Centre diff lock & removable transmission tunnel

[sdt463]

Sorry folks I'm getting a bit greedy here, trying to get two answers from one post.
We are currently touring with a big van on the back of the 1999 td5 130, today we got ourselves down a muddy track and had to get out into into the soft stuff to turn the thing around, but when I tried to engage the diff lock I found the lever will no longer move sideways to engage it.
Of course the mighty 130 did the job anyway but I still need to fix it before my luck runs out.
I have been under the car and found that I can push the lever on top of the centre diff across with a screwdriver quite easily but this does not bring the warning light on the dash on so I am not sure if it is going far enough to lock the diff, after pushing the arm across the the gear lever pulls it back to the disengaged position without any problems.
Part 2
Last time I had the transmission tunnel out of this car I found that getting it back in was akin to wrestling an alligator surely there must be an easy way to slot it back in. If it's a trade secret I promise I won't tell anyone.
All answers appreciated.
thanks in advance Dave

[sniegy]

I would start by sticking a hose with some good pressure up on top of the t/case & washing away the mud. This tends to jam up the lever as I have experienced in my old beasts. Would start this & see what eventuates.

Cheers

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[sdt463]

Thanks for your sugestion Sniegy unfortunatley i'm not in a position to get to it with a hose at the moment, but I did manage to buy one of those inspection camera things from Aldi today, so if I can find somewhere dry and safe to crawl underneath tomorrow I will poke the camera up there and see if I can find out what is going on.
Dave

[rar110]

On my prev county with LT85 box the side way action of the lever seized simply because the diff lock hadn't been used for a while. I would try removing the rubber boot and getting some penetrating oil into the linkages.

[sdt463]

Thanks rar110. where we a camped at the moment is not conducive to pulling it apart but as soon get into a beter camping spot I'll have a delv into the top of it. The lever that goe's into the diff and all the links up the side of the gear box are free anough so it must be on the high low lever somewhere.
Dave

[skids]

I had to do mine the other week too. i pulled the hole tunnel out, it's not hard but there is a lot of screws to come out. Take the lever off, Mid way down the lever is a pivot arm that can be adjusted. easy peasy.

[sdt463]

Hi Skids, thanks for the reply. I've had the tunnel out a couple of times, never have any trouble geting it out but always struggle to get it back in. This is now made harder, as I have fitted a Roverdrive and have 3 gear sticks to get it over I'm sure there must be a secret to getting it back but I'm afraid I will run out of hair before I find out what it is.
Dave