Transfer box issues

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lerk

lerk

New Member
Posts
1,763
Location
Creswell, Derbyshire UK
Just been under the landy checking my centre diff. What I've got is:

Lever moves nice and free (now!) all the way round the 6 positions
Autobox in N, Parking brake off, OSF jacked up - wheel spins, front prop turns rear one don't...

Tried prising the bottom of the lever across further, 13mm socket on top of transfer case to pull it across and general ragging of the lever. Still no light on the dash or locking of the centre diff.

Is my transfer box completely ****ed or is there something else it could be???

Can I remove the 13mm (M8?) nut which I assume just holds the linkage on and try turning that without the lever?
 
i had this problem mate, turned out the lever goin down the pins had worn so it wasnt coming across far enough. hut if you have tried prising it i wouldnt think that its that.
 
Yep, exactly what i was thinking... hence why i'd like to try removing the linkage completely to eliminate that... i know the usual guide says to prise off the c-link but it would be far less disruptive to remove the entire linkage than splitting that link
 
Well oil beef hooked...

Just an update, after odd bits of playing under the car at the start of the year I lost interest slightly!

Getting close to winter and slipperier conditions I started thinking about the diff lock again... Was getting ready to strip out the centre console and check the linkages from the top of the T-box and possibly swap the box, thought what the hell and at 60mph(ish) on the way back from my mates gave the lever a few waggles. As I came to a slight bend I was still waggling the lever and for the first time ever in this motor was rewarded with the glorious sight of a diff lock light! VERY quickly disengaged the lock and the light stayed on, slowed right down and got home by the route with least corners then jacked up the front (three times as the car crept forwards with the tension wound up in the transmission) and tested the diff lock...

Success! I now have a diff lock... My only guess is the locking mechanism must have been stuck inside the box and the higher stresses of locking up on tarmac whilst trying to turn at different speeds must have freed it off???

Might just prove useful information to someone who has similar issues!
 
Its basically a case if its not used it will "sieze" up, and even when the linkage is freed off, its unlikely the diff lock will work straight away as its been stuck in one position for a long time, hence no light.

As you found out, a little use and it will eventually free off and come to "light". Once you been offroad with it the CDL works perfectly in and out once its all used / warmed up.

This can often happen when "retro fitting" a D2, as the diff lock on those is / was most likely NEVER used.
 
Aye, use it or lose it! It would be a good idea tae muck about with it once a week or summit ... even just up and down on yer driveway;)
Dunno how often ye change yer oils, but it might be a good idea to keep it up quite regular like;):D
 
lerk said:
VERY quickly disengaged the lock and the light stayed on, slowed right down and got home by the route with least corners then jacked up the front (three times as the car crept forwards with the tension wound up in the transmission) and tested the diff lock...
quote]
If you have the problem with the light staying on, try bouncing a wheel off a kerb. The fact of having one wheel off the ground, even for a fraction of a second, should be enough to unwind the transmission and allow diff lock to disengage. Essential knowledge for Bedford 4WD trucks, as they won't steer on tarmac with the diff locked!
Click to expand...
 
PASTMASTER said:
If you have the problem with the light staying on, try bouncing a wheel off a kerb. The fact of having one wheel off the ground, even for a fraction of a second, should be enough to unwind the transmission and allow diff lock to disengage. Essential knowledge for Bedford 4WD trucks, as they won't steer on tarmac with the diff locked!
Click to expand...

Sounds like they're self rectifying then, if the diff locks up you can't steer, you hit the kerb then you can steer again... excellent!:p
 
lerk said:
Sounds like they're self rectifying then, if the diff locks up you can't steer, you hit the kerb then you can steer again... excellent!:p
Click to expand...
Indeed. But it's best to do it before the steering gets too bad, otherwise you may well have damaged your transmission. If the light stays on when you disengage, you need to get it off asap. (Bedford trucks don't have a difflock light, and being a rubbish driver I had forgotten I'd engaged it in the mud a few hours previously). If need be I would stop the car and jack it up rather than driving any distance.;)
 
lerk said:
Well oil beef hooked...

Just an update, after odd bits of playing under the car at the start of the year I lost interest slightly!

Getting close to winter and slipperier conditions I started thinking about the diff lock again... Was getting ready to strip out the centre console and check the linkages from the top of the T-box and possibly swap the box, thought what the hell and at 60mph(ish) on the way back from my mates gave the lever a few waggles. As I came to a slight bend I was still waggling the lever and for the first time ever in this motor was rewarded with the glorious sight of a diff lock light! VERY quickly disengaged the lock and the light stayed on, slowed right down and got home by the route with least corners then jacked up the front (three times as the car crept forwards with the tension wound up in the transmission) and tested the diff lock...

Success! I now have a diff lock... My only guess is the locking mechanism must have been stuck inside the box and the higher stresses of locking up on tarmac whilst trying to turn at different speeds must have freed it off???

Might just prove useful information to someone who has similar issues!
Click to expand...


Hi

I am having the same problem with my 95 300 tdi auto, the linkages and levers are all working fine, but no diff lock or light on dash, I am a little worried about trying to wiggle the gear stick whilst driving round bends, could this cause more damage to transmission??
 
Kellymike said:
Hi

I am having the same problem with my 95 300 tdi auto, the linkages and levers are all working fine, but no diff lock or light on dash, I am a little worried about trying to wiggle the gear stick whilst driving round bends, could this cause more damage to transmission??
Click to expand...

The way I looked at it, I was going to have to remove the box to repair it anyway, so might as well try it!
Just make sure you try it on a road where you can stop quickly should the diff lock up and not unlock... Mine was prone to sticking for the first dozen activations or so.
 
lerk said:
The way I looked at it, I was going to have to remove the box to repair it anyway, so might as well try it!
Just make sure you try it on a road where you can stop quickly should the diff lock up and not unlock... Mine was prone to sticking for the first dozen activations or so.
Click to expand...

Decided to take a chance today and pushed the stick left and right pretty much all day at various different speeds, pulled into a large car park and took a sharp right whilst pushing the stick and all of a sudden the light came on and I could feel the diff lock working, I was well chuffed and then had the problem of disengaging it, lightly bumping one of the front wheels off a kerb seemed to help it disengage...thanks for posting you have just saved me a good few hundred pounds.
 
Glad to be of assistance!

Keep working it and it'll free off lovely... I find with the auto that knocking the autobox to N helps relieve the tension in the transmission and bounce the lock back to disengaged. ;)
 
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