4x4 Capabilities without Fx4 package

[9zero1790]

the non fx4 will surprise you. the five g ranger is one tough lil truck. in a way you are ahead of the game. you can get the off road items you want and select aftermarket that are exactly what you want instead of a package from ford. example: a lot of us do not like the shocks on the fx4 trucks. so many are going to after market shocks to up grade. little things like that make a nice difference. so you have a cleaner slate to make the truck how you want.

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[D Fresh]

My window sheet for my '22 XLT says $420.

That's a good deal.

Since it's universally accepted that the locker is a good idea the question then becomes what is the rest of the FX-4 package worth?

We all agree the FX-4 suspension is useless, as well as the tires. That being said is it worth $780 to get Terrain Management, Trail Control, the offroad display, and skidplates? To me it was.

 

[mgallo13]

If you keep your foot in it I've seen the locker light stay active up to close to 50mph.

Also, the locker will not disengage over 25mph while actively accelerating.

I'm not sure if the light ever turns off once you select it but I think the manual said something about the 25mph thing. Shoulda said dont quote me LOL

Haven't gone that fast with the diff lock engaged honestly, so if it stays engaged then pops out i think that kinda makes sense. I feel like I read it disengages and reengages on its own while the light is on?

 

[deleriumtremor]

I won’t do crazy off-roading like I did in my FJ years ago, but how capable is the standard 4x4 off road? What leveling kit would be best to gain some extra ground clearance?
I recently purchased a XLT 4x4 and while I would have paid for the Fx4 package, the available trucks at the dealer had leather and I won’t have leather seats without ventilated seats living in Vegas. I know the 4x4 will get me where I need to go and start heading out to the desert and go shooting again.

You'll do fine getting to your favorite shooting spots without the FX4 package. The features that come with the package are nice, but even without a locker you can go most places. You may end up backing out of a chosen line a little more often, but as others have said, most times a little momentum will suffice.

Having said that, I got the FX4 package (and would have gotten the Tremor if available at the time) as I feel both packages are a good deal for what you get.

 

[its_ikon]

My window sheet for my '22 XLT says $420.

this cheap cost for the locker makes me wonder if all rangers are built the same and there’s a switch and software adjustment to use the locker. Anyone know if the part numbers are different for the rear diff or the same?

 

[BS67]

That's a good deal.

Since it's universally accepted that the locker is a good idea the question then becomes what is the rest of the FX-4 package worth?

We all agree the FX-4 suspension is useless, as well as the tires. That being said is it worth $780 to get Terrain Management, Trail Control, the offroad display, and skidplates? To me it was.

I thought it was a good deal. I wanted the locker. TM I could live without.

 

[BS67]

this cheap cost for the locker makes me wonder if all rangers are built the same and there’s a switch and software adjustment to use the locker. Anyone know if the part numbers are different for the rear diff or the same?

Not sure bout the part numbers.

 

[D Fresh]

I'm not sure if the light ever turns off once you select it but I think the manual said something about the 25mph thing. Shoulda said dont quote me LOL

Haven't gone that fast with the diff lock engaged honestly, so if it stays engaged then pops out i think that kinda makes sense. I feel like I read it disengages and reengages on its own while the light is on?

In normal driving, yes the light turns off above 25. Which I would assume is indicating that the locker disengages.

If you're about to throw one down, and you disengage AdvanceTrak while engaging the locker it stays lit up to at least 50ish mph as long as you've got the skinny pedal to the floor. I assume it's waiting until torque is removed to disengage, and that seems like a safe bet to me.

This theory also works for snowy parking lot play. Stays lit through the whole cookie as long as your're into it. I garauntee the donuts I've done include a wheelspeed greater than 25mph.

this cheap cost for the locker makes me wonder if all rangers are built the same and there’s a switch and software adjustment to use the locker. Anyone know if the part numbers are different for the rear diff or the same?

That's not at all how that works.

It's called economy of scale.

While an Eaton Elocker may cost you and I a retail price of $1100, that's not at all what Ford pays. Ford builds over a million trucks per year. Let's say only 30% include a locker. Do you think if you called up Eaton and wanted 300,000 lockers they'd charge you full retail? Of course they wouldn't.

This isn't a Tesla. They can do that with some features, like self driving, because it's virtually all software as the hardware is used in other systems.

 

[its_ikon]

That's not at all how that works.

It's called economy of scale.

While an Eaton Elocker may cost you and I a retail price of $1100, that's not at all what Ford pays. Ford builds over a million trucks per year. Let's say only 30% include a locker. Do you think if you called up Eaton and wanted 300,000 lockers they'd charge you full retail? Of course they wouldn't.

This isn't a Tesla. They can do that with some features, like self driving, because it's virtually all software as the hardware is used in other systems.

I’ve owned Toyotas where the locker was included no matter if you got that option or not. For people who bought the FJ, if they didn’t get the package with the rear locker, all they had to do was buy the switch and connect it. At that point they had the rear locker, so it’s not completely out the of the realm of possibilities.

 

[D Fresh]

I’ve owned Toyotas where the locker was included no matter if you got that option or not. For people who bought the FJ, if they didn’t get the package with the rear locker, all they had to do was buy the switch and connect it. At that point they had the rear locker, so it’s not completely out the of the realm of possibilities.

That sounded very much like bullshit to me. But I don't know Toyotas.

So I googled a bit...


https://www.fjcruiserforums.com/threads/adding-the-rear-locker.60189/

The axle housing for a non-elocked FJC is different from an elocked FJC. You can retrofit the elocker third into your non-elocked housing, but it will require cutting the housing face so that the elocker shift fork will fit. There is a good writeup on how to do the retrofit on 4x4wire. IMO, those who have non-elocked third the ARB is a better option.

BTW, you do not need the ECU to install the elocker. Inchworm has an elocker wiring harness that allows you to connect the elocker motor to a toggle switch.

Sounds like the internet disagrees with you. Perhaps it is out of the realm of possibility.

 

[its_ikon]

That sounded very much like bullshit to me. But I don't know Toyotas.

So I googled a bit...


https://www.fjcruiserforums.com/threads/adding-the-rear-locker.60189/




Sounds like the internet disagrees with you. Perhaps it is out of the realm of possibility.

I realized earlier that I was confusing the ATRAC and locker options which it was the ATRAC only needed the switch. It’s been 12-15 years since I last owned my 4Runner and FJ.

 

[D Fresh]

I realized earlier that I was confusing the ATRAC and locker options which it was the ATRAC only needed the switch. It’s been 12-15 years since I last owned my 4Runner and FJ.

Been there.

I'm constantly checking to see if I remember things right.

 

[GTGallop]

Apparently I'm old school because my terain management is the gas pedal (knowing when and how much) and a little judicious use of the E-Brake lever to short burst some energy away from the spinning wheel and back to the gripping wheel.

 

[the5Gmartian]

Sounds like some people are salty about not having terrain mode… i’ll see you guys at the bottom of the hill when I come back down

 

[FordFreak]

I won’t do crazy off-roading like I did in my FJ years ago, but how capable is the standard 4x4 off road? What leveling kit would be best to gain some extra ground clearance?
I recently purchased a XLT 4x4 and while I would have paid for the Fx4 package, the available trucks at the dealer had leather and I won’t have leather seats without ventilated seats living in Vegas. I know the 4x4 will get me where I need to go and start heading out to the desert and go shooting again.

What's wrong with black, unventilated leather in Vegas? (I couldn't imagine any leather seats in Vegas during the summer)

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