Thread: Diff locks working????

With CDL unlocked, jack one front wheel up, engage diff lock and see if you can turn the wheel, if you can't, diff lock is in.

As MR LR says above.

Depends by what you mean by not working.

If not locking. From memory, jack up the front axle with both wheels off the ground. Activate pump, then rear locker, then front. When spinning drivers wheel forward the passenger's wheel should follow in same direction and at same speed. Then reverse the spin on drivers side wheel - this should be difficult if locked as you are also having to overcome the momentum of the passenger wheel. If your passenger wheel does not follow change of direction then it is not locked.

If just driving the vehicle around then stick head out window and observe/listen to front wheels. On firm ground you will see and hear the front tyres skipping to relieve built up tension. On really firm surface you might notice the steering wanting to return to centre if locked, but on loose surface may not be noticeable.

When I installed mine in a Disco 1 they would not disengage. Dave Ashcroft said they had a batch where supplier changed the specifications of the return springs (made them weaker). To disengage the lockers I had to pull the pressure line to each and suck to create vacuum to assist return springs. In the end had to remove lockers and open them up to install replacement springs supplied by Dave. Dave did say, all things being equal, the lockers might just require a few on/off cycles to settle things for smooth operation ie creating a vacuum a few times gets things lubed and worn in - but after 100 cycles this was not working for me, so new springs.

Check for leaks, that the solenoids are powering, haven't pulled the line off the front diff etc.

Only used mine once in anger when a shipping container I was dragging fell of its pipe rollers - bush block move - using the residual momentum as it came off, I managed to drag the container another couple of metres before common sense suggested I stop. I had four nice even length wheel marks to indicate all wheels were getting even power.