Purpose of rear locker in 4wd only?

[LincolnSixAlpha]

I think it's a risk management feature. Most of the traction control systems that are on especially the newer Toyotas are so incredibly well designed they all but make the utility of a locker pointless.

I think I could fully agree with you. I live in Arizona and have over 15K miles racked up in Offroad miles. Now granted 99% of those are in my SxS, but I have done maybe a thousand in my previous '18 Jeep Rubicon, and a little in this new Tacoma. I also have a '97 Jeep TJ, but don't Offroad it much but do enjoy driving it from time to time. That said, I think I've probably used a locker once or twice in all of those miles. Beyond that they are really only useful if your rock crawling. Something I have little to no interest in anyhow. Heck, my SxS has limited slip diff's plus electronic 4WD, and I barely use that. Personally I've used 4WD more offten when I lived back east and that was only to get through the snow. Rarely is it needed in off-roading save for muddy, or very slippery conditions. Not like we're getting much snow in the valley anyhow!

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[WhiskeyTallwood]

I think I could fully agree with you. I live in Arizona and have over 15K miles racked up in Offroad miles. Now granted 99% of those are in my SxS, but I have done maybe a thousand in my previous '18 Jeep Rubicon, and a little in this new Tacoma. I also have a '97 Jeep TJ, but don't Offroad it much but do enjoy driving it from time to time. That said, I think I've probably used a locker once or twice in all of those miles. Beyond that they are really only useful if your rock crawling. Something I have little to no interest in anyhow. Heck, my SxS has limited slip diff's plus electronic 4WD, and I barely use that. Personally I've used 4WD more offten when I lived back east and that was only to get through the snow. Rarely is it needed in off-roading save for muddy, or very slippery conditions. Not like we're getting much snow in the valley anyhow!

I don't have quite the off-road miles you do under my belt. But I had a Wrangler Rubicon for four years and did my fair share of off-roading. The only two times I ever engaged the lockers was at the Jeep Adventure Academy when they had us climbing a wet-rocks obstacle get out of a creek about 1.5 ft deep that we'd been driving through.

Other than that, I never encountered an obstacle where just engaging 4WD couldn't get me through it.

 

[Vidman]

Most people don’t have a clue how to drive a vehicle with a locker especially on the street when it’s slippery, they would be in the median or in the trees.. it is an art to perfect driving with a locker

 

[dunder]

I drive in 2wd on the trail or in the snow until I pretty much can’t. At that point, I’ll put it in 4wd. If I get stuck due to a lack of traction in 4wd, then I’ll go to 4lo and use the locker. For example, last week we got a few inches of snow. I didn’t have any major traction issues, so 2wd was enough for me on snow covered roads. It also helps to have new tires.

 

[tacorancher]

I drive in 2wd on the trail or in the snow until I pretty much can’t. At that point, I’ll put it in 4wd. If I get stuck due to a lack of traction in 4wd, then I’ll go to 4lo and use the locker. For example, last week we got a few inches of snow. I didn’t have any major traction issues, so 2wd was enough for me on snow covered roads. It also helps to have new tires.

That’s my style too. Go until you need to use an off-road feature. I use my locker on a somewhat regular basis. The use case for me is almost always a steep grade on a trail or property with loose rock where 4LO alone isn’t getting the job done because of uneven torque distribution. The locker pretty much gets me up anything. I love all the features these trucks have but man, a Tacoma with basic 4WD and a locker can get you pretty much anywhere you need to go.

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