel was suspended in mid air and the other was on pavement. I was unable to pull forward and correct my course down the driveway. There was simply not enough traction with the front wheels to pull me out (spinning on gravel). The back wheels were useless since the one on pavement didn't have any torque. The open rear differential caused the lifted wheel to spin and not supply any torque to the wheel that was planted. Was really wishing I had a rear locker at that time as I'm pretty sure I could have pulled myself out with it.

So a locking rear differential is not something you'll use every day but when you need it it's really nice to have.

 

Back in the 1st Gen Tacoma days. The rear locker worked the same way. You can do the grey wire mod. You cut the grey from the controller and ground it out to the chassis. That allowed you to use the locker in all modes including 2WD. I tested it on a dirt road. It was fun.

 

You tested it on a dirt road in the new Tundra? Or just the older Tacoma?

 

Is the TRD Off Road rear diff open unless the lock is engaged? So on a snowy road in 4H it would be open rather than having a limited slip?

 

Tacoma

 

I believe (not sure) that all the 3rd gen Tundra's have a pseudo LSD via traction control. So, the diff is open but it can apply breaking to the spinning wheel to give torque to the other wheel. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I don't know how they are for sure on the 2022+. But the 21's and older had a button to turn "auto LSD" on. I've not seen that on a 3rd gen.