CDL, is it worth it?

First major mod I did on my 2002 model. Was fortunate to get the front output housing and lever as others have said you don't need the whole transfer case but a recon on that is recommended anyway.
I did the Simpson pre and post CDL and the car comfortably handled it either way but didn't see the TC light much with the CDL.
The backing down a slippery hill is the scary part and I experienced that pre-CDL.
Highly recommend.

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Originally Posted by Graeme

A D2 without CDL is dangerous when attempting to reverse down a slippery slope due to the front wheels locking under slight brake application.

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As the title says “would cdl really make a difference in this situation?” I don’t think the cdl would make any difference once the brakes come on. Reversing down hill, the front end is not going to have much grip. Any application of the brakes cdl or not will cause the front wheels to lockup. I think then speed will then determine if the abs kicks in.

If your going to use the D2 off road/off sealed roads I’d get the ATB, cdl either will help.

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Originally Posted by DieselLSE

You may not have the diff lock linkages, but you certainly have the centre diff. My memory is a bit hazy, but I recall installing the linkages to a D2 about ten years ago. From memory, all the internal locking bits are still in your transfer case, just not the external bits. Probably hard to come by now, I think the ones I used were from a wreck.
Others here will know, but I would certainly be looking for a way to engage your centre diff lock.

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there was a period of approx 18 months where the box was not fitted with the CDL. CDL especially in sand and also on loose dirt is preferable to traction control as any axle with 2 wheels on the dirt has traction. traction control will only assist once a wheel starts spinning and then too the earlier ones were not particularly good. we often when driving in sand disable the ABS and TC in favour for CDL as the results are better. steep downhill decents under CDL is also more predictable and runaway less likely. when driving and towing on dirt, ABS can be suicidal and CDL offers safer braking

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Originally Posted by thai_tiger

how about this as an alternative, wouldn't be able to manually lock it but will do the job and also eliminate any excessive free play


Ashcroft Transmissions

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The Ashcroft ATB for the LT230 will still allow you to lock the CDL.

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Originally Posted by slug_burner

As the title says “would cdl really make a difference in this situation?” I don’t think the cdl would make any difference once the brakes come on. Reversing down hill, the front end is not going to have much grip. Any application of the brakes cdl or not will cause the front wheels to lockup. I think then speed will then determine if the abs kicks in.

If your going to use the D2 off road/off sealed roads I’d get the ATB, cdl either will help.

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Graeme is on the money with the CDL comment and backing out of failed hill attempts. This was one of the main drivers for the reinstallation of the CDL by LandRover after relenting with the MY03 update and drivers very early on discovered this problem and started to refit CDL mechanisms again very quickly. When you lock the CDL the axle speed is forced to be matched from front to rear, but with an unlocked CDL this is not the case and why both front wheels lock easily which results in a loss of control.

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Originally Posted by slug_burner

As the title says “would cdl really make a difference in this situation?” I don’t think the cdl would make any difference once the brakes come on. Reversing down hill, the front end is not going to have much grip. Any application of the brakes cdl or not will cause the front wheels to lockup. I think then speed will then determine if the abs kicks in.

If your going to use the D2 off road/off sealed roads I’d get the ATB, cdl either will help.

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Absolutely makes a difference as the locked CDL keeps the front wheels turning at the same speed as the rears.

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Originally Posted by Graeme

Absolutely makes a difference as the locked CDL keeps the front wheels turning at the same speed as the rears.

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Yes agree 100%,i had the D2,and the D2a.

The centre diff locked model(D2a) was a lot better in the rough stuff than the previous model.

Not a real smart idea deleting it in the early D2 models.

Many blamed it on the BMW designers,as BMW owned the company at the time.

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Originally Posted by Slunnie

Graeme is on the money with the CDL comment and backing out of failed hill attempts. This was one of the main drivers for the reinstallation of the CDL by LandRover after relenting with the MY03 update and drivers very early on discovered this problem and started to refit CDL mechanisms again very quickly. When you lock the CDL the axle speed is forced to be matched from front to rear, but with an unlocked CDL this is not the case and why both front wheels lock easily which results in a loss of control.

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There was a video of a white TD5 slewing sideways and almost rolling merely backing down a steep slippery hill (wheels straight) and I experienced something similar but not as bad before my retrofit CDL. CDL is a matter of safety. It also makes a big difference to handling on high speed dirt.

Cheers

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Originally Posted by scarry

Yes agree 100%,i had the D2,and the D2a.

The centre diff locked model(D2a) was a lot better in the rough stuff than the previous model.

Not a real smart idea deleting it in the early D2 models.

Many blamed it on the BMW designers,as BMW owned the company at the time.

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The idea like so many LR ideas is to make it easy for someone who doesn't understand off roading to drive offroad (and back on road without trans wind up from not turning CDL back off[emoji16]). And to make it all seem sooo simple...easy
..just like 26,000k service intervals [emoji23].

Cheers

I redid the seals and intermediate shaft in my d2a. I must says I'm kicking myself that I did not put the atb diff in when I had TC out

I found it so hard getting the TC out and in by my self.

Actually working on the lt230 was really easy.

There are some cheap wreckers on Facebook market place.