Just got a 97 tacoma. Its locked in the rear. I know this for sure, i wasn't told by the previous owner though. He wasn't a yota guy and never even drove it. So what i'm wanting to know is how to tell if its been welded in the rear or if it has a legit locker in it, without pulling the diff. I looked every where but had no success.

 

On pavement, turn it in a tight circle with a little gas. With most lockers you will hear a clicking sound coming from the rear on turns at low speeds. If it is welded, the outside tire will catch and chirp on the pavement, and you will feel the truck bucking as the tire skips across the pavement.

 

My locker doesn't click if I have the gas on at all. I need to be completely off of it. Get a little momentum let off the gas crank it and see if it clicks, or if it goes boom and the weld pops.

 

Elocker will have the switch on dash. A picture should be easy enough to find with a

:wabbit2:

 

No elocker. Thats the first thing i looked for when i was looking at the truck to own. The truck mainly makes most of the noise on a left turn.

 

Update. Got it to click on a left turn, pretty sure its got an actuall locker. It does take some skin off the pass. rear tire though. and chirps tires everywhere. not sure how i like it though. Going to get a selectable at some point before the snow flies