Limited slip rear end in Tacoma

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Mar 12, 2010
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15
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WI
I'm hoping some guru will chime in here since the service dealers are useless. I have a Toyota Tacoma with the off road package, including the rear end E-locker. Now for reasons I won't argue about here, I want to remove the electronic locker and put in a limited slip rear end, not the phony one that uses the brake fluctuation but a mechanical one like the Tru-Trac. My question is, can this be done without throwing all sorts of codes with the traction control? If it's a simple light that stays on no big deal, but I don't want to have a huge electronic problem on my hands.
 
If you leave the system intact, it won't throw any codes...

I'm wondering how you think the e-locker works. You imply brake pressure modulation, a system that's been used on many cars, like the Mercedes M-class.

I thought, perhaps incorrectly, that Toyota's e-locker was just that: an electronic locking differential. A solenoid is activated, and you get a true lock*. That's actually a high-end system. High performance. Nice set-up.

In which case, your factory locker is far better, more capable off road, than what you're proposing to swap in there.

Some years and models had that. Enthusiasts actually retrofit the factory system as a performance upgrade.

So, what year is your Taco, and with what options?


* For example, here: https://www.off-road.com/trucks-4x4/tech/biopsy-of-a-toyota-elocker-swap-54205.html

Or here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/e-locker-swap-write-up-easy-way.390461/
 
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I have a real e-locker in my Nissan, and G80 auto locker in my Silverado. There is no comaparison...I have no idea why you would want to swap out a true e-locker with something else. The G80 is nice...and helps me on the boat ramps, but for off road, I love my e-locker in the Xterra!
 
I'd ask the guys at east coast gear supply. They do a lot of Toyota stuff. I replaced the needle bearing in my 07 Tacoma's front diff with their bushing kit and a new seal. That's all the experience I have with them, but lots of guys on the forums use them to re-gear or to buy spare gear sets. I've heard lots of good things about them and my limited experience with them has also been good.

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/
 
Originally Posted by BlakeB
I'd ask the guys at east coast gear supply. They do a lot of Toyota stuff. I replaced the needle bearing in my 07 Tacoma's front diff with their bushing kit and a new seal. That's all the experience I have with them, but lots of guys on the forums use them to re-gear or to buy spare gear sets. I've heard lots of good things about them and my limited experience with them has also been good.

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/


They rebuilt the rear in my truck.
 
I don't understand the rationale for getting rid of an E-locker diff, for a limited slip. That's a downgrade. I have the E-locker in my new TRD ORP 4Runner, I had it in my old 4Runner, I had front and rear E-lockers in the FZJ80 I had.

The tru-trac is a decent limited slip, but it pales in comparison to the factory E-locker. If it's wanting to be able to lock the diff in high-range, as opposed to just in low-range, there are mods for that.
 
My tacoma has the same driveline and another vote to keep that factory rear diff lock feature.
 
I suspect you might find what you are after on a Taco forum. This sounds like a very specific mod that not many here would be doing.

I'm not sure but these days, who knows what the computers are monitoring. I'd wager there is a decent chance that it won't care. But I could be wrong.

I get that you are not interested in "arguing" over the merits of this mod, but perhaps discussing why you want to do this might illuminate the need, and perhaps the discussion might show alternate solutions?
 
It might be helpful to know the particular year and model as newer things tend to be more integrated. You'd be surprised the things that have modules in late model stuff, it is borderline absurd...

Not familiar with the Toyota system, but some of these operate as an open diff when unlocked and some such as the Eaton Detroit operate as a LSD when not electrically locked.

Some systems incorporate an unlocking above a certain speed (Ford for sure) which implies some feedback, inappropriate feedback would likely trigger a code of some sort.
 
If you have a 3rd gen, good luck, but if you have a 2nd gen it might be possible. I'm going to say Pre 09 or 08 Pre-runners had limited slip differentials before they went to "Auto LSD." Not going to ask your reasoning, but the factory E-locker is really good IMO. Now, you do HAVE to exercise it occasionally or you'll loose it. I had a helluva time getting it to engage and then disengage it the first time when I bought my truck. After that no issue and I like to try and use it once a month. If your issue is only being able to use it in 4LO there's ways around this to use it in 2HI or 4HI... There's several threads on Tacoma World on how to do it.
 
Originally Posted by Delta
If you have a 3rd gen, good luck, but if you have a 2nd gen it might be possible. I'm going to say Pre 09 or 08 Pre-runners had limited slip differentials before they went to "Auto LSD." Not going to ask your reasoning, but the factory E-locker is really good IMO. Now, you do HAVE to exercise it occasionally or you'll loose it. I had a helluva time getting it to engage and then disengage it the first time when I bought my truck. After that no issue and I like to try and use it once a month. If your issue is only being able to use it in 4LO there's ways around this to use it in 2HI or 4HI... There's several threads on Tacoma World on how to do it.


ECGS has a Truetrac for the third gens.
https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/c-1...oyota-v6-2016-tacoma-auto-non-elock.html
 
Well if you have what i think you have, i would replace it too Is it an open diff that uses the computer to monitor speed sensors, then drags a brake to slow the tire down and let power transfer to the tire with no grip? If its that system, its not all that smart and its hard on brakes. It litterly drags the brake when the brake is covered in mud and dirt.
 
The Toyota E-locker diffs are true lockers. They are open until you push the diff-lock button, and then it becomes essentially a spool (no differentiation side-to-side) until it's unlocked.

Some ALSO have a form of traction control which senses tire slip and uses the brake at the spinning tire to transfer power to the non-spinning tire.
 
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