Tom17 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Hi all! New to 4x4 all together this is my first defender and haven't a clue how to engage diff lock! I tryed it in a car park at 5mph full locked and the bang from the drive train was unreal loud! Is this broken? Should this happen? It drives okay now but the noise was so loud has it caused damage? Thanks Also how do you engage step by step and ill see if I have done that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puffernutter Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I have a 1990 Defender 110. You can engage difflock at low speed, but stationary is best. Just clutch and either use High or Low with difflock. When it is in the light should come on. To disengage is the reverse of the process. Stop, then move to either high or low "difflock off". I do find that occasionally I have to reverse a short distance before the light goes out as the gears can "wind up" together and wont always release. Cheers Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 I have a 1990 Defender 110.You can engage difflock at low speed, but stationary is best. Just clutch and either use High or Low with difflock. When it is in the light should come on. To disengage is the reverse of the process. Stop, then move to either high or low "difflock off". I do find that occasionally I have to reverse a short distance before the light goes out as the gears can "wind up" together and wont always release. Cheers Peter Thanks for the quick reply! When it is in lock side and gear 1 is doesn't move? Does this need freeing up? Unsure about the light I didn't look will check again soon and what about the bang noise is this normal when full lock turning with diff lock engaged Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aragorn Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Driving around at full lock on tarmac with the difflock engaged is a bad idea. Difflock should only be used on low traction surfaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puffernutter Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I'm not sure I understand. The difflock lever and gear lever are independent. With difflock engaged or disengaged (it makes no difference) you should still be able to get all the gears in the gearbox. The only issue I find is that if I haven't used difflock for a while, it doesn't always fully engage and I may suddenly find it pops out again and I find myself myself in "mid-difflock" (neither high nor low) and go nowhere fast! Cheers Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 difflock can be engaged anytime it's needed in high or low range & in any gear in the main gearbox. changing the transfer box from high range to low range really needs the vehicle stationary, changing from low to high can be done on the move smoothly with practice & clutch use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 difflock can be engaged anytime it's needed in high or low range & in any gear in the main gearbox.changing the transfer box from high range to low range really needs the vehicle stationary, changing from low to high can be done on the move smoothly with practice & clutch use. Yeah I put it on stationary then began to move! Just wanted to see if it worked or not as I slipped on a hill on loose ground the other week and only had it in low range as didn't know how to engage lock! How can I tell if my diff lock is on or not if my dash light doesn't work? As I haven't noticed it on but to be fair I haven't looked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puffernutter Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 As far as I am aware, the light is the only way that you can confirm that difflock is engaged. Maybe worth checking the lamp on the dash! Cheers Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 swap the difflock bluib for one you know works [forexample swap it with the oil preessure bulb] the holders just twist & pull out of the dash warbing light panel, difflock light will only come on when the difflock is fully engaged NOT when you push the lever to select it & goes out when fully disengaged, this may require the vehicle to be reversed a short distance to let the difflock drop out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 You can test the difflock without the light... on a loose gravel surface, put it in and out, you should feel it wanting to understeer when the difflock is engaged. You will also hear the wheels slipping. Don't go any faster than 5-10mph or the wheels will slip anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Or jack up a rear wheel with the handbrake off (chock the other wheels) and with the main gearbox out of gear. If you can turn it the difflock is off, if not then it is on. The answers to most of your questions are in the owners manual, along with best practice guidance etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 Or jack up a rear wheel with the handbrake off (chock the other wheels) and with the main gearbox out of gear. If you can turn it the difflock is off, if not then it is on.The answers to most of your questions are in the owners manual, along with best practice guidance etc. Cheers everyone will try bulbs tomorrow then if not will go to find some gravel! Can anyone explain the loud bang today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 You'll have had transmission wind up. In order to drive in a circle all your wheels will have needed to turn at different speeds - which is what your 3 differentials do. Diff lock locks the centre one. On loose ground, with the centre diff locked, the wheels can slip or skip so you don't get wind up - whereas on Tarmac it can't. So as you turned it will have wound up - built up tension as it needs to turn at a different speed. The bang is it releasing. It's not a good noise. What retro suggested is good - read the manual, it covers quite a bit of stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 You'll have had transmission wind up.In order to drive in a circle all your wheels will have needed to turn at different speeds - which is what your 3 differentials do. Diff lock locks the centre one. On loose ground, with the centre diff locked, the wheels can slip or skip so you don't get wind up - whereas on Tarmac it can't. So as you turned it will have wound up - built up tension as it needs to turn at a different speed. The bang is it releasing. It's not a good noise. What retro suggested is good - read the manual, it covers quite a bit of stuff. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landy-Novice Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 i never knew there was a diff lock on mine till i read this.. i asked mum and of all the hundreds of years of driving them she also never knew about the diff lock, only the high and low. i did wonder why i couldn't get it on car ramps to see check the twist ability. tried it tonight and straight up it went. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 In fairness Landy-Novice you are used to series vehicles which have a different arrangement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landy-Novice Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 In fairness Landy-Novice you are used to series vehicles which have a different arrangement. +1. last time we had this defender, i was more interested in climbing all over it. certainly my best child hood toy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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