Diff Lock, indicators

'96 110.

Differential Lock indicator doesnt come on.
Could be really simply eleccy fault, or something vaguely serious, or me simply being a numpty following the diff engage instructions....


Checking the indicator bulb itself will be relatively easy, I'm hoping, once i dig out the pages to show me the dashboard fittings.

Now I havent really had a chance to check whether it is actually locking or not.

I assume the easiest way should be to chock it, put it diff lock and in gear, and then raise two wheels and check which direction "the other one" spins?

Unless i find a nice gravelly area, and spin tight circles getting some poor schmuck to tell me if he thinks the inside while is spinning / slipping....


if it isnt engaging, are there common faults that I can look for?

Assume this is an axle diff and not the centre diff then...

1. Engage axle diff lock, vehicle in neutral, centre diff disengaged, handbrake off
2. Chock the 'other' wheels (for safety's sake)
3. Raise the axle you are checking so that the wheels are off the ground
4. Grab a wheel and rotate it.

If the wheel on the opposite side goes the same way, the diff is locked.
If it goes the other way (or doesn't go) then the diff is not locked.

Now if we are taking about the centre diff it's a little different. The way I would check this would be to use a bottle jack under the rear axle and lift a rear wheel off the ground. Engage diff lock and see if you can drive the vehicle off the jack.

If the raised wheel spins, the diff lock is NOT engaged.

Thanks, all nice and clear. Now i just have to get to actually do it.