Hey all,
I've been looking to upgrade some of my drivetrain in the future and was wondering what the advantages/disadvantages of the Toyota E-locker compared to a limited slip. In what conditions is the E-locker going to outperform and be a better investment than a limited slip? Thanks for all the help, info...
-Sam

Get a Electric locker if your into doing any offroading, get limited slip if you plan on doing more onroad then offroad.

Limited slip uses clutches and they wear out after a while. The more the wheels spin (ie offroading) the faster they wear out then you gotta replace them.. big pain.

Electric locker is nice cause you can turn it off and on whenever you want. All you gotta do is the grey wire mode. Besides its amazing how far you can get with a rear locker and 2wd

I agree with CrashTaco, the e-locker will make your day offroad. Either it or an ARB are great onroad b/c you disengage them and don't know they are there - just flip the switch offroad and you're set. So it's the best of both worlds.

Limited slips are very beneficial, esp on a daily driver where you get snow. They are smooth to engage and will help out when you lose traction, whereas a locker (offroad anyway) always helps you keep traction. This is an important distinction, if you can imagine having traction through an obstacle vs losing it and having to do something to get the LSD to engage (throttle, slight application of brakes).

If offroad is primo and you have the budget, e-locker or ARB. If onroad and light/medium offroad is important, get the LSD.

I just wish the detroit TrueTrac were available for our rear axles - that is a gear driven LSD and works great, and never wears down. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Thanks, thats what I thought but wanted to double check. So basically detriot, trac loc... are a gear driven LSD? ARB and E-lockers are selectable lockers. Is one setup better designed? Are there weaknesses between the two, is one type more prone to failure?
I live in SW MO, the type of wheeling here is plenty of mud when we have rain, not alot of rock climbing, more steep loose hill climbs, logs, stumps, clay, deep ruts, always uneven off camber, lots of slipery stuff. Winters here have snow, ice... you never know what its gonna be till it hits the ground. I'm in college so this is also my daily driver, my family owns a farm an hour from my school, so I go wheeling at least once a week.
What would be the best setup for this truck? I'm also contemplating a front locker, how much does this help? Is it something that is really needed?
Thanks for everything <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
-Sam

The Detroit TrueTrac is the only gear-driven LSD out there. I just got an email from TracTech today that the Taco TrueTrac should be out in about 6 months or so.

ARB vs Toyota e-locker is a sort of religious argument. It's not arguable that the ARB is more complex, with the air supply, the fittings, and the internal seals. I don't think you can go wrong with either, though.

I'd put a locker in the rear before you do the front. That difference will be amazing and you may rethink a front one. A front one has more limited use than a rear b/c offroad there are times you need to steer and a front locker fights that so a selectable ARB would spend almost all of it's time disengaged; onroad in ice and snow they are squirrelly unless you install an ARB.

I put a Detroit Locker in the rear and a TrueTrac in the front of my '94. It's a great setup offroad, but onroad in winter it could get a little (or a lot) scary at times. Two limited slips would be great for onroad, winter, and moderate 'wheeling.

A Detroit locker, is an automatic locker made by Tractech. The Detroit is probably the strongest automatic locker made as it replaces the carrier and all. Great off road but a PITA on the pavement. Down right spookey in the snow and ice on pavement. There are other automatic lockers that are easy to install of the lunch box type such as the Lockrite and similar if not identical Aussie locker. These are cheaper, easy to install yourself, but not as strong as the Detroit. They suffer pretty much the same on pavement behavior. The best bet is to have selectable lockers front and rear for the best of on and off road worlds. Today your choices are ARB, both front and rear avaliable or the Toyota electric locker, rear only but a different housing so you have to swap the entire axle.

I know this is a relatively old post but I have some more questions <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />
1.) You say that the LSD is clutch driven and will eventually wear out. How long is its life?
2.) How hard is instal? Any special tools, or just a dirty greasy afternoon?
3.) Will the TRD LSD work in the front diff?

I'm getting tired of making a slippery situation much worse because I'm not getting power to both wheels. I'd rather have a locker(s) but I'm not real sure that the kind of driving that I do would make a locker that much better for me.

PS-Does anyone have a LSD on their Taco? What do you think about it...

Powertrax No slip is what i went with after much reading and consideration. If your gonna upgrade the rear, go all the way and lock it up. I blew 2 LSD in my blazer in two trips to the mud hole before i got my taco, so i stayed away from clutches. The No Slip is barely noticible in town now and the difference in traction off road is unbelievable. I dropped my front tire into a wash out on a gravel road this weekend and was sitting on the frame. Pulled right out of it (No damage) and i KNOW that before i put the No Slip in, I would have be burning up the cell phone praying for a signal. No snow or ice where i live, just lots of rain, so i can't comment on the No Slip on ice and snow. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

The ice and snow are the reasons that I am stearing away from a full out locker that isn't selectable, or I would be getting something like that, the LSD will eventually wear out, but if its made by Toyota and keeps with their history of lengevity it shouldn't be an issue. But I could be very wrong.

What I would really like to know is if anyone here as a LSD on their Taco or knows someone that does. Thanks for everything <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

-Sam

I ran a Detroit in the rear of my 91toy and had a ARB up front. I drove in the snow every winter and i can say from experience the the detroit offered superior traction and I personally had no trouble in the snow. That being said there is a learning curve but once you get used to how it reacts in your vehicle and what your input will make it do it is cake. Im waiting for the Tacoma version for my new truck. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />