[Guest]

Ok...this is a dump question, but to be perfectly honest....I don't know exactly
what, when and how to use this " Dif-Lock " !!
I read up about it, but I am just really reluctant to actually try it out...
I don't want to mess things up, heard on the curb you can do some serious damage
if not operated correctly
BUT>>>>>> I really want to push it to the limit to see what this puppy is made of
Thanks for any info and tips...

Christine

 

[Hans]

Use it when you're actually off-roading, gives a bit more traction when you need it. Just don't lock it when you're on pavement, otherwise it will make your handling worse and possibly blow up the transfer case.

-Hans

 

[Guest]

But, do you have to down shift, put it in nuteral before you use the dif-lock?!
Do you use both gears at the same time!? Do you use it to get unstuck?!
How do you know if its engaged and disengaged .
I want to play arround with it so I can get used to it, but like we said...
The consequences (sp) would be hell to pay If I **** this up...sorry for the dramahmy
I got this great vehicle and don't even know how to operate properly....:cuss

 

[Hans]

Hey, asking questions is how you learn!

What the differential lock is to physically lock the front and rear driveshafts together, so that they always turn at the same speed. Normally, they are allowed to turn at different rates as needed to prevent wear on the drivetrain and tires, and also make pavement handling better. It operates totally independant from the normal tranny shifter, just use that one as normally.

I'll double check the manual later to get the offical version,(the procedures vary from manufacturer to manufacturer) But you can never go wrong by stopping before engaging it. If it doesn't lock easily, sometimes just backing up 2-3 feet will line things up properly. In theory, a dashboard light should come on to tell you it's engaged.... but mine never works. If the lever is moved left, it's locked. If the lever is moved right, it's not.

If you're going wheeling, I generally lock the transfer case at the trail-head. When you get to any obstacles or REALLY slow areas, move it up and left to put you into low range. This gives you much more throttle control and power at slower speeds. This way, you have less of a chance of getting stuck in the first place.

-Hans

 

[cbass]

To engage the Diff-lock, you are supposed to be rolling slowly IN A STRAIGHT LINE and with little strain on the drivetrain, i.e. not going up or down a hill, not stepping on the gas hard, etc. Then at that point, just move the little stick over into the "Locked" position and let it roll for a bit more. The light in the dash should come on shortly after moving the transfer case stick into the locked position. Once the light is on, you will have the center differential locked.

As for moving the transfer case lever forward or backward, that selects low or hi range. To shift that lever, you have to have the main transmission in Neutral and be rolling slowly in a straight line.

So basically the only difference to moving that little lever is that you can have the main transmission in gear to move it side to side. You can NOT have the main transmission in gear when moving it up or down. In both cases you should be traveling in a straight line slowly. Hope that helps!

 

[DaveHuny]

OK, for those of you who do have an owner's manual, it is on page 23 where you will find:

COMBINED TRANSFER GEAR AND CENTER DIFFERENTIAL LOCK SHIFT:

To change from H to L, the vehicle is stationary and with the main gear shift in N. To change from L to H you don't have to be stopped. Clutch in, transfer shift to N, release clutch for 3 seconds, clutch back in, transfer shift to H, main gear shift to 2nd, release clutch.

The center diff lock can be engaged while moving in a straight line without wheel slip or while stationary. The light goes on when the diff is locked. No clutch needed. It may not lock without the vehicle rolling a bit, so you should lock it whenever slippery conditions are likely to be encountered (ie, snow, mud, dirt, etc. but not on wet pavement If the diff lock light is not on, it is either, 1)burned out 2) disconnected 3) not locked.

Locking the center diff on pavement will cause the front and rear axles to be locked together. You will not "blow up" your transfer case unless you have been driving like this for hundreds or thousands of miles. You might get some uneven tire wear or squealing. You may experience transmission wind up in this case.

Christine, you should find an off road club to be part of so they can show you this stuff in person while on the trail. And get a manual, it has all this basic info in it.

But don't take my word fot it...

 

[roverboy]

is this for real?

 

[Mark M]

For those of you out there without manuals XKs Unlimited in San Luis Obispo, Ca has them available. (At least they did in May) They aren't cheap at $137.50 but they are worth having and I haven't found new ones available elsewhere.

More importantly, they have (or had?) the parts manual, and it was only $35.00!

They are reachable at 800-444-5247. The part numbers are as follows:

Parts Manual - RV-RTC9962CC
Owners Manuals / Wallets:
1994 D90 - RV-LRNA1994CWDEF90
1995 D90 - RV-LRNA1995CWDEF90
1997 D90 - RV-LRNA1997DFCW

I don't know how many they have in stock so if you don't have one I would call them soon. Both are invaluable and unavailable from the dealers.

On a side note, on page 21 of their catalog they have a pewter model of a D90 that looks like a basic '94 NAS model (looks like it has the raised rear stop light and a partial roll cage). It is the only toy or model of a NAS Defender I have seen anywhere and I have been looking. Of course they discontinued it before I even knew it existed

 

[KeithD]

Christine - what the manual says is right - but changing from L to H on the move does take some practice. I spent a day in UK at Land Rover's off road course and there were three of us in a 110 taking turns with the instructor. me, another guy and a girlie. Well the other guy just could not get the hang of the low to high on the move thing without making horrible gear stripping noises, so in the end the instructor gave up. Best to be in 4 low, follow the procedure in the manual and select 2 high. Otherwise be stationary. sometimes it won't engage low without the clutch just biting - the lever won't go home - maybe that's just mine. The other common problem is that sometimes diff lock wont disengage even if the lever has gone back to the high unlocked position. The trick here is to drive in reverse till the light goes out. This is all factory advice by the way.

Use of the dif lock and low ratio makes a humungous difference off road. a vehicle isnt really four wheel drive unless locked. find someone else (sensible) with some experience to go wheeling with - that's the best way.

(ah - just read the clips above - it does mention the reverse thing)

 

[Mike Hippert]

Just a quick FYI, I would not drive with the diff locked over 20 mph, or whenever you don't need it. THere have been a few cases where when traveling at speed and cornering strange things happen (never hear the complete explanation) but because there isn't any differantial between the front and rear the rear tires need to turn slower when cornering because they are going a shorter distance then the front tires and they end up trying to pass the front tires and you may end up in a spinn or jacknife type situation.

WHat I do, put it in when I go into low range, and take it out of diff lock in high range, for the most part you won't be oing fast in low so you don't have to worry, and when in high range you don't need diff lock for the most part anyway.

 

[oldscratchggf]

erm. don`t do what i did. whatever you do. i accidentally knocked the diff. lock while on pavement one time with my big gulp while trying to find the cup holder while driving. now my t-case leaks oil. i`m too scared to open it up to figure out what is up, so i havn`t driven it for 3 weeks. i think i might cry.

 

[Mike Hippert]

You know there may be very little wrong with it if it's only leaking oil. Where is it leaking from? Dam those Big Gulps!

 

[Roadsiderob]

I seriously doubt that you caused a leak by knocking the diff lock in while on pavement. These things are pretty tough and you would have to drive an awefully long ways before any real damage was done...and if it were to damage anything I would expect a u-joint or cv joint would go before the transfer case. It's probably more of a coincidence. Stop crying and feeling bad and go fix your truck. I can't imaging not driving my D90 for 3 weeks....
Rob

 

[oldscratchggf]

I donno, i just noticed that oil started leaking right after that incident, and i have heard horror stories about using that thing improperly. In all reality i`m not THAT scared, and i really just havn`t been driving it because the t-case fluid is RANK when it burns off of my exhaust pipe. I`m just not stoked to take care of it. Got too much else going on right now to need to worry about the d90....

 

[Roadsiderob]

How far did you drive it on pavement with it locked?
Rob

 

[scoloco]

Christine I usually lock the diff when I get off the pavement into dirt (this allows for slippage between front and rear wheels as already described). Locking at this point saves me the embarrassment of getting stuck later when I forget to go into '4wd'.
As for the hi-lo switch, I usually always am stood (or almost) for that.

One trick if the lever wont go all the way (for those with clutch),
1. Put gearbox into 1st, try again. Put it into reverse try again. Usually the gears move enough at this point for it to go. NOTE clutch out only in neutral, we're not driving anywhere.
2. ease the clutch out SLOWLY till the point where the gears move and it usually slips right in.

 

[cbass]

OK, for those of you who do have an owner's manual, it is on page 23 where you will find:

David,
I don't know what manual that is that you posted there, but mine is different (I have the factory owners manual from a '94 D90 #787, the one that we got when we bought the truck new). Mine says you can shift the transfer box while moving just like I stated in my earlier post. Also, the Rave CD says that you can actually shift the transfer box while moving slowly (under 5mph). L to H or H to L it doesn't matter, as long as you have the truck in neutral and are going slowly in a straight line, you can move the transfer lever wherever you want. I have always done it this way and it has always gone in smoothly and I've never had to actually stop to do it.

 

[DaveHuny]

1994 Defender 90 Owners Manual (Sold in #601) Printed in 1993, OEM #LDAHBUS94. Uses the same wording as all Land Rover permanent 4wd manual transmission models (that I've seen). The automatics (97s, RRs Discos)do say the bit about under 5mph for the H to L shift. It's acutally hard to shift to L/H in an auto without being rolling. Interestingly, the quick guide to the 90 that is in the back pocket of the manual has diagrams describing what each position would be used for, but no instructions about how to operate the levers.

 

[Doug]

I've driven Chammy at 80 mph on hard salt flats in NV, locked up. Never an issue. Also drifted her through dozens of graded turns, on hard sand to loose gravel in the deep badlands, locked. Never an issue. 114K on original drive train, and the last 55K are mine. I like the assurance of more traction with the axles locked.

Doug W.

 

[cbass]

Yeah, the locker can be driven at any speed, there's no problem there.

As for the manuals, I am baffled. I wonder why the difference? oh well, at least we know it works either way, the main thing is to be under 5 mph when switching the transfer box high/low range.