Help with decision, rear locker or a-trac

[greenrover]

I'm in the market again for a 100 series. I had a 2004 a few years back and loved it. It was totaled in an accident.
I'm looking at a 99 right now, 202k miles, good maintenance with recent timing belt replacement, great shape and I've got the buyer down to $7300.
I was a big fan of the ATRAC system in my 2004 but just realized the 99 doesn't have that but does have a rear factory locker.
Any advice or pros/cons to one over the other? The ATRAC was great in the snow.
Thanks folks.

 

[hickuptruck]

I'm in the camp of ATRAC + VSC.

 

[Cola]

You can always add a locker to atrac after the fact.. can't do the same the other way. My vote: atrac 2003+

 

[03SaharaV8]

I wish I had got a 2004 with AHC... my 2003 has VSC and ATRAC it seems to work very well!

 

[flintknapper]

If you liked the ATRAC in your previous vehicle...then you should probably hold out for another vehicle with that feature. Also, the 99 has a 2 pinion front diff (not a problem when driven judiciously), but some have been known to break.

 

[MongooseGA]

I've followed triple locked 80s doing the same lines in my open-diff, ATRAC equipped LX. I've done better over obstacles than a 3rd Gen T4R with rear locker and no ATRAC.

Really, there hasn't been much ATRAC hasn't taken care of me with, with the exception of high centering. Nothing in the drivetrain can fix that.

Get the ATRAC.

 

[nukegoat]

I'd prefer lockers

 

[MongooseGA]

I'd prefer lockers

As would I, but in comparing a '99 with 2 pinion front diff and a later model with 4 pinion diff and ATRAC, and nothing else being done, the ATRAC truck would be the better choice, IMO. A rear locker alone doesn't help when the rear tires are spinning and the fronts are doing one tire fires.

 

[nukegoat]

As would I, but in comparing a '99 with 2 pinion front diff and a later model with 4 pinion diff and ATRAC, and nothing else being done, the ATRAC truck would be the better choice, IMO. A rear locker alone doesn't help when the rear tires are spinning and the fronts are doing one tire fires.

True

 

[greenrover]

Thanks everyone, appreciate your input.
Think I'll cough up the extra coin for a newer model.

 

[Knowbuddy]

I have both and I would do Atrac 100 percent. It's that good. The only reason I bought a 99 was because it was already built with ARB front and rear bumpers.

 

[l3n0x]

I have a rear locked 100. I like the lockers because when I'm approaching a tricky section I can turn them on and just use the accelerator to get through at a steady speed - very controllable & after a while you pretty much learn the limits. I love it in the mud & sand, as I can hold a steady wheel spin (and utilize the tire thread ejection approach to clear the mud from the tire & have better grip).

That said, I think the ATRAC would be as good as well for most of the normal offroading stuff except for deep mud and sand, and it's probably harder to break something in the driveline with it as well.

Also that said, I had a Defender prior to the 100, and that only had the center locker and nothing else. It got through everywhere during our 2 years together, to be honest, better and way easier than the 100 with 2 lockers do, although by the cost that it was super uncomfortable and unreliable. Although I never cared about it as much as I care about the 100, probably because snapping a shaft cost 1/20 of the price of Toyota parts

(what I'm trying to say is that the 100 isn't the best hardcore offroader in the world, locker or atrac, but it's a very good compromise, as the onroad performance is top notch)

I think both are very capable approaches, and the limiting factor to both is most likely the driver to be honest. If it's an onroad ride 70%, and some not too gnarly offroad (frankly I don't think most of us take our 100's to those), no knee deep sand or mud, the ATRAC probably would be the better choice.