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TORSEN LSD Suit Landcruiser REAR 79/76/78, 100, 105 and 200 series
Price range: $1,000.00 through $1,150.00 incl. GST
PDI have been supplying Torsen differentials for LandCruisers for several years, backed by real world use in our own vehicles where improved on road traction was needed. Unlike factory LSDs which typically require rebuilding anywhere between 5,000 and 50,000 km depending on load and driving conditions Torsen units offer consistent performance without relying on clutch packs. It’s also worth noting that replacement clutches aren’t available for factory LandCruiser LSDs, as they rarely “wear out” in the traditional sense but instead lose effectiveness due to internal adjustment over time.
Why choose a PDI Torsen differential?
- No electronics or external controls required – it works automatically, with no switches, wiring or driver input needed
- Fully gear driven design – always active and never “locks” like a traditional locker, so in rear applications it maintains smooth, predictable steering
- Intelligent torque transfer – if one wheel begins to slip, it can send up to four times more torque to the wheel with better traction, helping keep you moving as long as both wheels have some grip
- Versatile performance across surfaces – delivers consistent traction on road and off road without the harsh engagement of locking diffs
- Effective in low traction situations – if articulation lifts a wheel off the ground, lightly applying the brakes can help bias torque back to the wheel with contact, allowing continued forward motion
Overall, a Torsen provides a smooth, reliable and low maintenance traction solution without the drawbacks of clutch type LSDs or full lockers.
Replacement non clutch pack LSD for the rear of your 79/76/78, 100, 105 and 200 series.
These can be supplied with 30 spline side gears for those who want to run 3.55 or 3.91 gears in their 60, HJ75 and 80 series.
Additional Information
Diff Lockers.
For many years people opted for diff locks since when you are offroad and your standard diffs are acting as open centre then its easy to get stuck. Differential lockers (once engaged) will make sure opposite wheels move at the same speed and you keep moving forwards. There are a few popular diff lock options such as the ARB Air Locker, TJM Pro Lockers and the E-Lockers which have external manual control. Some cruisers came with OEM/factory lockers that are activated via a dog gear being held into position by the preloading a spring via an electric motor. All of these lockers have pros and cons, in their function, but there are a couple aspects common to these:
- While locked the vehicle can generally move forward through varying terrain.
- When locked and on hard surfaces, your steering ability is compromised as the wheels are moving at the same speed.
- When not locked, they are open centre, which means the wheel that’s easiest to turn, will spin.
In addition to these, there are a couple varieties of auto-lockers that are locked by default, but if power from the wheel is greater than from the gearbox/engine, the gears will ratchet over to allow easier turning. These can click and can be easily heard when ratcheting while cornering or feel locked if powering through a turn.
Landcruiser Differentials.
Almost all 80, 79, 100 and 105 cruisers were fitted with a rear LSD and open centre front. Factory lockers were optional on most models, but were not cheap. From around mid 2016 the VDJ79 GXL models had factory diff locks standard. These made them very capable offroad, but the rear was open centre on the road and being part time the front axle wasn’t doing anything. Later models had traction control, which applied the brakes on the side that was about to start spinning, which means that since one axle is shorter than the other it is always once side that goes through pads much faster than the other side. This is more of an issue for vehicles with performance upgrades.
Our experience with TORSENs.
Our upgraded HDJ79 was fitted with a TORSEN up front, but we couldn’t find one to fit the rear. When taking off in the wet, it was required to leave the front hubs engaged and change from 2H to 4H to get to 50kph without slippage. That was OK, but a bit of a pain.
After fitting the TORSEN to the rear, engaging the front hasn’t been required. Now a TORSEN in the rear is a must for any Cruiser I own so I am able to accelerate with maximum traction.
Can we have both TORSEN WITH LOCKING CAPABILITY?
PDI have had this built and have been testing a rear TORSEN that works with the Toyota OEM Locker we have been testing since late 2024. That means the factory locker continues to be available but we get full traction the rest of the time.