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ALSD in 4wd on Sport

2

2023TxTaco

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Hi,
Is the ALSD active in 4wd on a 2023 Tacoma Sport 6spd Manual? The ALSD light goes out when switched in 4wd giving me the impression that it's 2 open differentials. Seems backwards, you'd want maximum traction in 4wd. Hitting the button in 4wd, it says TRAC OFF. When TRAC OFF IS not lit, does that mean it's LSDs front and rear, with TRAC off lit that's open differentials?
Thanks
 
the ALSD is the ABS/ TRAC system using your brakes to simulate a Limited Slip Differential. it functions in 2WD and is not related to the locking rear differential.
 
So it's just open differentials front and rear when in 4wd? Can the system be modded to operate in 4wd? That seems backwards when in 4wd, you need maximum traction.
 
they're open unless your truck has a locking rear diff and i don't think the sport came with it. if you have MTS and Crawl control the diff lock button would be up there. the MTS and Crawl work the same way the ALSD does, but in 4wd, by monitoring wheel spin and selectively braking to maintain the best traction. i believe if you don't have MTS or Crawl the system still monitors and controls traction in 4wd unless you manually turn it off. the MTS and Crawl just fine tunes it for specific offroad conditions.
 
First let's understand what four wheel drive is. We'll start with 2 wheel drive. Most have an open differential. That means that the wheel with the least traction has power and will spin if you loose traction. ALSD identifies the slip and brakes that wheel making the other wheel turn. If you added some sort of mechanical locker both wheels would have power regardless of which has traction. If both loose traction you're still stuck.

4 wheel drive just adds a powered axel to the front wheels (assuming rear wheel drive). If both differentials are open and you loose traction you have no wheel drive. The rear acts the same as the above. If you add a locking differential to the front axel you would actually have true 4 wheel drive.

If you get seriously stuck, the very first thing you want to do is turn off the ALSD, MTS or Crawl. These systems can force a loss of power if they thnik the tires are slipping to prevnet over reving.

To put it as plainly as possible, if you want true 4 wheel drive, install manually locking hubs and lockers front and rear. Then never turn on any of the electronic traction controls.
 
2023TxTaco said:
Hi,
Is the ALSD active in 4wd on a 2023 Tacoma Sport 6spd Manual? The ALSD light goes out when switched in 4wd giving me the impression that it's 2 open differentials. Seems backwards, you'd want maximum traction in 4wd. Hitting the button in 4wd, it says TRAC OFF. When TRAC OFF IS not lit, does that mean it's LSDs front and rear, with TRAC off lit that's open differentials?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Agree with Jeepnik. To understand all this, you'll need to study the mechanics of four wheel drive, which isn't actually all four wheels driving 😎.

Nor would you want it to be. Turning would be very difficult, and would eat up tires and wear out or just break drive train parts. The open differentials allow for turning and maneuverability. Look up some YouTube videos, there's quite a lot of data.
 
I understand that. I'm just kinda dumbfounded that a 4x4 Toyota pickup has open differentials without some sort of ALSD on both ends when in 4wd. Can a wire be jumped so I get alsd in 4hi and 4 low?
 
When you switch into 4 low and 4 hi l, the ALSD light goes out, that means ALSD isn't active...right.
 
Any form of electronic traction control is just a feel good device for those that don't understand how a vehicle operates. Take a look at some of the Youtube videos of off road recoveries. Quite often they are 4 wheel drive or all wheel drive with electronc hubs, and traction control.

People buy these things and then based on TV commericals (carefully editied at that) think they can do what a true 4x4 with locking hubs, manual transfer case and true locking differentials can do. They get into trouble and then call for help. One guy quite freqently just gets in and drives the vehicle out of it predicament. Why? Because he understands how they operate and when to use and when to disable all of the modern BS.
 
An update. Did some testing. Went diagonal through a ditch and had one rear spin....hit the auto lsd switch....it walked right out.
Went up a steep hill diagonally up to a dirt road. In 4low TRAC off it bounced a bit until I lifted front passenger side tire, then all forward progress stopped. With one tire in the air and 3 on a steep hill in loose dirt I turned TRAC back on and it climbed up with no issue I'm impressed. Those that say those buttons don't do anything and you have to turn them off to get unstuck...in mud or sand sure. Climbing up a hill, over rocks...not a chance. It literally made a night and day difference...even with the seudo limited slip on both axles.
 
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