I don't know if there has been a thread about this or not but I'm curious how many people on here own a 3rd gen 4runner none locked with auto tranny. Also how do you like it if you off road in it. Have you been stuck ? Do u enjoy driving it ? When I bought my 4runner I didn't even know they came with elockers, I knew they came 5speed but it was so so hard to find one in my budget and a clean one let alone with a locker. So I own a 97 , barley any rust, clean body , clean interior and it's none locked and auto. And personally I love my 4runner. I love driving it everyday. I take care of it as much as I can. Change oils every 3k miles, keep my interior FRESH, wash the outside when it gets dirty. Yet sometimes I sit and wonder if I'm feeling left out without the manual tranny or elocker. Sometimes I feel like damn i rushed to quick. But the other half is like. You know what I'm happy with that I got. It's reliable it's clean it drives it has 4wd.
how many people own none locked, auto tranny t4r
- Thread starter kolelt
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Interesting... Yours is auto?
Personally as much as I'd like 5 speed or a elocker or both together. I can't complain about my ride. I have a jdm motor in it with 60k miles and 180k on frame and I'm planning to keep it till the wheels fall of. It's my DD and everytime I sit in it, it puts a smile on my face. I guess you can't have it all. But my plans for later are to either get a elocker or a arb locker. For the 5 speed I willl prob never swap it unless my tranny dies and unless it's easy to swap. Otherwise I'm feeling good. So I guess I shouldn't feel really left out ?.
Personally as much as I'd like 5 speed or a elocker or both together. I can't complain about my ride. I have a jdm motor in it with 60k miles and 180k on frame and I'm planning to keep it till the wheels fall of. It's my DD and everytime I sit in it, it puts a smile on my face. I guess you can't have it all. But my plans for later are to either get a elocker or a arb locker. For the 5 speed I willl prob never swap it unless my tranny dies and unless it's easy to swap. Otherwise I'm feeling good. So I guess I shouldn't feel really left out ?.
JamesDean91
New member
Mines auto and when I wheel with my group its kind of a game to see how far we can go in 2wd unlocked then if we need 4wd how far we can keep going once we can't go any further that's usually when I lock my locker in to turn my butt around.. It is very nice but makes me a little cocky sometimes and I've been stuck very bad before and even if I was locked front and rear I wouldn't of gotten out.. I love my auto offroad BTW prefer it over my old 5 speed 1st gen runner.
tyr0981
New member
2000 SR5 with an Auto trans, i personally think it's better than a manual, steep inclines are easier, never have stalled it ever, towing is simpler, don't have to pull the trany out and replace a clutch every ~100k miles.... I've owned several manual car's and learned how to drive on an 84 F150 4 speed, manuals have very little advantage in off-road driving i think. Just the other weekend i "rocked" my way out of being "stuck" in a ditch i couldn't see under the snow, left it in drive almost the whole time and was out in no time!
I DO WANT a rear locker though, think that'd help me in lots of situations where it's a "one tire fire" that isn't helping, prolly going to do an Ausie locker, 250$ vs 1k$ plus PER AXLE for pneumatic) reviews of ACTUAL owners are excellent! not too sure how towing will be with one though...
I DO WANT a rear locker though, think that'd help me in lots of situations where it's a "one tire fire" that isn't helping, prolly going to do an Ausie locker, 250$ vs 1k$ plus PER AXLE for pneumatic) reviews of ACTUAL owners are excellent! not too sure how towing will be with one though...
snivilous
Senior Member
I drive an automatic 01 unlocked. It's boss and I go wheeling about 2-3x a week. Been stuck a lot, but more often I'm recovering other guys. I have traction control which obviously isn't as good as being dual locked but it does work all things considering, I have clearance issues before I have traction issues 98% of the time.
Can you give more details on ausie locker ? Where do u get one ? How does it work ? Ausie vs elocker ? Is it fir front or rear ? Makes me feel more confident that there's people not stressing about none locked auto 4runners. I guess it does have to do a lot with the driver when off roading. I heard you can use supras LSD in our 4runner also.
Auto with open diffs here. I'd love to have a locker, but I haven't run into any situations where I absolutely needed it yet. If you're ever in a situation where 1 wheel is breaking traction or airborne, try giving throttle while slightly applying the brakes. This has worked well for me in the past. It'll help reduce the wheelspin and transfer some more power to the wheel with traction.
BlackCat914
New member
Auto non-locked 97 here. Been stuck once, but still would've been stuck even if it had a locker. Sure, it'd be nice to have, but in the 2 years I've had the truck, I can't think of a single time a locker would've saved me from a hairy situation.
Skidmarcx
New member
Auto non locked here... Been stuck a few times that probably could've been avoided had I chosen a different line... I plan on getting at least a rear locker, but I'm in no hurry for it... Though there are situations that warrant using one I think not having one to begin with forces you to make better decisions rather than flip a switch and move on...
jgue467
Senior Member
Well it has the
center diff lock, Yes I know for you rear and/or front elocker folks - "its not a Real locker" well I don't think toyo would have made it if it doesn't help somewhat-maybe not as 'good' as yours but it can help if used properly.
Bottom line, yes got stuck Once, was my fault I didn't engage the center locker until I was already pretty close if not already stuck. Main thing of course is to be aware of your situation so you don't continue trying to push forward and get yourself stuck even deeper. Oh, yeah and always take a shovel and wear long rubber boots!
So I guess the rear locker guys would say I don't have a locker and that's fine, I don't think I'll ever need/want a rear locker but ya never know. Don't miss it, don't really "wheel", mine too is a DD and believe it or not I have choices. I also have a Porsche 911, I actually enjoy driving my tr4 more!
I do ride offroad virtually every weekend + quad too. Below are pics of area where I wheel, about 1700 acres along the pedernales river just west of Johnson city, tx. As you can see the terrain various quite a bit and the 4rnr goes just about everywhere the quads can go (always take a brush pruner tool with ya!). I run over cactus left and right, woohoo! :reddance:
center diff lock, Yes I know for you rear and/or front elocker folks - "its not a Real locker" well I don't think toyo would have made it if it doesn't help somewhat-maybe not as 'good' as yours but it can help if used properly.
Bottom line, yes got stuck Once, was my fault I didn't engage the center locker until I was already pretty close if not already stuck. Main thing of course is to be aware of your situation so you don't continue trying to push forward and get yourself stuck even deeper. Oh, yeah and always take a shovel and wear long rubber boots!
So I guess the rear locker guys would say I don't have a locker and that's fine, I don't think I'll ever need/want a rear locker but ya never know. Don't miss it, don't really "wheel", mine too is a DD and believe it or not I have choices. I also have a Porsche 911, I actually enjoy driving my tr4 more!
I do ride offroad virtually every weekend + quad too. Below are pics of area where I wheel, about 1700 acres along the pedernales river just west of Johnson city, tx. As you can see the terrain various quite a bit and the 4rnr goes just about everywhere the quads can go (always take a brush pruner tool with ya!). I run over cactus left and right, woohoo! :reddance:
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paddlenbike
Member
I have a supercharged 5-speed with e-locker and you know what...when I drive a regular auto 3rd gen it's still a really awesome vehicle. If you have a clean rig you like, just enjoy it. An e-locker can be added later if you NEED it, but I would say 95% of people on this forum like knowing they have it but don't need it.
Aznwolf118
Member
Get the cleanest well maintained one. Learn with it, build it to your driving style and needs.
I wheeled my 2002 sport with open diffs and found it's short comings.
The stock unlocked rear will get you to a lot of places. It's more skill
And correct lines than anything else.
That being said after I got stuck a few times I got dual arb's.
It makes the 02 have multi mod 4wd, front/rear arb locker, and a factory center diff locker. Only thing I am on fence about is the manual hub conversion.
Lockers weren't to important for me at first, I built skill and found the 4runners limits with open diffs. And it still surprises me how well it does still, so the lockers act like insurance and piece of mind, and if the lockers don't give you the little nudge you needed, your stuck real good.
I wheeled my 2002 sport with open diffs and found it's short comings.
The stock unlocked rear will get you to a lot of places. It's more skill
And correct lines than anything else.
That being said after I got stuck a few times I got dual arb's.
It makes the 02 have multi mod 4wd, front/rear arb locker, and a factory center diff locker. Only thing I am on fence about is the manual hub conversion.
Lockers weren't to important for me at first, I built skill and found the 4runners limits with open diffs. And it still surprises me how well it does still, so the lockers act like insurance and piece of mind, and if the lockers don't give you the little nudge you needed, your stuck real good.
Exactly what I was thinking also. Thanks man. It's interesting also to hear that people with elockers barley use them.
