Gears dont engage unless diff lock on

Hi,

Just had a repair done on the braking system to my defender 90. To cut a long story short, something went wrong with the handbrake shoe and I could go in reverse but not forward. Several other things were replaced at the same time - e.g. stub axle, prop shaft joint etc - general stuff.

Tonight I figured I'd jack her up and take a look underneath. I did nothing but look (honest guv!).On putting her back on the ground i found that the gears wouldnt engage. In hi or low diff lock mode I can move her, but not when the diff lock is off.

Now what? Go back to the garage?

BHOWB

Some further observations ....

Clutch seems ok. I can put the car in gear - everything feels fine, but .. nothing when accelerator is pressed - just revs.

Clutch pedal not stuck or loose.

Desperate for help please......maybe I've dislodged something when underneath looking. Only thing that I can think happened is that the rear wheels turned. Does that affect the gears?

BHOBW

the transfer box lever isnt in neutral is it? if it dosnt feel like the transfer box lever is goin into hi, press the clutch and select first gear then try. failing that check the linkages to the transfer box

I had this problem but only when I had me rear prop off. The centre diff put the power down the path of least resistance in nomal driving mode. So when diff lock is engaged then it locks the centre diff hence it will move. So had to put the prop back on or drive with the handbrake on as it stoped the rear drive moving and put the power to the front wheels.
My advice is to get some one to put it in normal drive and in gear and take the clutch up and you check to see whats spinning and what isn't underneith.

Hi -

Thanks for the replies...

I'm completely new to defenders so bear with me.

I put her in gear and the diff lock on (pushed transfer lever left and up, diff lock light came on) when I jacked her up (as per the Haines manual!). I normally drive with the transfer lever in neutral - right? i.e. no diff lock light on...

Transfer lever now in neutral (moves from side to side - apologies for being sooo dumb about this), but when I put her in gear, nothing - it's as though the main gears are in neutral.

BHOBW

You need to put the little gear stick to the right and down to engage in High. It is out of diff lock but in normal drive.

Yep, have made this mistake too. Remember: down and to the right, down and to the right.

Thanks 123-eddy09.

Well, I've managed to get the gears working normally but I'm clueless as to what I did. Based on your previous suggestion of the transfer lever being in neutral I just went out and started trying things.

So, to get the terminology right ... the 'little lever' (this is the transfer lever?) was push over to the LEFT and then seems to have two positions - UP (which I believe is 'Low Diff lock on') and DOWN (which is 'High Diff Lock On'). When pushing the transfer lever over to the LEFT, the diff lock light comes on even before I push the lever UP or DOWN. Push the transfer lever back to the right (towards me in the drivers seat!!) and the diff lock light goes off. Curiously, there appears to be another position for this little lever which is to the RIGHT and UP. The diff lock light does not come on though. What's this? And is there an equivalent position on the right and DOWN? i.e. is this a 'H' shape?

I'd really appreciate a quick basic lesson here!

Thanks

BHOBW = Bang Head Off Brick Wall !

Thanks for admitting EmiTime - makes me feely slightly less dumb

Celebrating solving the gear problem with a bottle of Hobgoblin!!
I deserve it...

Would appreciate that guidance from someone about general 'transfer lever' usage, and what position I'm suppose to have it in for normal driving.

Thanks all for your help

BHOBW

Think of the transfer box lever as a figure "H" down and right is in high no diff lock for normal driving. Up and right is low no diff lock for low ratio driving. if you are using it offroad or just need diff-lock, make sure you follow these steps

1. Stationary 0mph
2. Push transfer box lever up and right
3. Select 1st or 2nd gear and set off moving 5mph max
4. Then firmly push the lever across to the left

You are now in Low Diff-lock. To resume normal drive slow down to 5mph and PULL the lever to the up right position and diff lock light should go out. Now stop and PULL the lever down right postion, it may need you to dip the clutch to get it back in normal drive

To select high Diff lock should you loose traction

• Have lever in down right postion and slow down to 5mph
• Firmly PUSH the lever in to down Left position

You are now in high diff-lock

In normal driving ( everyday it should be in the down right position) never drive far or at speed in diff-lock

hope this helps

As well as above.....Just make sure your wheels are straight when you engage diff lock

Thats an excellent explanation. Many many thanks.

BHOBW

Thats what were here for. No problem

You can engage difflock at ANY speed however only when all the wheels are rotating at the same speed i.e not spinning a wheel or stuck on a surface where grip is considrably reduced. i.e not tarmac. DO NOT be afraid of putting it in. Wet grass IS one of the slippery surfraces know to man kind. If you fail to engage difflock when grip is considrably reduced you can become very stuck very easily, you only need one wheel to spin and you will go nowhere. This or too much differential through the trans for any period of time will damage your centre diff as its not designed to take that much differential for a period of time.

People argue that you get wind up on tarmac if you have difflock engaged. Yes this is very true and if engaged fora long periood of time will increade wear and increase possible damage to your transmission. Personally if your going off tarmac or any grippy surface put it in until you get almost to the next tarmac/grippy surface.

I have done so at 45+mph also you can change from low to high and high to low if you match speed correctly this is an art and it will surprise you just how slow you have to go. Many people damage their transfer boxes doing it wrongly so the recommended soloution is to do it at a very very slow speed or at a standstil

Dispite what the manual or little warning sticker on the trans tunnel it can be done and it part of LR's techs driver training.

jai_landrover said:

You can engage difflock at ANY speed however only when all the wheels are rotating at the same speed i.e not spinning a wheel or stuck.

I have done so at 45+mph also you can change from low to high and high to low if you match speed correctly this is an art and it will surprise you just how slow you have to go. Many people damage their transfer boxes doing it wrongly so the recommended soloution is to do it at a very very slow speed or at a standstil

Dispite what the manual or little warning sticker on the trans tunnel it can be done and it part of LR's techs driver training.

Click to expand...

With the OP obviuosly being new to landrovers and diff-lock, stick to the way i told you, i havn't gone wrong yet or damaged my transfer box. Once you are used to it and got to know your landy it will be second nature

Agreed its like the old Never brake down hill yes its completly true for noobies because if you get it wrong you can really really hurt yourself anf your mota but when you get furthur into competition you learn how to when to and when not to do it.

All I say is don't be afraid to put it in difflock every now and then when on ground with far less grip than tarmc. i.e gravel/snow/ice/grass etc.