Winter is here, Auto LSD is too!!!

My fellow tundra owners!!!

I bought a 2020 Toyota Tundra 1794 a couple months ago.

A few days ago it started to snow up here in Minnesota. The first few days were a complete disappointment because I was expecting a 4x4 Off Road beast to do great in the snow.

I was very wrong about that. My truck was spinning it’s back wheels so much that it did not feel safe, so I was naturally started using 4hi which works perfect unless there are dry/clean spots of paved road, and needing to make a turn which happens a lot in my city.

I was driving around and putting my truck in and out of 4hi to get around, felt so clunky and so…. Weird. Especially coming from a 2016 Highlander AWD (which we still own). The Highlander is a dream to drive in the snow.

THENNNNNN, I found about this beautiful amazing button you can push in your truck, which will activate Auto LSD.

We had a fresh coat of snow and pretty icy roada, the conditions that would make my truck spin it’s rear wheels/tires like crazy.

Upon turning in Auto LSD I was honestly expecting nothing, but lonnnng and behold, it worked incredibly well! Now going up a slippery slightly inclined road did not feel unsafe anymore. It felt great and the truck had extremely good traction. I was so impressed!

I was so incredibly disappointed at first with the way my new Tundra behaved in the snow but after this, I have to say that I am incredibly happy with it’s performance. I can turn it on and forget slipping tires and losing traction. It is sooo nice.

I thought I would share because I know that there are a few who were looking for better snow performance. The answer is Auto LSD.

Would be even better if it stayed on even after shutting the truck off, but you, unfortunately, need to turn it on every time you get in the truck. It’s the only downside.

 

Funny I posted a thread this am after doing and feeling the same way. My only question, is it okay to use ALSD for an extended period of time?

Glad it’s working out for you as well.

 

Haha just get snow tires then you can do whatever you want like it’s not winter.

 

I’ve had snow tires, they work great for stopping in icy conditions. But are usually dog shit when there’s the slightest bit of snow, or even starting from a stop. I also live near the mountains and most winter tires I’ve found don’t have enough tread to really drive through 8” of snow in 4x4 during hunting season or getting up to the ski hill.

Trust me I wish it was that easy.

 

Living in northern Minnesota and having owned many trucks, Winter driving is much better with good snow tires and weight in the bed, 4WD is good for taking off from a start but too many people dont realize it does not help you stop

 

Auto LSD just applies the brake to the slipping side, forcing the diff to send power to the traction side.

Now, if one were to install a Torsen-style LSD and pair it with auto LSD, the rear end would be unstoppable with both mechanical and brake LSDs.

When I put a Torsen in my last truck, the literature recommended lightly applying the brakes in an absolute 0 traction situation as it forces the power back to the traction side.

Torsen is amazing over positrac, friction type LSD IMHO, but it does require at least a little traction on both sides or it will be an open diff. The Auto LSD would be a really cool pairing.

 

I think what I currently have is all I really need for my needs. I agree though, sounds like a great idea.

 

This should be etched into the windshield on 4x4 truck…it’s scary how this is a foreign concept to the majority of owners…

 

Hell, I gotta push a button to turn that sh1t off lol

 

Check out GT Radial Icepro LT3’s if you’re not opposed to running 10pr LT rubber. Put a set on this year, best winter traction this truck has had, and they are frigging awesome in the deep / steep stuff.

 

Oh interesting had not seen these before. I am trying out Nokian Hakka LT3s for a similar purpose this winter over Blizzaks which are more of a street snow tire. Jury is still out on the Nokians but they at least start with 17/32nds of tread vs the usual 12/32nds or so. I think studded duratracs would be ideal offroad in the snow but on road handling would be subpar.

 

I ran unstudded Dirtytracs the last 6 winters on this truck, they did the job for being a year-round tire but nothing like these. My last 2 days of hunting, I know I would have had to chain up with the GY’s, 6+ inches on serious grades, and these hardly slipped a wheel.

Got the set from our commercial tire supplier at work, the price was just too good to not try them. Our main tire guy swore buy them, and I can see why.

Those Nokians are nice too, my buddy just put the factory studded ones on his 1 ton. The price though, especially for 6…

 

Thanks for this OP @FrostyTundra22 - I too am new to my Tundra and didn’t really get what AutoLSD was… Perfect timing, I’m about to head out in our first snow (of many) of the season - 6 inches!

Fun fact: VT is #1 in the country for most snowfall per year.

I’ve always loved Blizzaks on our family SUVs and Volvo wagons. Trying General Grabber Arctic XLs on the Tundra this year.

 

Glad to help man! I am sure there are many out there that don’t know about this feature for the snow and use 4hi instead. In my opinion 4hi is for snow covered roads or super icy, but this feature is great for a mix of all of those and driving around the city/freeway/highway/backroads.

 

This video might be a little long-winded but it’s a thorough and definitive explanation of all the different (unnecessarily complicated) driving modes and combinations:

https://youtu.be/0-IiaNoexpM

 

I live in the mountains and would disagree.

 

We get a decent amount of snow in Ohio. Nothing crazy though. Last winter, I had 35k mile tired factory tires on (low tread and needing replaced). I used 4H when needed and never once had an issue with binding.

I could see using Auto LSD to help when in 2H but when 4H is available, send it. I turn on 4H when I need it and on patches where it's dry, I turn it off. Never had any issues with this process. Shouldn't be afraid to use 4H in snow.

There's also a plethora of threads on the 3rd gen page about people having binding issues in 4H. Not sure what all of the new issues are. Mechanical or human error?

 

I think the case people are making is, yeah you can use 4hi in the snow, but when it is dry you need to disable especially if you need to take a turn and still dry in that area, it is a pain to be reaching for the 2wd/4hi. People, me included, want a system that you turn on and forget about it for the length of your drive. Auto LSD does that, if you need 4hi, yeah go ahead and use it which I do, but when there is dry, wet, snowy roads, Auto LSD comes in really handy.

 

I am almost embarrassed I didn’t find out about this sooner. I have added 300lbs of sand in the bed every winter but still in Fargo there are a handful of inclines on my route to work and dropping my daughter off at school that always were a PITA and I’d swap in and out if 4hi for those. Not today!

 

You're not wrong. People want that. Auto 4H would be the best but unfortunately there's not an option. I guess in Ohio, when we have enough snow to use 4x4, we don't have small patches of dry pavement throughout the roads. Roads are either covered or nothing at all besides being wet.

 

You are going to be delighted! Let us know how it goes.

 

Curious what tire you’ve found success with? As @landphil eluded, most snow tires don’t have much tread depth.

Pretty place wherever you’re located.

 

Also curious as to what people think is the right amount of weight to have in the bed. I would guess a hundred pounds of sand, 50 over each wheel would be a good place to start?

ETA putting question in thread on 10 tips for driving in snow as well

 

Some people say no weight is best because of stopping momentum. Others say, they like to have about 300lbs in the bed.

 

I use to be a firm believer in weight in the bed. It does help a little BUT being gentler on the skinny pedal and learning to realize it isn’t race has been far more effective…

Getting passed while doing moderate speeds in the snow doesn’t make one any less of a man/woman. Yes of course too slow can be highly dangerous as well but winning to me equals not getting dead (myself or anyone else) with a unscathed truck…

 

2020 TRD Pro here.

I was aware of Auto LSD, but I've never had the occasion to use it yet. Is it safe to leave on in a mixed bag of snow, ice, and dry pavement?

 

Winter tires and

 

Yes, totally.

The downside relying on any of the traction control modes as opposed to 4wd or better traction ( think tires, weight…), would be accelerated brake wear. The system uses differential braking to reduce wheel spin, or on the case of auto LSD specifically, keep the wheel spin equal side to side.

 

I just took a shot in the dark and bought 5 bags of sand that were 60lbs each at Home Depot.

Might be overkill but it does help on the stock tires in 2WD in my opinion. I’m not concerned about fuel efficiency reduction from the weight. I usually remote start a lot in winter and it’s not going to ever get Prius mileage anyway.

 

Good to know. I have a 20 mile commute to work, with 10 miles of it usually unplowed and nasty when I go to work at O Dark Thirty.