Thread: Rattle in low range......

Originally Posted by vnx205

The OP didn't ask for more tips. He is just trying to deal with one issue.

G'day I was out of line earlier and apologise, I thought that even though its a permanent 4 wheel drive, then putting it in low range on hard surfaces would put strain on the driveline.

If that's not the case then that's fine I just learnt something. Could you explain to me the reason why it doesn't damage them though?

In a Series Land Rover, the drive is normally just to the back wheels. In high range, you can push the yellow knob down and you have connected the drive to the front wheels as well.

When you pull the red knob back to engage low range, it also connects the front drive, so the yellow knob pops up. I have met people who thought that meant you could not have 4WD in low range. The opposite is true. You have to have 4WD if you are in low range.

A Defender and a number of other less important Land Rovers have drive going to the front and the back all the time. The differences in speed between the front and back is handled by a small differential in the transfer case that does the same job that the front and rear diffs do in coping with the differences in wheel speed across the axle when you go around a corner.

The centre diff can be locked so that the setup is then like the older Series Land Rovers. It can be left unlocked and as people have explained, that can be very useful for low speed manoeuvring, especially with heavy loads. The front and rear wheels are free to turn at different speeds if they want to. So there is no transmission wind up.

If you were thinking of a Series Land Rover, then your concern would have been valid, since engaging low range also engages 4WD with the front and back axles locked together. (Unless you have freewheeling hubs.)

So the short answer is, because there is a differential in the transfer case.

Does that make sense?

I would bet on clutch rattle as suggested in earlier post.

Allan

G'day lads,

Yep I am aware it is safe to use low range on bitumen without CDL, no different than high range. Its the centre diff lock locked in on surfaces where there is NO slip that causes transmission wind up, unless of course you are ONLY driving in a dead straight line

If it was the clutch would it have rattled though when I checked low range on my hill? I don't get any rattle in high range at all.