Thread: center diff lock

There should be a light on the dash to indicate when the CDL is locked. It is not necessarily instant like engaging low range, you move the lever to lock position, when the CDL engages (it may take a while as the dog clutch needs to line up right and slide across) - only when successfully locked then the indicator lamp lights.

Same when disengaging. You may move the lever to unlock but until the weight is off it it will not unlock, then only the indcator lamp will go off

Originally Posted by tact

There should be a light on the dash to indicate when the CDL is locked. It is not necessarily instant like engaging low range, you move the lever to lock position, when the CDL engages (it may take a while as the dog clutch needs to line up right and slide across) - only when successfully locked then the indicator lamp lights.

Same when disengaging. You may move the lever to unlock but until the weight is off it it will not unlock, then only the indcator lamp will go off

That make sense, it felt like it locked up when I was drive back to park it under the carport Oh well, I'll know for next time. They sure do bog easy if you run a back axle into slop with no diff lock in

With CDL unlocked you only need ONE wheel, any wheel, with zero traction to get stuck. (Assuming open diffs and no ATC)

Originally Posted by tact

With CDL unlocked you only need ONE wheel, any wheel, with zero traction to get stuck. (Assuming open diffs and no ATC)

Yep .... that's for sure.... Who knows it might even be a locker back there (i've never bothered to check ... somehow doubt it) lockers seems to make bugger all difference when on the rear axle. I towed my old mans huge twin cab turbo diesel ute 2x4 ute thing back to the drive several times with my standard front wheel drive Citroen. There's not enough weight on the rear wheels even with a locking diff to get you off a wet bit of grass usually

The center diff light works so well in this one ........... It never turns off regardless of the lock being in or not


seeya,
Shane L.

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

.............
The center diff light works so well in this one ........... It never turns off regardless of the lock being in or not ...................
seeya,
Shane L.

Yep, generally there is no long term direct relationship between what the warning light says and whether the CDL is locked or not.

Take the actuator off a LT 95 and make it work with air and see how sensitive (dodgy) the warning light switch is for an education. That's if the switch is able to actually work.

cheers, DL

Easy to test it in your driveway. Chock the wheels, take the hand brake off and select neutral. Make sure it can't roll anywhere or over you. Jack up a wheel, and you should be able to turn it by hand. Now engage the CDL and see if you can...

If you can still turn the wheel, then the CDL hasn't engaged. If it is now locked, then it has.

This is really bloody frustrating... I just did it again. Front wheel sitting on nice rock hard ground, back wheels spinning uselessly. Blood diff lock I tried high range, low range driving up and down the street.... Just couldn't get the god damn thing to engage. Is there a trick you need to know to get the center diff lock to work ?? If I lift a back wheel it spins now worries. If you look at the front shaft, it's not turning, so it's the diff lock..... Or lack of diff lock I should say

Could it be something simple, or do I need to pull it down to see what's going on

seeya
Shane L.

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

This is really bloody frustrating... I just did it again. Front wheel sitting on nice rock hard ground, back wheels spinning uselessly. Blood diff lock I tried high range, low range driving up and down the street.... Just couldn't get the god damn thing to engage. Is there a trick you need to know to get the center diff lock to work ?? If I lift a back wheel it spins now worries. If you look at the front shaft, it's not turning, so it's the diff lock..... Or lack of diff lock I should say

Could it be something simple, or do I need to pull it down to see what's going on

seeya
Shane L.

Shane from what you describe it sounds like your diff lock is stuffed ie not in working order. In my D1 or D2 with diff lock engaged if front wheels where on nice hard ground and back wheels where spinning the front wheels would always pull the car out. If diff lock was not engaged the car would just sit with the back wheels spinning ie all the power going to the spinning wheels only.