Anyone running a Tru-Trac in the rear?

2ndhandyotaman

2ndhandyotaman

Member
Just curios if anyone is actually using one of these diffs in the rear? I know that the holy grail is a factory e-locker but I'm also open to the idea of a LSD diffy for trail use. I'll probably never go any place that I would NEED a full locker and I could care less about bragging "rights" ( pi&&ing contests), I'm more interested in functionality. I'm reading about the Andy mod to disable the traction control because it apparently is a PIA and works against you.
 
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If you drive the 4R on the street a lot a drop in locker will require you to change your driving habits a little so you do not go through tires faster than normal. I have a Spartan locker in my '87 4Runner and love it for trial use. It provides great power delivery, is not real loud, and requires very little maintenance. As much as I like it I would not use it in my daily driver; my '01 4Runner. Open diffs and LSD are best for street use.

The factory e-locker is an good upgrade; but if I had the money and did not find a sweet deal on my factory locker I would have saved up for an ARB locker. They are much stronger than the factory e locker, the air compressor is useful in other ways, and a spare 3rd is much easier to locate than the e locker housing.

As for the Andy mod - it is worth the time to set it up on a switch if you spend any time in loose traction areas.
 
I have a Tru-Trac in my rig and it's great! I don't do any rock crawling or any hardcore off roading but I do take it on several miles worth of hunting trails in northern Wisconsin. In several areas, I used to have to put it in 4wd to make it by. Now with the Tru-Trac, I rarely if ever need 4wd at all.

Still haven't driven it in the snow yet but I'm sure it will be fine. I know you need to be a little careful on the throttle while turning with a LSD.

From everything I've read, the Eaton Tru-Trac is supposed to be among the best, if not the best, LSD you can buy.
 
I too am looking to buy a torsen diff for the rear, too much work to putting in an e locker, those ratcheting diffs make trucks drive awful. I may put a yukon or spartan locker in the front, just for true 4x4.
 
I have a TrueTrac in the rear of my truck as well. It works great on and off road. It's a great compromise between open and a full locker and gives you functionality for 100% of the mile you drive rather than the 0.01% driven offroad.

But if you plan to lift tires crawling rocks, get a full locker.
 
2nd gen with 3rd gen engine and I just installed the TrueTrac in the back. I was all on board with retrofitting for a Toyota Elocker but cringed at the idea of irreversibly altering the axle housing. (Plus a fair amount of wiring and switches to get it all anal-retentivity "factory" completed as I'd like to)

TrueTrac has been great so far. If I had a bigger budget I would have gone with a Harrop elocker. Simple power/ground design, and only have to drill a hole in carrier case, not alter the axle housing.

It all depends on goals and use.. Seems the more goodies you have, the more trouble you find yourself.
 
I also have a trutrac it’s great on the street.
It kinda acts like a lsd.
If I lift a tire up it spins untill I pull the ebrake, then it locks up.

I plan on going with arbs when I upgrade axles.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP, you answered your question when you said you don't 100% need a locker. An independent study found that the true trac had a failure rate of something crazy like 8 times less likely than the next best drop in LSD. They have springs instead of clutches, therefore no parts to wear out and no parts needing rebuilding like others after x-amount of miles.

I will mimic the others above. If you get in rocks where you are constantly hanging one tire, remember it is like an LSD, not a true locker. In the mud, snow, sand, where you can mostly maintain both wheels down, it acts like a locker.
I had one installed in my old f150 and I almost didn't need 4x4 In most situations that would require it. I backed down in this swamp of a ditch and pulled out the new Holland that one of my employees buried. Never used 4x4, just a slight slip and true trac acted like a locker with perfect power distribution (the brand new 34" Toyo MTs helped but I was still thoroughly impressed)
ce88a645ddb42834e275d835bfb9c300.jpg
2ddf67b492f723a03e8c290f38b69888.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
snow junky said:
I also have a trutrac it’s great on the street.
It kinda acts like a lsd.
If I lift a tire up it spins untill I pull the ebrake, then it locks up.

I plan on going with arbs when I upgrade axles.
Click to expand...
Why does everyone say it is "kinda like an LSD"???

It IS an LSD.

Specifically, a gear-type LSD. (as opposed to a clutch-type or a viscous type)

I don't have experience with an Eaton TrueTrac yet, but I do have a Toyota OEM Torsen (same technology) in the rear of my Alltrac Camry. On the street it is completely transparent in operation. And makes for fun donuts in the winter when you apply a bit too much power. :D

-Charlie
 
phattyduck said:
Why does everyone say it is "kinda like an LSD"???



It IS an LSD.



Specifically, a gear-type LSD. (as opposed to a clutch-type or a viscous type)



I don't have experience with an Eaton TrueTrac yet, but I do have a Toyota OEM Torsen (same technology) in the rear of my Alltrac Camry. On the street it is completely transparent in operation. And makes for fun donuts in the winter when you apply a bit too much power. :D



-Charlie
Click to expand...



I allways called it a spiral gear locker. It’s not like a lsd imo because if I have a tire in the air, I can pull the ebake then it locks up and spins both tires. I wouldn’t choose it for rock crawling but it’s great for anything els.
 
Good to hear feedback from folks that actually have one in their 'runner. I can't see anything in my future that would have me pushing this truck past the limits of the stock suspension and stock size tires. I've had 4x4's in the past with everything from HD Eaton "brute strength" clutch type LSD's to A Yota with a TRD racing 'posi' to an old F350 with a Detroit Locker in the rear. My last WJ had Quadra-drive axles swapped in by me, that system was honestly a very good system. It was seamless and had no negative driving "quirks", so I want something similar to that system.
 
So who wants to trade their Trutrac for my e-locker? I hate that stupid thing. It’s never there when I need it.
 
snow junky said:
I allways called it a spiral gear locker. It’s not like a lsd imo because if I have a tire in the air, I can pull the ebake then it locks up and spins both tires. I wouldn’t choose it for rock crawling but it’s great for anything els.
Click to expand...
Detroit Trutrac Differential, Helical Gear Limited Slip Differential - Vehicle - Eaton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torsen

There is a maximum amount of torque transfer (as a torque bias ratio) that happens with any helical gear LSD - so it never truly locks the differential. Under torque load with wheel speed differential, it will try to transfer the maximum torque until the wheel speed matches - so in some cases it does act like a locker.

-Charlie
 
phattyduck said:
Why does everyone say it is "kinda like an LSD"???

It IS an LSD.

Specifically, a gear-type LSD. (as opposed to a clutch-type or a viscous type)

I don't have experience with an Eaton TrueTrac yet, but I do have a Toyota OEM Torsen (same technology) in the rear of my Alltrac Camry. On the street it is completely transparent in operation. And makes for fun donuts in the winter when you apply a bit too much power. :D

-Charlie
Click to expand...

How about Powertrax replacement locker-spider gear? It's a retrofit locker option you can install in your drive way with zero adjustment (if you document and put it back together the right way)

I've never run one, but they are about $300 shipped for 3rd gens
 
octanejunkie said:
How about Powertrax replacement locker-spider gear? It's a retrofit locker option you can install in your drive way with zero adjustment (if you document and put it back together the right way)

I've never run one, but they are about $300 shipped for 3rd gens
Click to expand...
Sounds like that is the family of "lunchbox" lockers. Upside = cheap and easy to install. Downside = they are ratcheting lockers... so, lots of odd behaviors on the street.

-Charlie
 
phattyduck said:
Sounds like that is the family of "lunchbox" lockers. Upside = cheap and easy to install. Downside = they are ratcheting lockers... so, lots of odd behaviors on the street.

-Charlie
Click to expand...

I'd love to hear from someone that had/has this, but I agree it might be a bit unwieldy and noisy
 
octanejunkie said:
I'd love to hear from someone that had/has this, but I agree it might be a bit unwieldy and noisy
Click to expand...



I had a lunchbox locker on front and rear of a old runner


The clicking and lockup didn’t bother me at all. The front was basically a full spool.
Only problem was they fail and wear out alot


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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