Front Diff Lock 2012 Hilux

If your new Hilux has stability control you will have an open rear diff.....no LSD.

I would always go the advise from your friends, if they say put it in the front..... put it in the front, friends are always right.... even if they are wrong.

Hi Ross & Chris,

Sorry I didn't get back sooner, grandchild baby sitting needed.
My vehicle is an early model Landcruiser and as per usual the rear LSD stopped being effective after about 40,000 k's. I am not sure if the Hilux like yours, which is much newer, has an improved version of their LSD or if they now rely on some form of traction control to assist. The problem with rear LSD type diffs that use spring loaded clutch plates is that even when you are just driving around town, the plates are wearing every time you turn a corner and the wheels are forced to turn at different speeds.
More years ago than I care to think about I worked for a company that fitted Detroit locker (more accurately unlockers) diffs to everything from 10 ton trucks to Landcruiser class vehicles. These diffs worked very well although the early ones did make rather alarming noises as they went about their business particularly on bitumen or any hard surface. I believe the new generation of "soft lockers" work just as well without the noises.
While these units worked well at either end of the vehicle weight scale the lighter ones were a bit "twitchy" on wet or slippery roads.
For that reason I fitted a rear Air Locker to the Landcruiser some 15 or so years ago and since then have done many off road trips including the CSR and Gibb River. So far the only problem I have had is that the smallish compressor died from being asked to inflate to many 4WD size tyres.
I wonder how many failures of Air Lockers can be attributed to drivers waiting until the vehicle looses traction before engaging the lockers and doing so while one wheel is spinning therefor imposing a shock load to the diff as it engages. I guess that is a good reason to fit an automatic locker rather than a manual in the case of inexperienced drivers.
Front or rear locker?? I guess it depends if you get into situations where you need maximum traction to front or rear wheels when you have just one axle fitted out. Going up a steep slippery slope I would rather have the rear locker unless you need to back up.
Sorry if I rambled on too much but hopefully this will be of some use to you.

Cheers
Pop

Toyota LSD's are well know for being useless after awhile. I had 2 hiluxs 89 model and 96 model, i put a Detroit truetrac in the rear of both of them and i never got stuck anywhere on my around oz travels. If i was you id out the locker in the rear.

Just to correct what i wrote, previously, "If i was you, i'd PUT the locker in the rear".

we have decided to go with the e-locker in the front of our new hilux...less moving parts...... as it hopefully wont get used to much...this will make it more durable for us....we have been lucky with our LSD,s in the old one.... we always managed to have them working for us...we changed up to different ratios and diffs about 5 years ago. in the old one when we rebuilt it.....so what we will do with the new hilux ........ is see how the LSD performs with the e-locker in the front .....and go from there.... we are also getting the bullbar and whinch set up to....along with lots of other accessories.

many thanks ross and chris

Hullo Ross and Chris
You might want to keep an eye on the GVM. It is all too easy to inadvertently go (way) over.
Both police and insurance companies are taking an increasing interest re this issue.
Cheers
Andrew