Defender Diff Lock

beverage said:

As said the centre diff will only lock the 2 axles together so the only real way to test it is to get all wheels off the ground

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You only need one off the deck to test... it either turns or it dont, having all wheels off the deck will actually make it harder to test (not including the fact that you'd need to lift all four corners!)

yea fair one lol. I guess I forget not every one has a workshop like me lol.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll try the one wheel off the deck test but I'm pretty sure it aint locking. I tried it on hard surface last night (slowly) in and out of lock, absolutely no difference to the "feel".

Sounds like your linkage is not fully enguaging the diff lock mechanism inside the box.

Best thingto do is take the panel off under the middle seat/cubby box. It should be fairly obvious what the two links do. Mine keeps getting jamed by stones and mud preventing the little plate ontop of the diff lock spindle from turning fully. I bet the same is going on with yours. Otherwise the pins the connect it all up may be worn, or somebody may have bent something etc just have a look. If the light goes out so does the diff lock!

Cheers James, good suggestion, sounds like that will def prove it one way or t'other

Problem sorted, the linkage needed adjusting (as some of you said). Great service from John Craddock, phoned at 2:00, took it in at 3:00, collected it at 4:30, charged 1 hour labour. Probably caused by lack of use. Cheers all for your comments.

Hi all, sorry if this is a dumb question but I'm a newbie and this is my first defender. Was having similar problems selecting my diff, when it does select the ligh comes on ok. But wasn't sure the diff was working so lifted one wheel with the diff engaged I can see it try to turn both prop shafts at first but I can still spin the lifted wheel quite easily and just the one shaft turns......is my diff working???

nope!

Cheers Lerk

I take it as soon as the play is taken up I shouldn't be able to turn the lifted wheel anymore at all?

Yep!

Thanks again Lerk

Sorted it, the linkage was ceased up from lack of use. Thanks for all the advise on this thread.