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diff lock not engaging


suveer

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hi all,

the diff lock lever on my defender 90 does not want to engage. The diff lock light on the dash comes on when i force and hold it to the left, but the lever does not stay there. Low range and high range is working fine. Only the diff lock (4x4) seems to be a problem. Is it a sticky lever. how do i free it up.

cheers

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could be just lack of use try looking underneath the vehicle and follow the linkage down from the Hi/Low lever and you will see it acts on a small picot located on the top of the T box, about 2 O'clock from the front prop output. see if there is any further movement in the pivot once its in.

Is it staying in - ie light on and the lever moving across slightly or moving back on its own and light going out?

may be a foreign body in there obstructing the arc/linkage or it could be catching on the seat box.

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could be just lack of use try looking underneath the vehicle and follow the linkage down from the Hi/Low lever and you will see it acts on a small picot located on the top of the T box, about 2 O'clock from the front prop output. see if there is any further movement in the pivot once its in.

Is it staying in - ie light on and the lever moving across slightly or moving back on its own and light going out?

may be a foreign body in there obstructing the arc/linkage or it could be catching on the seat box.

JST, it is moving slightly to the left with light coming on, but then moves back to the original position and the light goes out.

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easiest way to make sure it's free & not jammed uo with mud is to remove the gearbox tunnel & drivers side floor panel, you can get to all the linkage & pivots then.

thats the easiest way although can be a little daunting and alot of work! plus you cant see if the linkage is fouling anything as you have removed it all.

alternatively you can access it from below - you need small hands though.

to me it would suggest the pivot needs adjusting to get the arm to 'throw' the switch further over to engage and stay engaged.

does any of the linkage foul the body work? that would stop it going fully over

what happens if you move the lever over on top of the T box by hand, does it stay over? or spring back to diff off position.

lever goes to drivers door to engage centre diff lock

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Each of the pivot points has 2 small plastic bushes, if missing you get excessive slop. Also the pivot post screwed in to side of the gearbox is adjustable, loosen locknut, adjust until you get enough throw, and lock up nut.

You can get at this from below and above if you take gaiter off but it's easier with tunnel out and obvious how the wobbly bits of bent metal work. No need to take floor panel out.

I had to completely strip the Hi/Low cross shaft on mine as it was seized solid and then an E clip fell off!

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thats the easiest way although can be a little daunting and alot of work! plus you cant see if the linkage is fouling anything as you have removed it all.

alternatively you can access it from below - you need small hands though.

to me it would suggest the pivot needs adjusting to get the arm to 'throw' the switch further over to engage and stay engaged.

does any of the linkage foul the body work? that would stop it going fully over

what happens if you move the lever over on top of the T box by hand, does it stay over? or spring back to diff off position.

lever goes to drivers door to engage centre diff lock

didn't try activating on top of T box by hand yet. will do that next and will let you guys know.

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hi all,

the diff lock lever on my defender 90 does not want to engage. The diff lock light on the dash comes on when i force and hold it to the left, but the lever does not stay there. Low range and high range is working fine. Only the diff lock (4x4) seems to be a problem. Is it a sticky lever. how do i free it up.

cheers

I had this very problem on a 110. I had to remove the gaiter around the gear sticks in the cab. There's a sponge rubber sound deadening material. This had pushed down to far, & stopped the metal rod's moving sidewards. Pulled up the rubber up & I could use diff lock again.

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The rod on mine wasn't even connected so I added a nut and bolt and it works fine now.

Picture of the bits that 'move and make it work' for your info:

post-4939-1229076140_thumb.jpg

:unsure: I found the same bolt-n-nut missing in mine.. Madcowz :unsure: Looks like that car has burned many-a-fuel-in-its-good-ol'- days :o

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JST I am gonna do it this weekend. also gonna follow the diagram from Madcowz.

thanks

Some feed back. i spray loads of Q20, rust remover, similar to WD 40. The lever is now free and mouving freely. Working from underneath is a mission as the 90 is very congested. But... But, the lever does not stay in the locked position. As long as i hold the gear lever in the diff locked position the diff lock light remains on. As soon as i leave the lever, it slowly releases and goes back into the normal position ie centre diff not locked. Is there some sort of adjustment?

Thanks guys i am almost there.

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I've just been reading this. When you push the lever to the left to engage diff lock should it stay over to the left then? On our 2006 TD5 you push the lever over, the light comes on, you let go of the lever, and it springs back to the normal position immediately! The diff lock light stays on though...is this wrong?

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Hi

Second the advice about the sponge, that was what was stopping mine, the plastic top hat bushes are cheaply available so you may as well replace them while you have the floor up, Incidentally, while you're out buying bushes get some of the spire clips and some plated/stainless screws for the floor, that way you'll only have to cut the screws off once :rolleyes:

Mike

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  • 12 years later...

I've got a similar issue although my lever works fine, yet no difflock light on the dash nor does it engage. I'll pull it apart tomorrow and check for blockages, unclipped wires & linkages and see what the heck is going on under there in the shadows..

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