Elocker vs LSD vs AirLocker

I'm planning on re-gearing within the next 6 months. I figured while I'm in there I can get lockers installed. What are everyone's thoughts on an Elocker vs LSD vs AirLocker? I do occasional off-roading but I also use my truck for general transportation and highway driving as well. Thoughts?

I have a '17 TRD PRO crew max running on 315/70/18

 

My personal preferences would be E locker over Air locker since a pinched air line in the diff can make it not functional. I’d go with a Powertrax LSD for more bias toward on-road driving than off-road. Locker for more strictly off-road if you’re truly using it on trails. The ultimate setup IMO is a Powertrax in the rear and an E locker in the front if possible.

 

"occasional off-roading" as in, offroading that may get you stuck with stock open diff and traction control? May not need to change the carrier at all. Elocker is the ultimate but sounds like it may not be necessary for your needs.

 

Whatever you do, make sure the individual does a test fit with the axle splines prior to building up the assembly. I have been reading that there have been some issues with regards to fitment, not sure if it is diameter or spline orientation related, probably misaligned splines. Not good to get the assembly built and then find out one or both axles won't slide into the splines.

 

Exactly. No matter the brand. Pull out the axles. Test fit into the carrier. If good, continue the job as normal.

 

Are you referring to Elockers or any of the three listed here?

 

See post #5, regardless of the equipment, make sure the axle splines align and fit prior to assembly.

 

Also depends on altitude of where you'll use it off-road. I've read several stories of people that couldn't get their air locker to engage at higher altitudes because the air is thinner and their compressors couldn't build up enough pressure to engage

 

I would respectfully disagree with this statement and line of thinking. Air compressors work just fine at altitude, they just take a little longer to build pressure due to the lower air density. But a properly function compressor will have no problem building the same pressure needed to actuate the lockers at all habitable altitudes. There were certainly other issues unrelated to altitude with actuating those air lockers. They don't actively use air CFM like an airtool the requires the compressor to continuously pump CFM, but they do require a specific minimum pressure to activate.

As to the OP's original question: lockers suck on pavement; they rule off pavement. Limited slips are great on pavement; they are ok off pavement and can be better than a locker in some situations (yes, I know, I'm gonna catch flack for that comment. but how well does a locked vehicle want to to make turns on slick or icy off-camber roads? They don't. At all. So you have better control with a limited slip or even an open differential). LSDs are going to be kind to parts. Lockers are not kind to any parts. Selectable lockers only work when you purposefully turn them on, and you really only turn them on in extreme off road situations, but never at high speeds and rarely around town. Limited slips are ALWAYS working, including high speed, around town, and in all off road situations.

How much time do you anticipate spending off pavement in situations where you absolutely need maximum traction to continue forward movement such as deep mud, deep snow, steep rocky and rutted slick hillclimbs, or rock piles? Could those situations be overcome with moderate momentum or wheel speed? Are you willing to fork out mucho bucks for something that you will rarely use? Or would you rather pay less money for something that you will use everyday, with the downside being you MAY not get as far offroad on that rare occasion that better tires, factory traction enhancement, or liberal application of the skinny pedal won't suffice?

I love spending time off pavement, but spend much more time on road. But I still really wanted a locker for the "better traction in low traction situations". Yet the limited slip was a much better solution for me and I haven't regretted it. I've pushed through enough fresh powder that I couldn't open my door; slogged up and down muddy, rutted two track trails deep enough to drag the differential right down the middle of the tracks, and climbed low speed, dry, gravelly tracks that I'd rather be on with an ATV. I spend several months a year on snowy, icy roads and the LSD works and helps in ALL of these situations, including dry pavement. But what you need and want are up to you.

 

This is great info. Thank you. With that, what brand LSD do you recommend for our trucks?

 

Has anyone who wants an e-locker thought about putting 2022 axles on gen 2.5? I mean they come with a locker and different gearing which in theory should improve gas mileage as well.

Just a thought.

 

Would take a bit of fabrication to accept leaf springs, presumably different shock mounts, front diff re-gear, and you'd need to have two spares for different lug count. Seems like a lot more work than just installing a locker in a 2.5 gen axle.

 

True, I am just curious if the fuel savings would justify the effort. Plus you get an e-locker for your services.

 

If it was possible, I think such tall gearing paired with transmission ratios designed around a 4.30 rear would make for pretty abysmal power to the ground and probably not help efficiency anyway.

 

Get a locker only if you intend to purposely use it rather than have it as an emergency only tool. I use my locker a lot but the reality is 99% of my truck’s miles are on road miles.

If you do get a locker (do it) get an E locker cuz seal replacement sucks on air lockers. Do not get a front locker unless you’re willing to spend extra dough - on everything else but the locker

 

I went with an Auburn Pro because, well, it was the only option available at the time. It uses cone clutches instead of flat disk clutches which gives you a higher torque bias and better (me being subjective) engagement than disk types. But they are not user serviceable; if you wear it out, you can’t rebuild it at home. Auburn has/had a replacement program called DREX for the first 4 or 5 years to alleviate this issue in case you burn it up.

There is now a torsen type worm gear LSD available for the truck made by a few MFG’s. Nitro, Grip Rite (I think), and Harrop make a version. I probably would have opted for one of these were it available simply because they don’t have clutches to wear out and their behavior is a little different. However, I have over 100k miles on my Auburn unit and it still works great. It requires diff oil changes at 30 k miles with two bottles of friction modifier but that’s ok with me. I don’t do dry pavement burnouts just to make sure it can draw parallel lines, but I do get sideways on icy and snowy roads on purpose. A lot. And donuts? Pretty much every time there’s an empty parking lot and the kids are in the back seat we make donuts. It’s been rock solid so my opinion has changed about it and I have no qualms with recommending it. I do think that the torsen type is better offroad where you think you might be so spinning wheels a lot. But you must have some traction to both wheels or it does not work at all (you can use the parking break truck in some situations).

 

For just moderate off-roading and mostly on road LSD is certainly the way to go.
In all honesty that is Toyotas greatest flaw in these trucks.
They should never have done the electronic autoLSD system and given us a true LSD.

 

I agree with @Black that Toyota should have given us a true LSD. However, the AutoLSD is/can be a useful feature. I still use it occasionally even with the auburn. It helps increase the bias of the mechanical unit. Without the auburn it has been helpful for things like ditch crossings in 2wd. It is not, however, useful for heavy throttle anything..

 

Yep dealing with a bad seal on pops air locker in the rear. Heard a few people say the locker doesn’t like the fluid and eventually goes bad. Hard to believe that one. For reference he’s got arb lockers

 

It is certainly better than nothing, I’ll give them that.
But the fact that you have to turn it on and it is only in 2wd are big limiters on the point of an LSD.