A question on the rear-locker on my '03 Taco Prerunner. Now I'm used to 4wd on various others and this rear locker seems similar to 4lo on other 4wd, but seeing how it's a 2wd Can I do this ?

Set the rear locker (push button on mine)

Can I then go any speed ? with real 2wd ? or will it use a different ratio and prevent me from going too fast and blow the diff ?

I'm looking at 18" of snow here and once I can get out I was going to use it.
Remember I'm near Charlotte, NC !

Thundersnow last night...that was the strangest thing I have ever seen !!
bright lightning, rolling dull thunder and snow coming down in barrels !!

 

Having your rear end locked and no front driveshaft is NOT the same as 4-LO.

4-LO has a significantly lower crawl ratio than 2WD or 4-HI.

you can go as fast you want with the locker engaged, just remember driving with a locked rear has significantly different on-road characteristics than an open diff, especially while turning.

you still have a 2WD, dont think youre gonna be dominating any trails or anything, but the locker will help a lil.

 

The locker will not change your gear ratio. All it does is positivley lock the rear axle so that both wheels turn at the same rate. In snow the locker will be ok, but if you lock the rear diff on ice you will have a fun time keeping it on the road because instead of one tire spinning you will have two, which equals no traction period.

 

Yep, a rear locker is great for doing dounuts in a snow covered parking lot.

 

In snow and ice especially you want to turn the locker off.
I tried a friends 4runner with a locker up here and it was much worse than just using 4wd.
funny thing is I would have thought exactly the opposite.....empirical data told us otherwise.

 

I agree entirely! Locker's are horrible in the snow/ice. You find yourself spinning out faster than with an open diff, at least that's my experiences. Now if you had chains with a locker, then you'd be set.

 

....or a tank!

 

200-300 lbs of weight in the bed of your truck would help alot!

 

I'm sure you've gotten enough sanity from the other posters, so let me add a twist for fun. If you've got a 2wd PU and 100 ft of 18" of snow to get to the plowed road, what would be the best option? (We may have to lower that 18" down to 12" or even 6" to give the PU a sporting chance).

In that case, I'd be tempted to drive in reverse with the locker engaged. I think the Conventional Wisdom about snow and lockers disappears when talking about slow speed and 18" of snow. Course you'd prolly need a few hundred lbs in the bed to get the pulling traction benefit of going in reverse.

Okay, I'm done with the inane drivel.

 

yeh, but how do you get the mother-in-law to stay there.

 

Ratchet tie-downs, maybe

 

Oh yeah the locker will help you through the snow in that case you just run into problems when going around corners or taversing a hill where gravity wants to pull you sideways. In those situations both wheels tend to slide sideways.