You can only have one: rear diff lock vs 5-speed?

Rear locked automatic vs 5-speed with open rear diff

  • Automatic with rear diff lock

    Votes: 45 56.3%

  • 5-speed with open rear diff

    Votes: 35 43.8%
  • Total voters
    80
  • Poll closed .
Coming from someone who has driven 5 speeds entire life I live my auto. An auto locker is way more capable than open diff and gets my vote. 5 speed on two wheels incline, cliff side and stick is never fun. Lol.
 
I've enjoyed my 5-speed every day for 15 years, and I've never gotten stuck--so I guess I have never needed the e-locker. I admit I didn't know they existed when I bought my truck in '99, or I would have tried to get one as long as it came on a 5-speed, which by itself was hard to find. The 5-speed is more fun. I hate slushboxes.
 
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5 speed and an Aussie locker ;)

I prefer a manual because I can control my shift points, "sense" the road better, feel like an action hero, focus on the terrain ahead to anticipate shifts, and a clutch will generally fail before anything else. Rebuilding an auto is always more expensive than replacing a clutch.

It also inspires a little jealousy with enthusiasts which I'm okay with.
 
TheDurk said:
I've enjoyed my 5-speed every day for 15 years, and I've never gotten stuck--so I guess I have never needed the e-locker. I admit I didn't know they existed when I bought my truck in '99, or I would have tried to get one as long as it came on a 5-speed, which by itself was hard to find. The 5-speed is more fun. I hate slushboxes.
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I would have ordered the e-locker & supercharger if I had known about them in 99.
 
Funny I bet when most people have used the E-locker they didnt even need it. Ive never really been in a situation that I needed a e locker, some times would have made it easier but always had a way over an obstacle with out it.

Ive been sucked into the drool over E-locker many times but its like a super charger. Its more of a cool factor than anything.
 
5-speed. No fun driving without something to do besides press the pedal down.

That I got the locker too was a 150% bonus.
 
I required a 5-speed, the locker was an extra bonus.
I've never owned an AT vehicle, no reason to start now.
The only time I think I really needed the locker was not out in the boonies, but rather in a hillside neighborhood in the L.A metro area where I had backed off the road partially into a ditch.
 
I recently joined the 4x4 t4r scene from years of tuner 6spds and there are moments I wish my t4r was little more peppy, but if I want to be shifting again, I rather it be in a car like the porsche cayman s.

I want my auto t4r locked to drive over stuff.

I am actually looking for a locked rear 4.10 axle to swap it into my t4r. (4.10 cause I don't feel like doing the front diff swap).
 
02SE said:
The 4Runner I ended up with: '97, SR5, V6, 4wd, 5-speed, E-locker, optional Factory Oak leather, Premium sound, larger optional wheels, tires, and brakes.
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latest
 
calimobber said:
Funny I bet when most people have used the E-locker they didnt even need it. Ive never really been in a situation that I needed a e locker, some times would have made it easier but always had a way over an obstacle with out it.
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I can fix that :D. I've never been in a situation where I needed an elocker to get home, I've always had the option of backing off/going around/taking a strap. But I'd be happy to show you a couple obstacles within an hour of Salt Lake that you will definitely need an elocker to get up unassisted.

And it's not always about need, anyway. A truck with a locked diff can crawl some stuff that an open-diffed truck will have to flail at. He might make it, but he's a bunch more likely to break stuff. I'll almost always engage the locker when I'm into serious crawling. It maybe makes me not as technically skilled a wheeler, but it also means I'm much less likely to need to make trail repairs. I hate trail repairs.
 
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I've never had an elocker but had 3 auto runners and didn't like the sluggish feeling at all stock. 4 if I count the 5th gen 4r that pissed me off everytime I had to accelerate up hill entering a highway.

If my plan was to drive it stock I would say auto, but I have a 4r because i want to lift it with big heavy LT tires and I dont like seeing that red AT TEMP light popping on.
 
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I wanted the 5-speed for towing my dirtbike trailer & fishing boat. More control and no worry of temperatures. Also wanted a locker for wheeling. Paid a handsome price to get both.
 
s20004runner said:
I recently joined the 4x4 t4r scene from years of tuner 6spds and there are moments I wish my t4r was little more peppy, but if I want to be shifting again, I rather it be in a car like the porsche cayman s.

I want my auto t4r locked to drive over stuff.

I am actually looking for a locked rear 4.10 axle to swap it into my t4r. (4.10 cause I don't feel like doing the front diff swap).
Click to expand...
I miss my Stage 2 MKV TDI a lot.
It got 45mpg and had 330ft-lbs of torque. 6 speed too :)
Had to trade it in for something cheaper and slower.


If I get this new job I interviewed for yesterday I'll start gathering parts for a 2.0 CR TDI swap.
 
Auto+locker all the way.

Sure manual shifting is fun in the right circumstances, but manual clutches SUCK.

* They suck for towing (Autos have higher towing capacity, all truck towing capacities are rated for Auto because it;s quite a bit higher than a standard clutch allows)

* They suck for hill climbing, rock crawling and tricky offroad situations. (Seen manual users nearly burn their cluctch out on the trail numerous times and have to sit back and wait for it to cool off for 20-30 minutes before continuing. NO THANKS. Not to mention almost always having a much harder time on obstacles than autos)

* They suck for traffic which I drive in every day...

Had manuals all my life till an auto Taco and now my auto 4R and would NEVER go back. The "fun" stops quickly and too often and just becomes a real PITA fast in a lot of situations... In a dune buggy or baja bug racing around the desert and nothing else? Sure. In my 4R? No way.
 
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