Hello

This is my first post. (and first Toyota vehicle) Yesterday I purchased a very nice 2000 4Runner Limited 4WD 3.4L and have a quick question about the rear locking diff.

The manual states to be in L4L then press the "RR DIFF LOCK" button and then not to go over 5 mph. My friend has a '08 2WD Tacoma with the "DIFF LOCK" button feature and say he uses it at good speeds in the sand and has even had it on, on the highway. (turned it off once he turned a corner)

So the questions: are these two "DIFF LOCK" features different on 2WD and 4WD? can I run my 4WD 4Runner in 2WD with the Diff Lock button on at higher speeds? (and not be in L4L like the manual says?)

I actually did quite a bit of searching to see if there was a difference and couldn't find out. This should be an easy question for the Yota Tech Forum.


Thanks for any replies, I'm happy to be a part of the Yota Community now!

Matt

 

Have you tried to drive over 5 mph in 4Lo?

:wabbit2:

 

there a problem with going over 5mph in 4lo?


my '92 will spit and get in 4lo..lol just shift gears....however these are two TOTALLY different vehicles lol.


believe there's a wire mod of some sort to allow the diff lock to be activated in 2wd

 

No no no, this is a very specific question about using a 4WD in 2WD with the "Rear Lock" on?

I don't plan on ever putting it in 4L..

I would cruse around sand washes in 2WD with the Locker On instead of in 4WD if I could though?

Any define answers?


Thanks

Matt

 

I dont know much about them. But i beleive its the grey wire mod, if you want to look it up.

 

Yes on the first part and you are confirming that the 4wd can't be ran in 2wd with the lock on?

Thanks for the quick replies!!

Matt

 

Thanks, looks like you guys know exactly what I'm talking about.

What are the Cons of this "wire mod" and what would be a Max Speed to run with the lock in 2wd?

I'm glad I signed up and posted, I've got more info in a few min's than I thought. (and spent hours searching for..)

Thanks

Matt

 

any safe speed in 4hi will be fine for the locker.


theres no problem with going over 5mph in 4lo. i hate to break it to you, but there's not

i don't understand the other part of that reply....


what i'm saying is, in STOCK form, the rear diff lock can ONLY be activated in 4LO.


however, if you do this "grey wire mod" (which has no ill effects that i'm aware of) then you can run the locker anytime, whether you're in 2wd, 4HI, or 4LO.

 

I did the gray wire mod in my 2000 Taco and it was really easy and here is the write up i used

http://www.customtacos.com/tech/index.php?article=10

 

The locker in both vehicles are essentially the same thing.

The safety "feature" of the one in your 4runner is that you must be in 4lo, and must be going LESS THAN 5 mph to ENGAGE it. Once you've engaged it, you can go whatever speed you'd like.

To be able to run your locker in 4 low, 4 high and 2 high, you do the "gray wire mod" which you just ground the number 8-pin wire on the 4wd harness. The link above will help.

You still do not want to engage the locker if you're not at a complete stop though. It wont engage either, because that mod retains that safety feature.

 

Thanks for the info and links guys!! (sorry for my late reply, I've been in and out of town)

I've decided to put a switch inline with the "gray wire mod". That way it can stay stock and when I want to use it I can just flick the switch and engage it in 2wd.

Thanks again for all the info

Matt

 

sigh look in the write up section i made a thread u cut and ground one wire and it works in 2wd and 4wd

 

not very smart to engage it when youre traveling at all... stop before engaging

do the grey wire mod, but keep the other safety features. make sure you ground the wire coming out of the ecu, not the car.

 

Very good write up i just bought a trd with the rear locking diff and will be doing this mod very soon

 

You don't really need a write up, you cut the gray wire, ground the end coming from the diff lock ECU, and tape off and tuck away the other end of the gray wire that you cut. Just pop off the driver kick panel and you'll see the diff lock ECU.


Gray wire from diff ECU shown grounded

 

yea gray wire is for tacoma 4runner is a diff color

 

I can see this is an old thread, but you dont have to put a switch on it. Unneccessary. Also, on some 4runners the wire might not be grey. You can drive in at any speed in any gear with it on.