When To Engage Diff Lock

[wpalmo]

Hi All,
I am sure that this question has been asked before but I couldn’t find a definitive answer. I have been told that the the diff lock on the LT95 should be engaged when ever you exit the tarmac or you may cause damage to the centre diff.
I have been driving the last week on gravel roads with speeds between 60-80 kms per hour. Should the diff lock be engaged for this sort of driving?
Look forward to hearing some answers to my question from the combined knowledge and experience of the AULRO Forum.
Regards Warrick

[Gordie]

There was much debate in this recent thread.....

When to lock CDL (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/261501-when-lock-cdl.html)

[PhilipA]

Please please not another one!
Regards Philip A

[ramblingboy42]

yeah follow it up with another tyre thread, then which oil to use.

[DeanoH]

................. I have been told that the the diff lock on the LT95 should be engaged when ever you exit the tarmac or you may cause damage to the centre diff. ...........

No, absolutely not !The diff lock should NOT be engaged when driving ON the tarmac or you may cause damage to the centre diff. is probably what was meant.


................ I have been driving the last week on gravel roads with speeds between 60-80 kms per hour. Should the diff lock be engaged for this sort of driving? .............

Again no or at best not necessarily. The centre diff is there to allow for the difference in distance travelled between the front and rear wheels in normal hard surface be it bitumen or dirt road driving. It automatically compensates for this difference. When the centre diff is locked this is no longer the case. Running with the centre diff locked on a hard surface causes excessive strain in the drive train called 'transmission wind up' which at best can cause the transfer case to lock up. ie. can't de select lock or select hi/low range. It can make gear selection difficult.

When the centre diff lock is used correctly (on a loose surface) ie. sand, mud loose soil the wheels can 'slip' to relieve the strain so as not to cause 'transmission lock up'. When this does occur sometimes the best way to relieve the tension is to temporarily jack up one wheel to allow it to turn to release the tension.

Deano :)

[LRJim]

Get your owners manual out it's all in there lol just taking the mickey but really it's all in there!

[rangieman]

Ill just grab some 141645
Oh lets throw in a ATB are the best versus crappy air locker debate as well141646

[Homestar]

Bottom line is you won’t hurt anything by not engaging it when on dirt roads. As you can see there are a lot of differing opinions on this but that’s fine - you can use the centre diff lock on dirt roads without issue too - some here engage it as soon as they leave the tarmac, others only when the going gets a bit tougher. Do or don’t, you won’t hurt anything - just remember to disengage it when your back on the hard stuff or you will hurt something.

[weeds]

Yep I on the engage side of the fence....I’d rather not wait for wheel slip as it’s nearly impossible to predict.

Driving my back to the motel tonight in my work hi-lux with my two tradies.....had to detour on dirt roads (very bad accident just north of Miles) they were surprised I engaged 4WD.......

[wpalmo]

Thanks all for the answers. Sorry to open up an old can of worms, again🙄.
Regards Warrick.

[Phil B]

Hi All,
I am sure that this question has been asked before but I couldn’t find a definitive answer. I have been told that the the diff lock on the LT95 should be engaged when ever you exit the tarmac or you may cause damage to the centre diff.
I have been driving the last week on gravel roads with speeds between 60-80 kms per hour. Should the diff lock be engaged for this sort of driving?
Look forward to hearing some answers to my question from the combined knowledge and experience of the AULRO Forum.
Regards Warrick

Warrick,

As the others have said it wont do any harm to engage the CDL as soon as you get onto gravel.
I have just done the Darling River Run (with a camper trailer) which is about 2500km on gravel. I believe I should have engaged the CDL on my Perentie 4x4 more frequently (i used it about 25% of the time) and that this non use may have contrubuted to the transfer gearbox issues I am currently experiencing. I dont think that jumping out of high range can be caused by this but who knows.
I am investigating the damage this weekend and should know more then.
At the end of the day it is your choice but I know what I will be doing in future.

Regards,