Procedure for changing from low to high and lock to unlock

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T

tws1

New Member
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Hi,


Sorry brand new on the forum, always been into my old cars and recently have bought a 1985 90, has the 2.25 petrol, (yes I know petrol), I have plans to 200 tdi it.

I probably know what you all thinking not another what is high and low ratio and what is diff lock for!! I have read through all archived posts etc and pretty much know what you should and shouldn't be using each thing for. My question is there must be a procedure of engaging say high rat or low rat? And diff lock etc? Should it be in neutral, should it be moving etc? Should you have clutch down? These sort of things, for each thing. I know to get it out of diff lock if you don't hear it, reverse it a bit and it should come out. If there is a post that anyone knows answering this, could they tell me where it is.

Sorry for long drawn out-ness .


Many Thanks
Tom
 
You can go from low to high and vice versa if under 5kph and it helps to double de clutch.

You can throw the diff lock on at any time/any speed as long as NONE of the wheels are spinning.
 
Changes from high to low should only be made whilst stationary.
Changes from low to high can be made without stopping:- Press the clutch and release the accelerator as for normal gear change into neutral, move the transfer lever to neutral also. Release clutch for three seconds then press clutch and move transfer lever into high then select an appropriate gear.
The same applies for centre diff lock.
Only use diff lock when traction is likely to be lost, otherwise transmission wind up may occour if used for long periods of time on tarmac for example. And never engage diff lock with any wheels spinning. (if the light remains on for diff lock after being returned to 'normal' drive, reverse until the light goes out)
 
D.G.F.S. said:
Changes from high to low should only be made whilst stationary.
Click to expand...
why as long as you'r moving at a snails pace it's perfectly simple to change from high to low without stopping.
Changes from low to high can be made without stopping:-
Click to expand...
Is this at any speed you like or were you going to elaborate at some point?
Press the clutch and release the accelerator as for normal gear change into neutral, move the transfer lever to neutral also. Release clutch for three seconds then press clutch and move transfer lever into high then select an appropriate gear.
Click to expand...
what a load of kerfuffall. ya have to move thru neutral when going from low to high and visa-versa. so what's the point of stopping there??and would it matter if was 2 sec or even as long as four seconds
The same applies for centre diff lock.
Click to expand...
nonsense you can change from locked to unlock at any speed you want to. As long as you're not spinning a wheel at the point of locking the diff?
Only use diff lock when traction is likely to be lost, otherwise transmission wind up may occur if used for long periods of time on tarmac for example. And never engage diff lock with any wheels spinning. (if the light remains on for diff lock after being returned to 'normal' drive, reverse until the light goes out)
Click to expand...
At last summat we agree on :doh:
 
redhand said:
why as long as you'r moving at a snails pace it's perfectly simple to change from high to low without stopping.
Is this at any speed you like or were you going to elaborate at some point? what a load of kerfuffall. ya have to move thru neutral when going from low to high and visa-versa. so what's the point of stopping there??and would it matter if was 2 sec or even as long as four seconds
nonsense you can change from locked to unlock at any speed you want to. As long as you're not spinning a wheel at the point of locking the diff?
At last summat we agree on :doh:
Click to expand...

Int that basically what I said Pikey? ;)
 
The any speed as long as your wheels are not spinning is only partly correct - you need to be going in a stright line as well.

This may seem confusing, but as land rovers dont have four wheel stearing, the rear wheels will not follow the same line as the front wheels, infact if you put it on full lock the front wheels travel a lot longer distance than the rear ones, and hence the diff will be 'being used', and locking up the center diff will cause damage.

As for the high/low box the simple answer is that id does not have syncro mesh, so in theory you can change L/H while moving, as long as you are skilled at double de clutching as this would be the same as changing a non syncro mesh main box (but be carefully if your main box has any play in it as it will make this virtualy imposible to do.

So basicly come to a stop, as any miss match of speed when putting it into gear is going to cause damage.

If you want to do it at very low speed to avoid loosing traction, then i suggest you take it out of gear in the main box, as this will remove the drive from the input shaft to the transfer box, and hance make it easier to 'crash' it into gear

To be safe - Stop for H/L changes - sometimes if the gears are not lined up it wont go into gear, so you have to bring the clutch up a tiny amount with it in 1st to just get the gears spinning a slight amount, before putting the clutch back down, and trying again

Stright ahead with no wheels spinning/stopped to lock/unlock diffs
 
Last edited:
jamescronin said:
This may seem confusing, but as land rovers dont have four wheel stearing, the rear wheels will not follow the same line as the front wheels, infact if you put it on full lock the front wheels travel a lot longer distance than the rear ones, and hence the diff will be 'being used', and locking up the center diff will cause damage.
Click to expand...

but difflock doesn't affect the axles only the prop shafts, so I'm a bit confoosed on this point??
 
OK when going round a corner, the front wheels go faster than the front ones, as the turning circle of the front wheels is much longer than the rear ones (think of a bus making a sharp turn, the front wheels do a huge circle, while the rear wheels only move a small amount.

So the front prop shaft is going round faster than the rear one

Hence the need for the center diff, and why it 'winds up' if you turn corners.....
 
D.G.F.S. Would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused during his previous information broadcast. I am not going to argue with anyone who agrees or disagrees with me, but, if they would like to take the matter up with the Technical Publications Department of Land Rover Ltd they are more than welcome. The information I posted in reply to the origional post was just short of a complete copy of my (OFFICIAL and ORIGIONAL) Land Rover Owners Hand Book, section 2 (controlls) pages 32 and 33.
For your information the details of the hand book are as follows:
Publication No. SLR800ENHB 89
Published by the Technical Publications Department of Land Rover Ltd. Copyright Land Rover 1988.
 
Thank you guys, you cleared it up for me, and I understand the differences in what you are all saying.

Cheers


Tom
 
I am so glad this topic as come up as i have been a little unsure on the procedure and was even thinking of going to the local pay and play for advice feel a bit stupid owning a defender and not knowing how to use it properly.
 
Tania said:
I am so glad this topic as come up as i have been a little unsure on the procedure and was even thinking of going to the local pay and play for advice feel a bit stupid owning a defender and not knowing how to use it properly.
Click to expand...

If yer dunt know how ter use it reet yer shudna have wun. I'll gee yer £805 for it?;)
 
lol i do know how to use her (a mate of mine goes greenlaning and showed me what to do) but as i only use her for towing my horse trailer and on the farm and never need it in general i was glad to see it in black and white to reassure myself and am doing it ok - and no she's not for sale ha ha x
 
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