Thread: Transfer case Defender 110 fails twice

If it's wet enough to cause one wheel to spin on it's own engage the diff lock,if it drives up otherwise no problems keep driving. Pat

I'd definitely lock it to go over cattle grids. I usually lock it as I approach them and then unlock as soon as the rear wheels are over. Can't be too careful.

It's actually why I had an ATB fitted. The grids were driving me nuts.

Seriously though, I had a centre diff that wasn't locking when I moved the stick across. I did a number of off-road trips before I twigged, including sand dunes and high country, all with wheels in the air spinning madly. Plenty of brass in the oil but no failure. I think you'd need to be flogging it fairly hard before you killed it. I dont doubt its possible to kill the centre diff in the right circumstances but locking the centre diff on all loose surfaces is just going to prevent unnecessary wear.

Best thing I did when I replaced the TC was have an Ashcroft ATB fitted. Much nicer to drive on dirt roads, backlash virtually eliminated and if you forget to lock it, it doesn't matter.

Super tired as I have been fighting fires.. The Brigade Defender had trouble unlocking the diff I needed to reverse quite a long way to get it to unlock is this normal?
Chris

Yes that can be normal if it has been engaged for a while and the surfaces dont let wheel slip, you get axle windup which 'locks' the center diff. Not a great problem at low speeds, but if you are driving at speeds above 2nd gear high I would be unlocking the diff. After all a deefer is easy to flick in and out as required, just the driver needs to be aware when to.
Fighting fires or just doing burn offs? We have been lucky here so far, all the guys are restraining the red steer quite well and Ive only had 4 requests for permits so far Just hoping they not saving up for november.......
Cheers Scott

Originally Posted by schuy1

Yes that can be normal if it has been engaged for a while and the surfaces dont let wheel slip, you get axle windup which 'locks' the center diff. Not a great problem at low speeds, but if you are driving at speeds above 2nd gear high I would be unlocking the diff. After all a deefer is easy to flick in and out as required, just the driver needs to be aware when to.
Fighting fires or just doing burn offs? We have been lucky here so far, all the guys are restraining the red steer quite well and Ive only had 4 requests for permits so far Just hoping they not saving up for november.......
Cheers Scott

No annoyingly fighting fires, the bunch of morons in the next brigade did a controlled burn and you guessed it did not black out properly... Now it is on big time. I am leaving the house soon as I have arranged with a few guys to walk the fire line while it is early and see if it is possible to stop it with rake hoes and a blower. If we fail it will burn for days and probably burn half my grass that I can ill afford to loose this year.
Chris

I wish I'd taken advice off you fellers years ago,I just realised I've been driving my Tdi wrong for the last 18 years.I must be the luckiest person to ever own a Land Rover though,ran ATF in my gearbox for 400,000k's,flush and clean the cooling system every year,10,000K oil changes,always drive over cattle grids without engaging the center diff,it passed 480,000k's without any mechanical failures,just think how much more reliable it would be if I listened to the experts on here. . Pat

Originally Posted by PAT303

I wish I'd taken advice off you fellers years ago,I just realised I've been driving my Tdi wrong for the last 18 years.I must be the luckiest person to ever own a Land Rover though,ran ATF in my gearbox for 400,000k's,flush and clean the cooling system every year,10,000K oil changes,always drive over cattle grids without engaging the center diff,it passed 480,000k's without any mechanical failures,just think how much more reliable it would be if I listened to the experts on here. . Pat

Crikey, you don't lock it to go over cattle grids! I'm astonished Pat.

Come on you guys we all know we have to lock centre diff and put in low range for speed bumps and if we need to go up the ramp in the shopping centre car park to the next floor diff locks need to be engaged.