transfer box

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revjames

revjames

New Member
Posts
1,145
Location
Holy Island, Anglesey
As some of you know, I bought a 96 Disco 300Tdi ES last week. Being fairly new to LRs I never checked the diff lock when I test drove it. At the start the diff lock lever would not go over to the left at all. I followed the 'Non technical brute force method' on one of these threads which did move it. I have just come out from under it and WD40'd everything that looked even slightly like a selector mechanism and then moved the lever hi-lo and in/out of diff lock several times. From underneath it certainly looks like it is selecting there is a positive click in and out as the mechanism on top of the box rotates with the selector arm movements.

Anyway the result of my efforts is: still no diff lock light on when selected in hi or lo. Drove it in both ranges on the road with diff lock selected and it felt exactly the same selected or not.

Does this mean I have a knackered transfer box? Having looked closer at the disco and the procedures relating to diff locks and transfer boxes I would say that the centre console has been off. More intriguing is that the casting on the transfer box has four digits cast into it. I am assuming these relate to the date? They are 67 on the top and 88 on the bottom in the centre of a circular pattern. I am guessing that perhaps a re con transfer box has been fitted and maybe something has been done incorrectly resulting in no diff lock.

Having got oil all over my hands and forearms I feel I have now been well initiated into the world of LRs and LRZ of course.

Any ideas? I have scanned all the other pages relating to no diff lock and cant find the same problem.

James
 
which ever ratio your in High or Low it won't affect your difflock.

To check your difflocks working put the vehicle in gear and engage difflock. jack the front or rear up (both wheels) and try turning both wheels at the same time in the same direction if you can't rotate the wheels then difflock is working. You could also try driving it off the axle stands or whatever is holding it up!!!!!!!!!!

Have you checked the bulb?

This problem came up recently on a disco but can't remember the outcome try a search.
 
Thanks Grunt, I havent checked the bulb as that would mean taking the dash to bits wouldnt it? I thought that I would know about it if the diff lock WAS selected and I was driving about and turning corners on tarmac?

Do you think its worth pulling the linkage off the top of the box and physically turning it with a 13mm spanner to see if it engages?

I think I will take your advice and jack up the front wheel and try and spin it with transfer and gearbox not in neutral. I would be very surprised if it was working.
 
Or if you have a few jacks or Axel stands you could get all 4 off the ground, and if you turn one wheel with the diff lock engaged all the wheels should turn, it think.
 
with all wheels off the ground put into gear and with the difflock lever engaged get underneath and try and rotate the props together they should both be locked, try without difflock and the props will turn independantly.
 
OK heres what I did. Jacked up the front at the diff hoping to get both wheels off the ground. However, because of the camber and the offset diff only the RH wheel came up. Anyway park brake off and transmission in 1st with diff lock off wheel wouldnt turn but it felt like it would if you turned it hard enough. In 2nd it did turn a bit easier. Diff lock selected it was exactly the same. Parking brake on then it was solid (it would be) My assumption is that diff lock isnt working despite the lever being fully over to the left.
 
From what I think your saying (I've had a few and its nearly 1AM) it sounds to me as if it is working. Difflock only locks the drive to front and rear axles not the drive to the wheels on the individual axles, as you explain the way you have done it, it sounds as if the first test you are trying to turn the engine over and its locked solid in the second test, as it should be.
 
If it is working then its working all the time because it behaves the same whichever way the lever is! Anyway, I have booked her in for a major service with the local LR specialists and asked them to take a look.
 
Hi revjames, I recently played around with my difflock on my 200tdi - I think the transfer box is the same LT230 or sommat like that. If you search the forum, you should find it - thread was called "difflock broken" or something obvious like that.

To test your difflock, leave the handbrake on and jack up one front wheel - one wheel is enough, main gearbox in neutral. Try and turn the wheel. If difflock is working, you won't be able to turn it because the difflock will have connected it through the the rear propshaft which is being held by the handbrake. If you turn the difflock off, you will be able to turn the wheel easily.
Also, your light might not work just by engaging the difflock - try driving a bit with it engaged and it might come on (mine is like that - if you engage it while stopped, no light but if you then drive, it comes on). Also wind your window down and do as sharp a turn as you can, you should hear the tyres rubbing if the difflock is working. A gravel surface is best for this.

Hope your difflock is working or is easy or cheap to fix like mine turned out to be!
 
Try this, find a car park with plenty of room to turn. Select low gears and drive a few yards back and forth just to prove your in low gears. turn the steering on full lock (right) and drive forwards. If your diff lock is engaged then you will feel and hear the outer wheel skipping on the surface. ;)
 
Thanks guys, From what you have told me I can confirm from what I have already tried that its not working. I will ask the guys to have a look when they service it on thursday. BTW how much do you guys pay to get servicing done? I have started a thread on the subject. Just interested to see how much it is elsewhere...

Thanks again

James
 
Just had a service. I asked the guys to check out the Diff Lock. They reckon the problem is a seized switch on the box. I cant see how a switch can prevent it working I thought it was just for indication unless it not moving is preventing the selector moving as well? He reckons the box needs to be dropped slightly to allow the switch to be removed. Reckons it'll take 15 mins to do so I said OK.
 
New switch put in today. It was the problem and I can now select CDL. However they broke the switch (they said it was 'faulty') so the light doesnt come on! So diff locks but no light. They had ordered it in specially so didnt have another. I said I would wait til next service then they could put another in for me!
 
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