Viscous Coupler - Reinstall or Toss?

[bicycleagent003]

I'm regearing my transfer case. My viscous coupler was working fine before I pulled the case apart.
Now that it's sitting on my garage floor, I'm looking at it and thinking I might ditch it.
Thoughts?

 

[Rusty Marlin]

I'll give it a home if you want to "ditch it".

 

[CharlieS]

I've tossed three of them (actually gave them to another mud member). They're useless to me.

 

[COS80]

How can you just "ditch" it?

 

[bicycleagent003]

How can you just "ditch" it?

Inside the transfer case, the VC is retained by a snap ring. One can simply remove the VC and not reinstall it. I've got my transfer case apart, so I could do that if I chose not to reinstall it. Other Mud have described it as optional, though the more I read about it the more likely I am to reinstall mine.

 

[COS80]

Inside the transfer case, the VC is retained by a snap ring. One can simply remove the VC and not reinstall it. I've got my transfer case apart, so I could do that if I chose not to reinstall it. Other Mud have described it as optional, though the more I read about it the more likely I am to reinstall mine.

What's the effect, though? Part-time 4WD?

 

[CrabCake]

I pulled mine recently when doing the part time and under drive gears per @orangefj45 vids (thanks for the great vid series!)...the only noticeable thing that I can see is more of a clunk when shifting gears, especially between R and D (I heard/read that this would happen). Drivability seems absolutely unaffected. That said, I'm a parts hoarder, so I keep all of my spares to revert back to OEM if I wanted to for just the effort of a T-Case rebuild.

 

[DivByZero]

With a centre diff, I see no reason not to keep the viscous coupler. It's helpful for on-road driving and light off-road driving, when there's loss of traction without the centre diff locked. This could be ice or snow, or something as mundane as little water under one wheel when trying to take off from the lights. When you're doing "proper" 4wd and your centre diff is locked, it's not hurting you by being there. I'd keep it. I see absolutely no reason to bin it, and I don't understand why people do.

 

[Malleus]

Everybody's trying to be smarter than the engineers who designed the 80

 

[Outsane]

If you do pull it make sure you have a cdl button installed.

So you can still have 4wd in high range.

Most of the time I am glad I pulled it out, but some times I would rather have the slipping 4wd over locked cdl

 

[bicycleagent003]

In reading other posts on Mud about this, my understanding now is that the VC operates as a limited slip device and transfers power to the non-slipping axle. Locking the CDL accomplishes the same thing, but requires driver input and is not advisable on paved roads. Several people have posted that the VC is particularly useful on icy or slippery paved surfaces, as it helps maintain traction but does not bind the drivetrain as a locked center diff does.
I don't always drive with the CDL locked (I do have a CDL button installed and have done the Pin 7 mod). According to other posts here on Mud that can lead to overheating the VC, so I'll probably start locking the CDL more routinely off-road. I like to have the CDL unlocked in tight turns, as it binds the drivetrain.
So, to sum up, I'm keeping my VC as it works fine. And I'm going to lock my center diff with the CDL button when I'm driving off-road in the future.
I think Toyota got this one right, and I'm sticking with the original design.

 

[OGBeno]

Keep it.

 

[Mark W]

Keep it.

Naw, I say rip it outta there. Personally I am always looking for way to negate the capability and functionality that was designed into my rig for no gain whatsoever. Especially when whatever it is I am disabling and removing has previously proven its worth to me.

Mark...

 

[77mustard40]

Mine was locked up when I received the 80, pulling it was the first thing I did in my attempt to get the 80 road worthy. Took me an afternoon to pull the rear TC cover to yank it, clean everything back up and put it together. Personally I have not missed it at all, but it wasn't working in the first place. Driving with the CDL engaged on slick roads has not been an issue. Your call, you can always yank it later when it fails.

 

[bicycleagent003]

Does anyone know if there's a way to bench test a VC, or repair one that's no longer working?

 

[Marvelicious]

It's one of those parts: if it's working, you don't notice it. That doesn't mean it isn't doing its job!

 

[rebelcruiser]

If you really want to know the difference then leave it out and drive it. Observe differences then either put it on the shelf or put it back in.
Edit to add: IMHO the vc helps moderate the slop in the drive train among the other things it might do. My vc had locked up and the drive train had noticeable binding in it. I removed the locked vc and the binding is gone. I do have more slop in the drive train but have found no issues wheeling or on the road.

 

[clx16]

If it works I would keep it. I liked mine until it didn't work. I believe that the 100 series didn't bother putting one in at all so toyota didn't think people would miss it either.

I would not toss a working one out. I could not turn at all in a parking lot with out squeeking the tires so it had to go.

 

[JoeCova]

Why would you not want an LSD with the option to lock vs an open?

 

[DivByZero]

Why would you not want an LSD with the option to lock vs an open?

Yeah, I wish we had a rear diff with that option in the 80. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.