Anyone have experience with a Lock Right locker or the Detroit Soft Locker in the rear differential of a 5th gen 4Runner?

I have run a Detroit Locker in the rear and a Lock Right in the front of a 1981 CJ7 years ago. Loved the Detroit Locker but did clunk when making turns (not the newer soft locker version offered today). Front Lock Right apparently was installed with improper clearances allowing the pins to come out of place and jam it in fully locked position. I would not run a front locker again....did not like the fighting it to turn in rocky terrain - might be good in sand and mud.

Concern with the Lock Right is durability and newer Detroit Soft Locker clunking and noise.

For a daily driver, go selectable or just stick the with the traction control. An autolocker isn't as bad in the front, as it's never in use on the street, but in the rear it is a PITA.

ETA: No experience in a 5th gen 4runner, but experience in a couple similar vehicles

I would agree with this, ran detroit lockers (w/ 4.88 gears and 32's!), in my 08 JK six speed. I had no problem with them daily driving in that vehicle but would not do it in my 5th gen because of how I use it. I 2nd the call for selectable locker. On the JK it wasn't unlivable, but I also drive a lot slower and would not want the extra hassle, (especially in parking lots), on the 4runner.

But you have experience running them so you know what you're getting into.

FWIW, the detroit lockers and 4.88 gears with 32's was the most capable machine I've ever wheeled.

Another vote for a selectable locker. I had the locker on when on sand and off camber. The rear will start to slide down due to the locker.

The main reason I lean toward the auto locker in the rear is it's on all the time but does not cause undue stress on the drive train when traction is restored and you are turning. With a selectable locker you must turn it on when you lose traction whereas with the auto locker it does it's thing and you simply keep going and no need to turn it off once traction is restored to avoid excessive stress on the drive train. Since I drive slow on and off road, I never had a problem with the Detroit Locker in the rear of the CJ7....it was noisy around corners on the pavement. With the CJ7 in 2WD and the Detroit in the rear, I could drive some pretty rough stuff without any problem.

The auto locker for me is simplicity at it's best for the greatest capability and no driver input required. I just don't know if the new soft lockers are much better behaved on road than the original Detroit locker was or if the Lock Right locker is dependable enough in a 4Runner.

Don't understand why no one makes a limited slip rear diff unit.?

Apparently that's almost the same for lockers too. I don't own a 4Runner yet, waiting for the 2022 to buy a Limited. Since the Limited is not available with a factory rear locker, I started this thread assuming there was a selection of aftermarket lockers available that would fit a 2022 4Runner, in particular the automatic lockers form Eaton and Power Trax but it appears neither of them offer anything to fit. Looks like ARB offers their air locker. Anyone know of any other lockers, especially automatic lockers that are available for these late year 4Runners?

I've wondered the same thing about a limited slip center diff. Limited's have them, so do many other off roaders like Land Cruisers, Lexus GX, G Wagon, Land Rovers, the new Bronco, etc etc. For what most people do off road, a (lockable) limited slip center diff is more appropriate than a transfer case.

The only reason I can think of why no one makes them on the aftermarket is that there must not be much of a market for them. I'm guessing the same thing applies to limited slip rear diffs.

And the most likely reason Toyota doesn't is that the open diff is cheaper, and traction control is a pretty good substitute for limited slip diffs.

Gives you a good idea of how many people actually use these to go off road.


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The reason that there's no limited slip is because the ATRAC that's standard is better than any limited slip already. So there's no reason to add one.

Id bet that a lunchbox locker for an 8" diff would fit. Carriers are very similar between them. But I don't know for sure without actually test fitting.

I've had a few limited slips including a trutrac which IMO is the best one. IMO even the trutrac is not as good as ATRAC.

Toyota 4runner 5th Generation- Traction and Capability Demo - YouTube

I never understood the complaints about automatic lockers. I had a powertrax lunchbox locker in the back of an automatic XJ on 31s and a Detroit in the back of a manual TJ on 37s and it was by far my favorite upgrade on both. I always found them to be predictable and easily controllable with throttle input. I had reached out to, I believe it was, Marlin Crawler about getting a Detroit put into my 5th Gen and they said they could probably do it, but it would be a custom setup using a similar Toyota application Detroit and special order bearings, AKA not off-the-shelf parts. This is a mod I'm still very interested in doing on my 4Runner as I find the traction control power cut to be borderline dangerous and I don't like the limited use of the factory locker (4Lo only).

Agreed having wheeled with LS in the rear for years, I would take a brake based solution such as ATRAC over LS without it. The main reason is that limited slip really lets you down when you get a wheel in the air.

I first ran in to brake traction control in my 08 JK and was skeptical until I witnessed the brakes start applying on wheels off the ground in order to turn the wheel on the ground.

To really get some people excited you could get a limited slip in a JK which still benefited from the brake lock diff, (still can in the Willys trim). Having wheeled with guys with this set up it was awesome to watch because of how smooth the whole operation was and the fact the brakes had to intervene way later and with less pressure vs the open diffs with brakes only.

Although I love a limited slip unit at the end of the day I understand why Toyota and few other manufacturers, (not counting sports cars), even bother anymore with how good the brake systems have become you can get so much performance and save around $700.00 per unit for another complexity that can wear out.

ATRAC is good, no doubt, but I would still rather have a center diff (limited slip or not) than a transfer case. I (like most people) don't do serious rock crawling. Even when on dirt roads, I can feel the transfer case binding in tight turns. The outside front tire is dragging on the ground, hindering progress and tearing up the trail, and in snow it's probably hurting more than helping. I think this applies to most people.

I was only meaning the axle differentials. Toyota has a whole range of transfer cases in the VF series. Some have center differentials and some don't. Some of them do the full range - 2wd, open center diff, locked 4X4, and low range. They used to offer that in the 3rd gen 4Runner. Not sure why they dropped it. I'm sure swaps could be done, but not sure what cost.

I prefer the 2wd option over the AWD option. But they could just offer both like they did before. In a perfect world: 3 speed transfer case with an ultra low option, AWD, and the ability to disconnect either axle so you could do front digs. But that's not really what the 4r is all about. So it's really unlikely to see that level of off-road feature. Maybe in a bronco or Wrangler.

I don't think they would drop the 2 speed transfer case like GM did with most models of Tahoe and suburban. At that point they'd probably just point to the Highlander as a street oriented SUV that's the same size

Sounds like you need to push the gas down harder and get some oversteer going. ;)