diff lock (clonking??) when driving.

Can anyone help me its my first defender,
When i'm off-roading i use low box, until i get to a difficult bit then i use diff-lock. But when using it a bit it starts clonking from what sounds like the axles, is it transmission wind-up?. Whats the best thing to do or is it a landy problem?

Thanks for any help.

It's a Defender - welcome to the club! You'll always have something which clunks!

Could be the prop shaft UJs or the A Frame ball joint

it's not prop shafts uj's, put heavy duty ones in about 2 mounths ago, front and back. but thanks for that.

You say when it gets a bit tough you use diff lock, it's not winding up the diffs due to lack of slip is it, I've always been told only to use it when there is enough slip for the diffs.

then youve been told correct....avoid using them unless the ground has some'give' and certainley dont use them on normal surfaces when turning to full lock

ok how many people believe that they have damaged their transfer box due to transmission wind up only? With no other factors like bad maintainace or lack of oil? I bet its near single figures from thousands of defenders discos and Range rovers. Put ur diff lock in as soon as you are lilkely 2 loose grip i.e off tarmac. Not just before an obstacle or hard bit but when on grass, gravel, mud always engage diff lock.

As 4 your clonk we need more info

Does it clonk once only?

Does it clonk on and off all the time?

Under acceleration or deacceleration?
Jai

people seem 2 be paranoid about transmission wind up on LZ

Couldn't agree more, by using the diff lock early, you are helping to prevent wheel spin, and protecting the environment.

why is wheel spin bad for the environment then?

not arguing.. just asking cos to me a bit of churning is good for the soil..

and wheel spin on gravel or snow surely makes no difference at all..

its the mad 'green'world we now live in.....if worried about your footprint then either dont go there in the first place....or buy a bike

3 reasons really:
when it all goes wrong you have those propshafts locked and have the best chance of maintaining your momentum and not getting stuck.

You have more control over your vehicle

You are less likley to damage your center diff. Because if you do find yourself spinning front or rear axles diff lock not engaged the center diff is going billyo and any sudden transfer of weight/grip transfering from front to rear axle can cause damage to the center diff. Jai

swampdonkey said:

....or buy a bike

Click to expand...

i agree

im not a green person i respect green lanes because i dont want them closed i recycle my glass cos id be fined but in not a green person

3 reasons above wasn't a reply to the whole green thing. Just 3 reasons to use diff lock. The green idea just ends up costing us all money just another tax. Being 'Green' is another great idea no doubt destroyed by government intervention. Jai

thanks guys
i use diff-lock when im stuck, its after when ive driven away from it (the sticky bit) it starts clonking when i come to a stop. i think it mite be me should i put it back into low box straight after?
it's my first 4x4.

Ok First off

If you use difflock when you are stuck your are very likley to damage your center diff.
Engage it before as soon as you are on a loose surface or anywhere pretty much off the Road Tarmac.

Yu have:

Low, Open Diff,
High, Open Diff

Low Difflock
High Difflock

Jai

A agree use it as soon as you hit loose stuff (not gravel)...taught that in the Army to. And knock it off just before you hit the tarmac. Have found it can stick in on some landies so its a matter of using your judgment (check for full lock judder) before you bat off up the road! Look at you hi low knob as above! It aint just up and down!

Spinning the wheels will remove the surface, especially grass, and dig holes, these can quickly become virtually permanent damage. If you really have no concerns for the environment you are a plonker. I agree protecting the environment can be used as an excuse for all sorts of things, many of which will cost us money, often with little "green" outcome, but driving sensibly and gently won't cost you anything, and can not only reduce potential environmental damage but reduce the likelihood of damaged your vehicle.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a card carrying greenie, if I was I wouldn't own a petrol Series III, or use a "gas guzzling" 4x4 as my daily vehicle, but that doesn't mean I won't do what I can to preserve this earth for future generations.

There is a Boat in Langdale that has been abused for years and is known as wellstuck woods, by the people who drive it, It has killed at least 4 vehicles that I know of and dozens and dozens of winches. the last vehicle to get stuck down there was there a week and needed an ex army tracked Volvo BV to get it out. It's been like that for years (certainly as long as Langdale Quest was open.) But now the Quest has gone. The FC & highways Department have decided to repair it, they have estimated that it will need 400tonnes of hardcore and gravel to make it fit for use again. Not surprisingly they are planning on following the same path as the Yorkshire dales National park and TRO'ing as many lanes as they can get away with.

I agree that you should not damage any road lane etc, I do have an issue with tarmaing lanes. If I wanted to drive on tarmac I would drive down the M1 I can see their point that every vehicle should have access to view some of the lovley scenary. Flattening the greenlanes will just over load those that are not being tarmaced and eventually cause them all to be flat highways too that can be driven in a car. From my experience the lanes around here that have been flattened (repaired) are used every night by wannabe rally drivers in their clapped out corsa's and astra's. crashing off into trees and allwoing people to dump rubbish. Its a shame. The lanes around here were a much better condition before the Repair works started due to no dumping and no abandoned cars. I'm not a fan of Glass when I was a member they did fook all other than roll over to the demands of the red sock brigade and thus I'm not a member. I do however respect our lanes and want them to be available to drive for years to come. I don't think flattening them is the right move. Setting up areas for locals to maintain/keep maintained naturally would seem a much better approach as in the states. Jai