4wd vs. 2wd locked

SoCal

SoCal

New member
I was talking with a buddy today about or rigs and we got discussing who would actually do better off road based purely on my 4runner being 4wd without lockers and his Tacoma 2wd with e-locker. What are your thoughts?

The reason I'm asking is that I would like to get a locker at some point and regear while I'm at it. Getting new gears front and back and an ARB locker for the rear cost a lot all at once so I was thinking maybe just get the rear done then down the road get the front done.

Let me know what you guys think.
 
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4wd will beat a locked 2wd hands down. Low Range. I like to lock the rear and drive in 2wd on the trails a lot and I've found myself in a bunch of spots that I just dig holes with my back tires. 4HI unlocked will usually get me out of those holes.
 
Good question, without an easy answer.
I would say the difference between 2wd and 4wd, in a nutshell, is that you have an additional source of traction, usually a front wheel adding bite about 10 feet in front of the rear wheel in times of limited grip.
In uneven terrain, sometimes even the opposing open differentials can not provide a good bite on the ground. That's where the locked rear will help. Unless you are fully flexed and one the rear wheels loses significant contact with the terrain, you are guaranteed to have two traction points of contact with the locked rear.
I rarely take my truck into situations where maximum traction is required, but even I have experienced conditions where I would be facing a tow if I did not have the RR Diff Lock button on my dash. Would that locked rear have gotten me out of those jams in 2wd? I wouldn't know since I don't have the red/blue wire mod yet, but my guess is I would have been still stuck in the situations I am recalling (deep snow and deep loose sand are two in particular).
 
4x4 unlocked is better than 2wd locked hands down. True in essence you have the same amount of tires putting power to the ground, but having 1 tire upfront pulling and 1 tire pushing is better than having 2 tires pushing.
 
When I first bought my 86 Runner the PO had only regeared the rear diff and put a LSD in it. I drove around like that for a while but once I got the front re-geared to match and could use 4wd it was hands down a lot better. I also drove a reg. cab short bed Chevy 1500 2wd with a locker and went a lot of places my 4x buddies went. However there are trail conditions that would stop me, like a square face ledge/ step. If I could get an angle on it so only one front tire was climbing at a time I could make it. For now I went with an Aussie until I can afford to regear both axles and add ARB's.
 
Where's all of the... it depends on the driver comments. Lol, and it does but strictly speaking in broad terms an open 4x4 will win in the largest amount of circumstances but not every time like others are saying
 
Having power in front pulling and the rear pushing is always going to be more beneficial than just two rears pushing. A lower range gearing is a huge advantage also.
 
well I guess now I have to go prove it when we go on our next trip. I do want to add a locker and regear at some point but it is so expensive to do all at once. What do you think if I bought a complete 3rd member from ECGS with an E-locker Tacoma Elocker 3rd member then do the required moding to get it to fit? I think this would be cheaper than an arb set up and I would have the gears/locker I want.
 
Now you gotta bet him some $$ and challenge him to a wheel off! ECGS is great! Keep in mind you'll still need the elocker electronics and you'll need to wire it all in. I forget who sells the wiring loom but someone will hopefully chime in who knows. URD?
 
Pikeman - Thanks for the link. I wonder for the cost of buying the elocker and having to do the mods to get it to fit if it would be better to just order up gears with an ARB instead? I know it cost more and I would still need to buy the air compressor but it might be worth it if I don't have to cut and weld as much plus I get an air compressor to air up after ridding.
 
Socal, i am kinda at the same point as you. i think saving up and regearing and locking at the same time is probably the best way to go. that way you are only pulling the diffs apart once. also i think the arb is a better way to go, you wont have to mod the axle housing and you will get a compressor to air up your tires with.
as to the locked 2wd versus the open 4wd. i would have to go with the open 4wd. if you use some left food braking you can get your open diffs to act similar to limited slip and get more power to the wheel with traction. obviously you wont get 100% or anything close but it works well when you just need that little bit more to get up on the ledge.
 
99runnerwa said:
if you use some left food braking you can get your open diffs to act similar to limited slip and get more power to the wheel with traction. obviously you wont get 100% or anything close but it works well when you just need that little bit more to get up on the ledge.
Click to expand...

I have three pedals and two feet, I can only do so much. :lookout: J/K I know what you mean, I just haven't had the opportunity to try it out myself.
 
99runnerwa said:
Socal, i am kinda at the same point as you. i think saving up and regearing and locking at the same time is probably the best way to go. that way you are only pulling the diffs apart once. also i think the arb is a better way to go, you wont have to mod the axle housing and you will get a compressor to air up your tires with.
as to the locked 2wd versus the open 4wd. i would have to go with the open 4wd. if you use some left food braking you can get your open diffs to act similar to limited slip and get more power to the wheel with traction. obviously you wont get 100% or anything close but it works well when you just need that little bit more to get up on the ledge.
Click to expand...

Yes definitely better to do them together. There is no extra labor to install a locker when you're already doing the gears, you just pay for the parts (except with an ARB you'd have to pay labor to install the compressor, pipe the locker in and wire it all).
 
Also when you are left foot braking you apply light pressure. Just enough for it to send some power to the other wheel and not enough to stop or stall the vehicle.
 
with the auto i hold about 1500 to 2000 rpm and brake just enough to feel the drag. i was amazed the frist time i tried it
 
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