Trying to understand center diff. vs. rear vs. front lock

[manofthewoods]

you mean this thing?
View attachment 3198737
LOL. I've only owned my 200 for 7 years. Haven't had a chance to figure it all out yet... I'm going to go out and look for all the other buttons I no longer see or have never used. Next your going to tell me I have 4LO...

yippee!
you found it
now you can call it a day!

 

[NYC570]

Still surprised the Taco couldn't sort this test. The earlier gen 100-series with ATRAC could handle this, and I have no doubt the 200-series ATRAC could do it as well. Maybe the Taco system is different or it has to be engaged in some way?

Do we have ATRAC in our 200s? In the Tacoma you can have either ATRAC or crawl control with MTS but not both. Does the 200 series control wheel spin offroad even without turning anything on or going 4lo? The 4runner can be equipped with all (ATRAC, crawl control and MTS) and has dedicated buttons for each.

 

[TeCKis300]

Do we have ATRAC in our 200s? In the Tacoma you can have either ATRAC or crawl control with MTS but not both. Does the 200 series control wheel spin offroad even without turning anything on or going 4lo? The 4runner can be equipped with all (ATRAC, crawl control and MTS) and has dedicated buttons for each.

Ah, so the 4Rs and Taco's do work differently. Wonder if it's because we're full time 4WD, and they are part time?

Yes, we definitely have ATRAC and it is by default always watching for slip and ready to grab brake on a spinning wheel. Along with the other selectable advanced functions.

 

[NYC570]

Ah, so the 4Rs and Taco's do work differently. Wonder if it's because we're full time 4WD, and they are part time?

Yes, we definitely have ATRAC and it is by default always watching for slip and ready to grab brake on a spinning wheel. Along with the other selectable advanced functions.

Great, next time I'm out I'll try to lift up a wheel or two while in normal mode to see how aggressive it is. I like the way it's done in the 4runner since it has dedicated buttons for each traction aid.

 

[lx200inAR]

Ah, so the 4Rs and Taco's do work differently. Wonder if it's because we're full time 4WD, and they are part time?

Yes, we definitely have ATRAC and it is by default always watching for slip and ready to grab brake on a spinning wheel. Along with the other selectable advanced functions.

I’m fairly sure 4Runners come in different flavors depending on packages. Limiteds in this gen are FT 4WD, and I know the V8s in the prev gen were as well.

I think Tacomas just come in varying degrees of aids to the same center diff. Edit: transfer case.

 

[TeCKis300]

I’m fairly sure 4Runners come in different flavors depending on packages. Limiteds in this gen are FT 4WD, and I know the V8s in the prev gen were as well.

I think Tacomas just come in varying degrees of aids to the same center diff.

Makes sense. Interestingly, GXs in the states don't come with ATRAC. The community figured out how to add the ATRAC module and it integrates seamlessly.

I don't think Taco's have a center diff? Only locked 4x4 function?

 

[lx200inAR]

Makes sense. Interestingly, GXs in the states don't come with ATRAC. The community figured out how to add the ATRAC module and it integrates seamlessly.

I don't think Taco's have a center diff? Only locked 4x4 function?

Your right, I should have said t-case..

 

[manofthewoods]

Great, next time I'm out I'll try to lift up a wheel or two while in normal mode to see how aggressive it is. I like the way it's done in the 4runner since it has dedicated buttons for each traction aid.

well...
not to toot my own whistle - well actually I am I just posted this; good for some light reading

Complete table of 200 series traction control options - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/complete-table-of-200-series-traction-control-options.1301277/

 

[CharlieS]

Makes sense. Interestingly, GXs in the states don't come with ATRAC. The community figured out how to add the ATRAC module and it integrates seamlessly.

I don't think Taco's have a center diff? Only locked 4x4 function?

I can't say anything universally, but the TRD Offroad Tacoma I had came with center diff lock, and a rear e-locker, in addition to selectable 4wd.

 

[MikeVpdx503]

My 2017 Taco TRD Off Road did not have center diff lock. It did have Trac off, VSC off and Auto LSD available in 2WD & 4Hi and in addition to those options, had rear locker & MTS/CRAWL in 4Low only. ATRAC is always on in the Taco when in 4Hi or 4Low so no button to push like in the 4Runner.

 

[NYC570]

My 2017 Taco TRD Off Road did not have center diff lock. It did have Trac off, VSC off and Auto LSD available in 2WD & 4Hi and in addition to those options, had rear locker & MTS/CRAWL in 4Low only. ATRAC is always on in the Taco when in 4Hi or 4Low so no button to push like in the 4Runner.

They must have change stuff around over the years. At least in the 2023 TRD pro, ATRAC isn't always on, and you either have ATRAC or crawl control with MTS but not both in the other models.

 

[manofthewoods]

My 2017 Taco TRD Off Road did not have center diff lock. It did have Trac off, VSC off and Auto LSD available in 2WD & 4Hi and in addition to those options, had rear locker & MTS/CRAWL in 4Low only. ATRAC is always on in the Taco when in 4Hi or 4Low so no button to push like in the 4Runner.

I have a '13 TRD OR as well. I'm pretty sure there is some confusion between a transfer case and a center differential. I don't recall ever hearing that Tacoma's had a center differential (i.e., a TORSEN) because then they would have been "full time 4WD" and advertised as such. Mine has a standard transfer case. 2WD, or "locked" when in 4Hi and same with 4Low. As a contrast my '97 LX450 is full time 4WD because it does have a center differential, albeit not a TORSEN. It uses a viscous coupler to make sure that driveline windup is properly managed. A transfer case that is in 4WD (high or low) doesn't have any mechanical systems in place for driveline windup, which is why they are not supposed to be used when on dry pavement (i.e., excellent traction). People who use 4WD on dry pavement risk serious risk to themselves and others, and, will prematurely expose their driveline to failure. As a side note, I seem to recall that some 4 Runners were offered with a TORSEN CD, so those can't be used as an example for Tacomas (someone can correct me if I'm wrong).

 

[CharlieS]

Mine was a 2008, and I could easily be wrong.

Having a center differential doesn't mean it is a Torsen. A center differential is just the way power gets split between the front and rear driveshafts. Said another way, having a center locker is not dependent on having a torque sensing differential.

 

[manofthewoods]

Mine was a 2008, and I could easily be wrong.

Having a center differential doesn't mean it is a Torsen. A center differential is just the way power gets split between the front and rear driveshafts. Said another way, having a center locker is not dependent on having a torque sensing differential.

True, 80 series cruisers use a viscous coupler in their CD, they also "lock" in 4L which in effect makes them a traditional transfer case.

 

[MikeVpdx503]

They must have change stuff around over the years. At least in the 2023 TRD pro, ATRAC isn't always on, and you either have ATRAC or crawl control with MTS but not both in the other models.

IIRC MTS is just next gen ATRAC. ATRAC utilizes ABS to adjust for traction loss/wheel spin, MTS takes it up a notch with different settings of adjustment for wheel spin in varying conditions. I just meant it is always on once you are in 4Hi/4Lo but not in 2WD. At least that is what I learned on Tacomaworld…but who knows about those guys over there, LOL

 

[bloc]

True, 80 series cruisers use a viscous coupler in their CD, they also "lock" in 4L which in effect makes them a traditional transfer case.

As an example of how useful 4Lo with a non-locked center diff is, one of the first tweaks many 80-series people perform is the "pin 7 mod" that enables 4-lo without locking the center diff.

 

[lx200inAR]

Mine was a 2008, and I could easily be wrong.

Having a center differential doesn't mean it is a Torsen. A center differential is just the way power gets split between the front and rear driveshafts. Said another way, having a center locker is not dependent on having a torque sensing differential.

A differential is a device that allows the two output shafts to rotate at different speeds. You have to have some flavor of center differential (usually as part of transfer case) whether open, LSD clutch style, or LSD Torsen style in order to have FT 4wd (without blowing things up).
PT 4WD vehicles usually only have a transfer case and no means to allow different speeds between the front and rear axles, even if the front and rear axles have open diffs and can function at different speeds.

All that to say, i have no idea what different flavors of 4wd Tacomas come with.

 

[rlynch356]

So.....
From what I am reading here is that there is no solution for the Eaton E-Locker in the front of the 16-21 8-speed 200's..
You have to change the Diff to the older version along with a re-gear..
Is that correct?

Starting to look ahead to some future plans and lockers are on the list.

Side note...

The Tacoma is a part time 4WD transfer case, it does not use a Differential to manage torque split F/R, when engaged it is only 50/50.. Same as a jeep wrangler. A center Differential in a transfer case like we have is different and can Vary the distribution of torque front and rear. I'd have to look it up but I think it was up to 70% rear with the Torsion Diff we have, which also locks into 50/50 split (Center diff lock).

We 200 series owners have a Full time 4WD system. Typically an AWD system is the same but A) has no low range and B) does not have the ability to lock the center diff... (think Subaru here as an example)..

I am still experimenting with the various modes on my truck to see what makes the most sense for each situation.. some more testing coming up in a week on a couple day trip to do the SCAR... I come from a Pure manual background (no driver aids, lockers, manual transmission) so it's a learning curve for me on this truck, like it was the LR3.

 

[skrypj]

Makes sense. Interestingly, GXs in the states don't come with ATRAC. The community figured out how to add the ATRAC module and it integrates seamlessly.

I don't think Taco's have a center diff? Only locked 4x4 function?

GX's have ATRAC, they dont have MTS/Crawl in most cases and that is what people add.

 

[TeCKis300]

GX's have ATRAC, they dont have MTS/Crawl in most cases and that is what people add.

Thanks for the correction. Got my terms mixed up