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Stuck in high


Micky-Disco

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Tried to go from hi to low range today, but the stick wont budge.

I've read that these sieze, but can be freed with copious amounts of WD40 and stick wiggling.

Now I am no mechanic, and I have no idea where to oil, how to get to those parts, what they look like etc...

Can any one of you Landy Gurus give a step by step guide as to how to do this please?? Maybe with pics :D. I'd take

it to a garage to get done, but we just dont have the spare cash these days, so any help would be fantastic ;)

Cheers

Mick

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Have you ever had it in low range before? If not, chances are it's never moved since it left the factory.

Underneath you have the engine, bolted to the back of that is the main gearbox (directly in line) then on the back of that is the transfer box (LT230 in your case) from which the front & rear propshafts run. The linkages go from the top of the gearbox (where the gearstick is, natch) to the top of the front half of the transfer box just behind where the front propshaft bolts on, alongside the body of the main gearbox.

I know access can be tight on Discos, you may be able to feel around especially if an assistant in the car can gently waggle the stick (not too hard in case it frees up and takes a finger with it). WD40 and a lot of waggling is the first port of call, I've seen feet-against-dashboard grade waggling from some people but that's not to be recommended. You can certainly be fairly firm with it though.

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You can also get to the lever mech from inside the car......you would need to remove the center console and gear levers/gaiters etc then remove the rubber cover.....this is normaly fixed with pop rivets.

Once you have access you can get to the lever mech and will soon see what is siezed......you can remove the full assembly but its tricky with the pins on the end of the selector levers.

Give us a ring if you want anymore advice etc.....and were local too ;)

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Cheers for that you 2, just what I need to get started.

Nope I've never had it in low, only bought the disco a week or so ago

and never thought to check it :S...

It'll prolly be the weekend when I get the spare time to start squirting the WD,

but I'll keep ya posted.

Cheers for the offer K88 MUD will keep that in mind ;)

Mick

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Chain lube is terribly sticky, so I'd advise against it on the grounds that you'll thank me the next time you go to stick your hand up there :ph34r: White grease is only about £4 per can if that.

LOL ok I'll scrap that idea. Is the white grease actually just called white grease?

dont wanna walk in somewhere and be laughed at :D

Any makes to look for??

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it is siezed. when you spray the wd40, do some wiggling to work it about, but i would say go back inside once the soaking has started as you really just need to leave it several hours to do the job. wd40 is good, as is penetrating fluid. waggling is something to do after you have given the stuff a chance to work. so i would say do it, go to work/shopping/whatever, then come back after a bit so you dont get impatient.

good luck, and it is easier from above if you dont mind re-riveting.

regards

richard

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it is siezed. when you spray the wd40, do some wiggling to work it about, but i would say go back inside once the soaking has started as you really just need to leave it several hours to do the job. wd40 is good, as is penetrating fluid. waggling is something to do after you have given the stuff a chance to work. so i would say do it, go to work/shopping/whatever, then come back after a bit so you dont get impatient.

good luck, and it is easier from above if you dont mind re-riveting.

regards

richard

Thanks.

Defo gonna attempt from above. Thanks for telling me to leave it, as patience aint my strong point lol

Riveting is one part of this job I know I can do ;)hehe

Cheers

Mick

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Quick question

Once its started to move, how easy should it be to move ie is it as loose as the main gear shifter?

Do I need to have the clutch pressed whilst trying to move it.

Sorry if these are daft questions, but this 2nd gearbox stuff completely new to me

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so it still wont budge hey!!

if you have got in from the top, you can remove the top cover of the selector, and you will see the lever mechanism is basically just a shaft with a collar on it which moves along its length aswell as shifting left and right,(high/low/difflock high/difflock low). it is fairly straight forward to remove/replace. just remember to put the bottom of the shifter back into the mech correctly before you button it back up or you will stuck be in the range it was before you removed it.

anyway i digress...

remove the top of mech, about 4 or 6 bolts, and pull the lever up and out.you will see the corrosion which has stuck the mechanism, just give it some/loads of grief when it is out and clean it up. once clean, white grease or lithium grease to death and whilst it is off, grease the shaft up too. you can check the ranges all work with a pair of mole grips as the shifter too, if you want to. but dont bend/break any bits. there is a thread on here with some suggested service parts, cant find it now, but will have a look.

the ranges can be selected whilst moving, just dont go fast and do it.

give it a whirl and good luck mate.

richard

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Can I politely add to the comprehensive advice you have received that it is important if you take the ring off its splines to grease it up, it goes back on the same (+/- 1) spline on reassembly?

I didn't do this when I got mine unstuck and found I was having difficulty selecting gears.

As I had very carefully put all the covers, etc back in by that time, I was deeply unimpressed with myself..................... :angry:

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Can I politely add to the comprehensive advice you have received that it is important if you take the ring off its splines to grease it up, it goes back on the same (+/- 1) spline on reassembly?

I didn't do this when I got mine unstuck and found I was having difficulty selecting gears.

As I had very carefully put all the covers, etc back in by that time, I was deeply unimpressed with myself..................... :angry:

Bet you were gutted when you realised....

Cheers mate, will do that.

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Bet you were gutted when you realised....

Cheers mate, will do that.

I just did my (new to me) 1997 on Friday, total removal and replacement with a reconditioned CDL unit.

I have freed up about 6 LR vehicles now and this one on Friday was in the worst condition yet....the pin at the end of the sliding shaft can be seized in place, remove with heat if necessary and please don't distort or deform the vertical lever or you'll be ages getting that little pin back in place.... :(

Oh yes, any thought of freeing this up with brute force are, in my experience, wishful thinking....

Here is a link to a helpful thread at Rovers North in Vermont....

My link

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Cheers for the links, cant see pics on the second one as it wont let me register, problems with the site ...typical lol

the first one helps a lot tho ;)

cheers again

I forgot that you would have to register at Discoweb....The pictures are pretty straight forward on the dis-assembly,you don't really need them, once you are in there it all becomes evident.....

If you need anything further PM me....Glad to share what i've learned about this pesky job :)

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Nothing much more to see in the discoweb thread other than removing the center console (in order to remove the CDL lever housing and linkage) which you can also see in the first 7 pics in a thread in the tech archive on here: http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=6719

My advice is this:

- wd40 or alike on all bits supposed to move, starting with the shaft exiting the CDL housing (that's were is my guessing it's seized)

- drive the heck out of the disco to heat up the gearbox as much as you can (a good hour drive on the motorway at high speed should do it)

- turn back home (don't do it away from home, just in case something brakes) and try pushing and wiggling the lever forward/backward in both Diff Lock and Unlock positions.

If not lucky, you can do this:

- get under the vehicle and disconnect the linkage from the high/low lever on the transfer box (1 cotter pin or spring clip and a clevis pin out), be careful not to loose the plastic shims.

- see if the lever moves forward and backward now; if not and you cannot free it, it should be removed and freed on the bench - this means central console out

- get an adjustable spanner/wrench or alike and see if the lever on the transfer box can be rotated to the neutral and low positions (you might need to wiggle one of the output flanges/props to shift it in Low but it should easily shift into neutral).

Good luck!

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