I've just purchase an '04 Tacoma TRD and have questions about the locking rear differential. Do all of these models come with this feature or is it standard for the TRD model? Does the differential lock automatically or is there something I need to do manually? This whole locking rear differential is new to me. When putting this truck in 4X4 mode can I do it on the fly? Or do I need to stop, put it in 4H, back up, pull forward...etc...that whole routine? Or can I just stop and slam it in gear and go about my way? Just want to be sure before I take it out for it's first off road test in VT next weekend. Thanks All!

 

The locker will only work in 4Lo. You should be at a complete stop when engaging the locker via the button on the left side the dash that says "RR LOCKER" There is light on the instrument cluster that will blink while the locker is engaging. Your are not engaged until the light is solid. Sometimes this means moving forward or backward very slowly until it locks in. Turning the steering wheel will usually help while moving to get the locker engaged. I personally would not try to engage the locker on the fly. Shifting into 4Hi may be possible on the fly, but not shifting into 4Lo. Since you have to stop to shift into 4Lo anyway then this is the time to lock in the locker.

 

Also worth mentioning is the "Gray wire mod" which essentially you ground a single wire to disable the safety features of the rear locker which allow you to use the locker in 2wd and 4hi.

 

Thanks team_gforce and SC4Runner. That completely answers my questions! I'm brand new to Yotatech and am amazed how quickly I got a response! Thanks again.

 

The gray wire mod has come in handy on more than one occasion, and is about the simplest mod one can do

 

You can shift on the fly from 2hi to 4hi w/o stopping too, just don't do it at higher speeds (like 50+). Along with the grey wire mod, you can also disable the "under 5 mph" feature of the locker which makes it so it can be used at any speed - I recommend this too.

 

Does the grey wire mod automatically make it so you can use the locker over 5 mph, or do you have to mod another wire too?

 

You can use the locker going as fast as you want, you just cannot engage is over 5 miles an hour (again this is preferred to do at a full stop).

The gray wire mod allows you to engage the locker in any position not just 4 low

 

Ok, thanks Red3.slow. IIRC, there's a separate mod that you can do to make it so you can engage it at whatever speed you want to.

 

Actually I guess I should correct my self, I've never tried to engage the locker at any speed, over a slow roll.

I'm not sure there are any safe guards against doing this, the 5 MPH is a factory recomendation.

I wouldn't do it my self though.