Adding A-trac

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MuddyFJ

Joined
Feb 16, 2007
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I have been reading about installing a switch to get A-trac. Is this still working? Picked up a later model FJ with rear diff lock AT 4x4. VIN 61xxxx.

Thanks!
 
if it didn't come with A-TRAC then it should just be a simple matter of adding the switch.

It would be interesting to see if the a-trac and rear locker will work at the same time.

Early production runs would not work simultaneously
 
I called the 800 number listed in the linked thread and asked about how I could get A-trac.

They looked up my vehicle by my name and vin and told me that it was not possible that I only had rear diff lock.

Looks like I'll be trading in my vehicle for another one.
 
MuddyFJ said:
I called the 800 number listed in the linked thread and asked about how I could get A-trac.

They looked up my vehicle by my name and vin and told me that it was not possible that I only had rear diff lock.

Looks like I'll be trading in my vehicle for another one.
Click to expand...

I don't think that is true at all! Before I would trade I would dump $50 on the switch and see. If not you can always re-sell the switch on ebay!

I didn't have A-trac but a 1 minute switch install gave me the option.
 
the more recent FJ's made after Nov have a slightly different setup allowing both to work together (no hack)

I was interested to see if once muddyfj installs his a-trac if the two will work simultaneously.

Oh what a feeling!
 
I read somewhere that even people without rear diff lock can get the a-trac light to turn on. So I guess I am wondering if the switch just turns the light on or if it actually activates a-trac.

Have you tested yours?

Toyota's response was that I would have Trac but not a-trac which was more aggressive.

I wish that I had researched a-trac a little more before I made my purchase...I was sort of in a bind because my car was having issues and I needed something to get to work. When I asked the dealer about this option they sort of brushed it aside.

Thanks for helping me out with this!

Edit: I wasn't looking at the features working together right now. At this point I would be happy if I had a-trac at all.
 
I am about 100% certain that you will have it when you install the switch. The wiring is already in the center console.

Yes it lights up and yes it works. The sound A-trac makes when turned on is unmistakable!!!!!!
 
What does it sound like? Is there a sound when you hit the switch?

...I hope that it works on mine...My concern was that It might turn the light on (some people do that without a switch by jumping the wires) but that the ECU has been changed in later models so that this mod no longer works...that the lights are on but nobody is home.
 
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No you will not here it when you hit the switch... but you will here it when one of your tires strarts to spin... its sort of a grinding noise.

Should work

Runner Ryan said:
Well, I'm happy to say that my new base model has arrived in my driveway. It does not come with A-trac. It was built in December 06. So, it's after the software upgrade. I pulled the blank out, jumped the wire (same as adding the A-trac button) and the A-trac works just like the older models. I then hit the locker button, and lo and behold, they work together! Just like the TRD and post November models. There will be no Alex mod needed for me. :flipoff2:
Click to expand...
 
Originally Posted by Runner Ryan
I pulled the blank out, jumped the wire (same as adding the A-trac button)
Click to expand...

That quote was part of what concerned me. I have also read that some people without rear diff lock have jumped the wires and the a-trac light comes on. Are people actually finding that it works properly and as well as the factory a-trac.

Thanks for your help on this.
 
MuddyFJ said:
That quote was part of what concerned me. I have also read that some people without rear diff lock have jumped the wires and the a-trac light comes on. Are people actually finding that it works properly and as well as the factory a-trac.

Thanks for your help on this.
Click to expand...

If you buy the switch you don't need to jump wires.

Take credit card, and remove the slug from the position where your A-trac switch should be. You should see that all the wires are there. While I hate to sound cliche, its basically just plug and play! Hey that rhymes!

Again you will know when the A-trac engages. the sound is sort of like gremlins gnawing on your floor board. Not the cure cuddly gizmo gremlins, I mean the ones fed after midnight!!!:crybaby:
 
The switch and a few other toys should be dropped off by a big brown truck and some guy in a brown outfit, that my dogs like to bark at, later today.

Hopefully it will work....the wires are there, and it looks like I can turn the light on.

Hopefully that means that A-trac works.....I would be pretty stoked!:beer:

I was just a little worried, that maybe it was too good to be true...I mean it just doesn't make sense.....esp when everyone else is saying that it just flat will not work. So I got to thinking that maybe the switch was activating the light to make my dash look prettier, but when I got into the :censor: I would be left holding my :censor: .

Thanks a lot for being so helpful!
 
Who has been telling you that it wont work? A lot of people on this board have had success with just ordering the switch and plugging it into the wiring harness. I suspect it is simply cheaper for toyota to manufacture all FJ's with the same wiring and just omit a switch than to produce two seperate versions.
 
It will work. I just jumped the wires because I'm too cheap to buy the switch. It will make the light go on, and it will work at the same time as the rear locker if it was built after novemberish. It won't make any sounds until it actually needs it/ functions. The noise you will hear is the fast pulsing of the antilock brakes on the wheel that is spinning.
Trust me, it works. And if it doesn't, I'll buy your button from ya. But it will work. ;) (as long as your truck came with the rear locker)
 
Plugged the switch in this evening, light comes on, and stays on when I engage rear diff.

Same sluggish feeling when you try to turn with the rear diffs locked with the sound of one tire dragging.

Tried to get a little flex going on a few dirt moguls and on a steep dirt incline but a-trac did not fire. I was about to bum rush a muddy lot when I realized that suburban wheeling might not be the best idea on a Friday night. Sure enough I passed a police car parked right up the street....


At least my light came on when I plugged in the switch, that is a start.

Owe some people beers if this thing works....now I just need some cash for my gobi rack, and a pressure washer and I am all set for a week or so.

It still makes no sense to me...you have to install components to get the wire harness to work when installing the tow hitch and trailer wiring...you would thing that it would take more than just a switch to make a-trac work....or that Toyota would have disabled this when they did the rear diff + a-trac upgrade.

Which is why I was concerned and thinking that it was just the a-trac light coming on....
 
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The A-trac is just a more agressive version of the traction control. I'm sure it uses the same programming in the computer.

If you want to test the A-trac, you'll have more success if you leave the rear locker off. That way you are depending on the A-trac for all traction.
 
Yes, I have been trying without the locker...

If it is working for you it must work for me. I sure hope Toyota was lying....

I am fishing tomorrow. If I see some good testing grounds I may have to unhitch the trailer and see if I can get a-trac to fire.
 
Toyota probably isn't "lying" to you. They just don't know. They are like a computer. They only know what you tell them. ;)
 
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