Diff lock - not working

Hello!
I have a 2003 Disco 2 facelift with center diff lock mounted on the transfer box but without linkage. I bought from a Disco 1 the linkage and mounted it on my car but here comes the problem: CENTER DIFF WON'T LOCK !?!? The CDL light won't come on.

I put my lever on the left (where the cdl is engaged) and lift the front left wheel and it's spin so the center diff it's not locked.

What can I do? What might be the problem? I don't know where to start fixing the problem?!?!

selector in the box for cdl is spring operated is it been turned clockwise enough as you look down on it ,is switch wound in too far ,failing those undo the three bolts holding the housing for lever on box and see that locking collar is actually in

ropoly said:

Hello!
I have a 2003 Disco 2 facelift with center diff lock mounted on the transfer box but without linkage. I bought from a Disco 1 the linkage and mounted it on my car but here comes the problem: CENTER DIFF WON'T LOCK !?!? The CDL light won't come on.

I put my lever on the left (where the cdl is engaged) and lift the front left wheel and it's spin so the center diff it's not locked.

What can I do? What might be the problem? I don't know where to start fixing the problem?!?!

Click to expand...

Did you fit the D1 shifter ?.

Did you try and engage the diff lock spigot with a spanner before the CDL lever was fitted ?.

50 pence said:

Did you fit the D1 shifter ?.

Did you try and engage the diff lock spigot with a spanner before the CDL lever was fitted ?.

Click to expand...

YES i tried that and it didn't engaged the diff lock.
I think it must be a problem inside the t-box.

Also, how long have you given it with the CDL over ?.

Has the transfer box been recently fitted, as on a 2003, if the box was fitted from the factory than it should have have the cable operated lever assembly.

On many of the cars that I work on, it can take a while for the diff lock to actually engage after the lever has been pushed accross for the first time.

50 pence said:

Also, how long have you given it with the CDL over ?.

Has the transfer box been recently fitted, as on a 2003, if the box was fitted from the factory than it should have have the cable operated lever assembly.

On many of the cars that I work on, it can take a while for the diff lock to actually engage after the lever has been pushed accross.

Click to expand...

The t-box I think it was fited from the factory but it didn't came with the linkage (I'm the second owner). The first owner didn't care about the CDL because he used it on the tarmac.
After I engaged the CDL I drove more then 1 mile and it didn't lock.

ropoly said:

The t-box I think it was fited from the factory but it didn't came with the linkage (I'm the second owner). The first owner didn't care about the CDL because he used it on the tarmac.
After I engaged the CDL I drove more then 1 mile and it didn't lock.

Click to expand...

Did you drive in a straight line ?.

Might be worth just driving forward and back on on lock to see if you can get it to engage.. ( nice and steady ).

50 pence said:

Did you drive in a straight line ?.

Might be worth just driving forward and back on on lock to see if you can get it to engage.. ( nice and steady ).

Click to expand...

Not in a straight line ... I took it off roading so i had to go forward and backward.

ropoly said:

Not in a straight line ... I took it off roading so i had to go forward and backward.

Click to expand...

try what i said then report back

jamesmartin said:

try what i said then report back

Click to expand...

I'm sorry but I quite did not understand exactly what you said before. Can you be more specific please.
Thank you.

cdl selector in the box is sring operated moving lever in cab tensions spring this the pushes collar into mesh with output shaft as the align as your moving ,switch if wound in too far will stop this ,

So your testing the center diff lock is engaged by jacking up the left front wheel only and spinning the front wheel ...?

ropoly said:

Hello!
I have a 2003 Disco 2 facelift with center diff lock mounted on the transfer box but without linkage. I bought from a Disco 1 the linkage and mounted it on my car but here comes the problem: CENTER DIFF WON'T LOCK !?!? The CDL light won't come on.

I put my lever on the left (where the cdl is engaged) and lift the front left wheel and it's spin so the center diff it's not locked.

What can I do? What might be the problem? I don't know where to start fixing the problem?!?!

Click to expand...

I'm not 100% sure about this but here goes:

The centre difflock only locks the differential which apportions power to the front and rear prop shafts; it does not lock the front or rear axle diffs.

As a result you can have CDL engaged whilst still having one wheel front and rear stationary and the other two spinning.

So, your test of lifting the front left wheel and it being able to spin does not confirm or deny that the centre diff is not locked.

Or so I think.....................................?????????

Obviously this is completely separate from the DII's traction control system.

Thebiglad

If cdl is engaged for you to spin front wheel then a rear wheel must also move

If both rear wheels are on the ground , lifting a front wheel and trying to spin it would result it no movement

top drive said:

Thebiglad

If cdl is engaged for you to spin front wheel then a rear wheel must also move

If both rear wheels are on the ground , lifting a front wheel and trying to spin it would result it no movement

Click to expand...

So the unlocked front diff wouldn't allow the movement of the lifted wheel then?

bennybenny said:

So your testing the center diff lock is engaged by jacking up the left front wheel only and spinning the front wheel ...?

Click to expand...

YES!
This is what happens:
1. if the cdl is on then the front and the rear axels are joint
2. one front wheel is jacked and try to spin it the front diff will alow it but the center diff beeing locked it will send the spin to the rear axel where both wheels are on the ground and can not be spined so you will not be able to spin the front whell

I hope I made my self clear, if not I'll try to explain it again.

Nope cdl locked 1 wheel on each axel must move - hence the term cross axeled , when one wheel on each axel spins - thats where axel diffs can help sometimes

Cdl unlocked - each of your 4 wheels can spin independant.y.

ropoly said:

YES!
This is what happens:
1. if the cdl is on then the front and the rear axels are joint
2. one front wheel is jacked and try to spin it the front diff will alow it but the center diff beeing locked it will send the spin to the rear axel where both wheels are on the ground and can not be spined so you will not be able to spin the front whell

I hope I made my self clear, if not I'll try to explain it again.

Click to expand...

.... The center diff in affect locks the front and rear prop shafts together so they spin as one unit allowing drive to the front and rear axles the front and rear axles still have there open diffs so the half shafts can move independent of each other so your jacked up single wheel will be able to move, what you need to check is the prop shaft should not spin as it would be locked to the rear prop witch won't turn due to the rear wheels Beeing on the ground ... The cdl light on the dash may not work due to the bulb not Beeing there or the switch in the transfer case not Beeing fitted or wired in ...... If the prop spins you need to remove the linkage and select diff lock with a spanner if you then have diff lock its the linkage or adjustment if you don't most likely a fault in the trans box ... If its been sitting there for nearly 10 years doing nowt it may not wana work ...

if you jack up one wheel in difflock wheel wont spin

CDL will lock the centre diff not the diff between left n right wheels , for that you need a aftermarket diff