A few off road questions

[Limo Guy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Limo Guy]

I agree with Simo except for point 9. Too much video of others with one rear wheel in the air failing to go where I have gone with front and rear lockers which suggests otherwise. Oh, and no idea re point 1.

One other quick point after reading all this, be kind to your rig, if you have lockers, use them, centre diff lock, use it when in HL, LL, or normal in a Grande. Look after the rig and it will take you just about anywhere.

With regard to point 1 the Prado 150 has a constant 4wd system that's the reason for a centre diff.
By locking the centre diff it becomes the same as a standard 4wd with a solid link from front to rear.

[Stoo Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Stoo]

I seldom use the centre diff lock, partly because I'm worried I'll accidentally leave it on when I get back onto tarmac and start shredding tires (or worse).
With the combination of the LSD and traction control on the newer cars, I think the need for the diff lock is far less than it used to be. Like is says in the manual, these days it is really only meant to be used as a last resort in recovery situations.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

I seldom use the centre diff lock, partly because I'm worried I'll accidentally leave it on when I get back onto tarmac and start shredding tires (or worse).
With the combination of the LSD and traction control on the newer cars, I think the need for the diff lock is far less than it used to be. Like is says in the manual, these days it is really only meant to be used as a last resort in recovery situations.

I moved my selector into HL to clean the crap collected around the cover, but forgot to put it back into H... Wifey took the car on a 4km shopping trip, before she noticed "I wondered why it was so hard to park". About 2 weeks later my front output shaft seal went. Coincidence? Maybe.

But it just re-inforces the need to drive to your vehicle. My 120 doesn't have TC so I have no choice but to lock the centre diff, other 120's and the 150's are all different. Like MLC - a little mechanical sympathy goes a long way.

[Fred63 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fred63]

I went out on a club trip yesterday and was able to do a locked VS unlocked test on the same track.
Those around the Sydney area might know the Mittagong power lines track.
There is a steep loose rocky section on the first climb.
First time L4 no center diff lock traction control left on.
Second time Center diff lock on traction control left on.
There was no noticeable difference between locked and unlocked.
The traction control was really working overtime both times, i was very surprised how well it worked.
That was one of the most challenging climbs i have done.
To finish the day off Air up in the car park of one of the local wineries followed by a wine tasting.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

I went out on a club trip yesterday and was able to do a locked VS unlocked test on the same track.
Those around the Sydney area might know the Mittagong power lines track.
There is a steep loose rocky section on the first climb.
First time L4 no center diff lock traction control left on.
Second time Center diff lock on traction control left on.
There was no noticeable difference between locked and unlocked.
The traction control was really working overtime both times, i was very surprised how well it worked.
That was one of the most challenging climbs i have done.
To finish the day off Air up in the car park of one of the local wineries followed by a wine tasting.

Try it again with TC OFF. To me, locking the centre diff is about traction, safety, and mechanical sympathy. Plus, without locking your centre diff you are not in 4WD...

For you guys with TC and VSC, an unlocked centre diff probably won't be as noticeable or much of an issue. But on my 120 without those driver aids, it is a factor.

The standard Torsen system has a huge weakness - if no torque is sensed on one axle the Torsen works as an open differential i.e. if one wheel is raised in the air, the Torsen differential will not lock, all engine power will be transferred to this single wheel only and the car will not be able to move. The same effect happens in low traction such as mud, sand etc. where a single wheel loses traction.

Additionally under normal conditions, with the Torsen centre diff unlocked in a Prado, up to 70% of the power can be distributed to the rear driveshaft, which can have issues when you require traction. Eg Moving off from a standstill on snow or ice, but it applies to any poor traction situation like mud and sand - Rear wheels will spin sooner and before the front wheels engage. Also driving on sandy or gravel tracks: unlocked centre diff = more power to the rear = more chance of oversteer on a corner.

Locking the centre diff forces an even split of power 50/50 front and rear - useful in a loose traction situation. If you lift a front wheel you still get drive to the two rear wheels (unless you've cross axled). Again TC probably hides this for most.

It is also about mechanical sympathy. IMO your traction control will be doing less work with the centre diff locked as it is only dealing with torque floating left and right at each open (front and rear) diff. Unlock the centre diff and its having to deal with left/right & Front/Back variances. The net effect is still the same, you climbed the hill, but your TC will have been working harder with your diff unlocked.

The big advantage, that I see, of being able to select Low Range without locking the centre diff is being able to safely use Low range on hard surfaces eg using 1L as a creeper gear for reversing a trailer up a slope.

Short vid on why you should be locking the centre diff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBmw6Wpfe6M

Another vid of an Audi with a Torsen centre diff and no TC/EDS struggling in the snow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bHg4HUgBmg

Yes its not a Playdoh but its the same tech

[Fred63 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fred63]

Try it again with TC OFF. To me, locking the centre diff is about traction, safety, and mechanical sympathy. Plus, without locking your centre diff you are not in 4WD...

For you guys with TC and VSC, an unlocked centre diff probably won't be as noticeable or much of an issue. But on my 120 without those driver aids, it is a factor.

The standard Torsen system has a huge weakness - if no torque is sensed on one axle the Torsen works as an open differential i.e. if one wheel is raised in the air, the Torsen differential will not lock, all engine power will be transferred to this single wheel only and the car will not be able to move. The same effect happens in low traction such as mud, sand etc. where a single wheel loses traction.

Additionally under normal conditions, with the Torsen centre diff unlocked in a Prado, up to 70% of the power can be distributed to the rear driveshaft, which can have issues when you require traction. Eg Moving off from a standstill on snow or ice, but it applies to any poor traction situation like mud and sand - Rear wheels will spin sooner and before the front wheels engage. Also driving on sandy or gravel tracks: unlocked centre diff = more power to the rear = more chance of oversteer on a corner.

Locking the centre diff forces an even split of power 50/50 front and rear - useful in a loose traction situation. If you lift a front wheel you still get drive to the two rear wheels (unless you've cross axled). Again TC probably hides this for most.

It is also about mechanical sympathy. IMO your traction control will be doing less work with the centre diff locked as it is only dealing with torque floating left and right at each open (front and rear) diff. Unlock the centre diff and its having to deal with left/right & Front/Back variances. The net effect is still the same, you climbed the hill, but your TC will have been working harder with your diff unlocked.

The big advantage, that I see, of being able to select Low Range without locking the centre diff is being able to safely use Low range on hard surfaces eg using 1L as a creeper gear for reversing a trailer up a slope.

Short vid on why you should be locking the centre diff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBmw6Wpfe6M

Another vid of an Audi with a Torsen centre diff and no TC/EDS struggling in the snow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bHg4HUgBmg

Yes its not a Playdoh but its the same tech

I had tried TC off earlier in the day in L4.
right front and rear left lost traction and i was going nowhere.
TC back on and away i went, brakes applied to the spinning wheels drive transferred to the wheels with traction.
the best way to describe the top section of this track is like trying to drive up a hill covered in cricket balls.
i could actually feel the TC working as it clicked away.

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

I had tried TC off earlier in the day in L4.
right front and rear left lost traction and i was going nowhere.
TC back on and away i went, brakes applied to the spinning wheels drive transferred to the wheels with traction.
the best way to describe the top section of this track is like trying to drive up a hill covered in cricket balls.
i could actually feel the TC working as it clicked away.

That's why I am saving up the penny's for a locker or two..

[Fred63 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fred63]

That's why I am saving up the penny's for a locker or two..

the wife has lockers on her list of wants.
Hasn't quite made my list of needs...........yet

[Odlaw Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Odlaw]

I am new to the world of Prado, I have lot to learn. Would love to come out for a cruise with some of you from the Brisbane area

[The Bearded Pilot Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close The Bearded Pilot]

Traction Control!!

Guys, this has me stuffed! Had the Prado GX 150 for a month, loving it. Previous 4BY's was the ML Triton and before that a 200 Series LC.

I've been reading a fair bit on here about the traction control and each weekend over the last three weeks I've been out in the sand dunes of Wilbinga. Bloody soft sand!

Every now and then I forgot to turn the traction control off, I get that heavy rapid clicking sound and you can feel it through the floor. This would happen in H4 and L4.

However, when I had the traction control off, I would occasionally still get that horrid heavy rapid clicking sound and feel it through the floor as well.

Is this normal? Is this how it works? I've been out of the off road scene for about 4 years and feel like I'm starting all over again!

I've only taken the Prado out on the sand, next weekend I'm planning on an easy run on the harder stuff around Mundaring Powerlines or Dwellingup / Serpentine area where it's all rock and gravel so I'm keen to try a few things out.

Any suggestions or advice would be awesome!

[Fred63 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fred63]

Sounds like you have not turned the traction control off.
First push disables VSC then second push and hold the button in until the light on the dash comes on to indicate it is off.

I had also been out of 4WD for quite a while before i got the Prado.
Had it for just over 2 years now and still trying different things as in post #64.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Push and hold to turn TC and VSC off. VSC is what you are hearing.

[The Bearded Pilot Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close The Bearded Pilot]

Right, I'll go give that a shot. Cheers fellas.

[raydes Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close raydes]

10. THe prado will not spin one wheel if it comes of the ground, one rear wheel always has drive (centre diff lcoked or unlocked) ??????????????? Just tried it .. I jacked up one rear wheel. put it in drive and the car just sits there with the rear wheel spinning, will not go anywhere with out the centre diff locked to get some drive to the front. 2014 Prado 150

[raydes Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close raydes]

is very good.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBmw6Wpfe6M