how far/fast can I go before something horrible happens? It's a 4x4 by the way.
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I put diff lock on and now it won't come off!
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Posted 1 year ago #
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surely you should be able to go quite far, just very slowly
Posted 1 year ago # -
What 4x4?
Posted 1 year ago # -
If it's the central diff, and you drive on firm tarmac, you'll get transmission windup that could break the transfer box.
If it is an auto with electronic diff lock, make sure the engine is running and you are in neutral when you turn off the diff lock. Other combinations may work, for example start in drive, turn off diff lock, then put into neutral. Consult your manual.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Just dont go around a corner! Its only meant to be used in a straight line. If usd on corners it stores kinetic energy and will usually end up seized or exploded! Thats what i was told when i did my off road driver training at deepdale nr barnard castle. If duff info dont shoot the messenger you horrible lot!
Posted 1 year ago # -
RTFM?
Posted 1 year ago # -
RTFM ho ho ho -it's at home next to my bed waiting for me to find time to read it!
Manual car - patrol x60. I have read that they can stick on. It has spent its life as a town car so diff lock never used til now. Had to use it, was sliding down hill into other cars.Posted 1 year ago # -
What sort of car?
If its a landy, gently rock it on the clutch while you try and ease it out.
If its a jap part-time 4WD, make sure the steering is in the straight ahead position or it won't unlock.
Posted 1 year ago # -
RTFM ho ho ho -it's at home next to my bed waiting for me to find time to read it!
Manual car - patrol x60. I have read that they can stick on. It has spent its life as a town car so diff lock never used til now. Had to use it, was sliding down hill into other cars.Posted 1 year ago # -
No idea how the patrol works but you may find there a return spring that isn't up to the job. Reversing/jiggling may help as above or get underneath and see what you can 'help'.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Straight wheels, clutch in if not auto.
Had to use mine yesterday (Defender 110) to get out of an icey field (that had a "ramp" down to it hidden by snow) - pretty certain that without it, I'd still be there! Even with it, I exited sideways. Lots of fun!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Steering straight, edge backwards and forwards, should sort it out.
Don't drive anywhere with it locked. I found my sister practising reversing a trailer with my Hilux once, full lock in 4H did not suit it. When I suggested that she might have noticed something wasn't quite right she said "Yes it was making angry noises and jumping about, so I thought it wasn't happy".
Posted 1 year ago # -
The Shoguns we have at work need to be reversed for about 5m to 'unlock', always great fun when your 9yr old son says "whats this lever do" just after giving it a good thump into lock whilst you're waiting at a very busy roundabout with a mile of traffic behind and no hope of reversing!
Posted 1 year ago # -
As into de_void says.....Steering straight, reverse back for a few metres, try again, works every time on my patrol. Worked on my Diahatsu Fourtrak as well, worked on my landy and my Chevy blazer as well. etc.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Another recommendation of back and forth shuffling/rocking until it disengages, works for Land Rovers, no idea in Jap stuff with electronic locks. The electronic diff-lock in the tractor normally just switches, otherwise any change in the transmission is enough to knock it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Rocking works on Landies so may work on japs but if you've driven with it on surfaces that don't need it (which is a surprising amount) then expect a lot of rocking to unwind the transmission.
There are some other tricks that require a lack of mechanical sympathy to unlock it but I wouldn't recommend them as most involve putting some sort of shock load into the transmission but that is normally cheaper than the drive train damage that can result from leaving it lockedPosted 1 year ago # -
Pretty sure it needs reversing 5m to get it off.
Posted 1 year ago # -
just out of interest, would jacking a wheel or two off the ground let things unwind?
Posted 1 year ago # -
thats part of the "unsympathetic approach" but just jacking a wheel or two won't really help as you have the axle diffs as well which will kick in in this situation.
If you can lock all diffs independently then you may be able to do something with it but you're talking full mechanical lockers like ARB or KAM to be able to control them all independentlyPosted 1 year ago # -
Duc, presumably all 4 wheels off would work relatively gently, how about both wheels at one end?
Posted 1 year ago # -
I think another alternative that'll work is to stick two wheels (on the same side) on something slippy and the other two on something grippy and blip the throttle - may just give you enough play to unlock it and/or take out any diff wind up.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Right, I've just got in.
Tried jiggling, rocking, moving the switch with my foot on the clutch, wheels straight, in 4H in 4L in 2H, and combinations thereof. No good.
Ok. A friend said take out the fuse. I looked for it. Couldn't find.
Rang the RAC.
RAC came. Disconnected the batteries. No good. Took the switch out. No good. He left, saying he would send a recovery truck.
Then I remembered I'm in the Nissan4x4OwnersClub. I texted the chairman. The actuator was stuck and I was to drive round in very tight circles. It worked, almost instantly!
BTW, the going backwards thing is to turn your hubs off if you've got automatic hubs. I haven't, mine are manual, the autos broke and Nissan wanted over £300 plus VAT PER SIDE, so I got manual ones.
Thank you all for your input, as always.
Posted 1 year ago # -
might be worth switching it on and off every so often to avoid a repeat.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Good idea ^^^^.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Or get a proper 4x4
Posted 1 year ago # -
mmm ARB and I seem to remember some very happy days on http://www.difflock.com
Posted 1 year ago # -
kona_ona - Member
Or get a proper 4x4
Yeah, I forgot, Landies never have any problems Each to their own eh?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Got a friend who drove their old landy over a muddy field with the locks on. Got out, his wife drove it 100yds in a straight line, turned into their drive and bang, can't remember what they broke, it was either prop, diff or half shaft. Oops!
Posted 1 year ago # -
If you've got manual free wheeling hubs, then disengaging the hubs will prevent transmission wind up if the diff lock is stuck in.
Just be aware that if the diff lock suddenly disengages by its self, you will have no drive until you re-engage the hubs.I think the risk of transmission damage from driving with the diff lock engaged is exaggerated.
If I'm on a lane with patches of snow for example, I'll leave the diff lock engaged. Nothing's ever broken on the tarmac bits between the snow.
Leaving it engaged long term where there's good grip though will increase tyre wear and may cause damage to the transmission.Posted 1 year ago # -
Reversing is for unlocking auto hubs, but can also free up a reluctant centre diff. They should unlock with forward motion, but if they don't reversing is often the key.
It's definitely worth finding somewhere local with a loose surface where you can work the transfer box through every month or so, just to keep everything moving.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I need to do that with my Frontera. Has a complex switch operated 2H to 4H system (well, complex to me!) and needs to be used or it takes ages to go into 4H and back again. 4H to 4L is a lever on the transfer box, so is very easy.
I've not needed it yet this year though
Posted 1 year ago # -
What vehicle?
If its a LR product it is very likley that its out but the little plunger light switch hasn't moved, thus leaving the light on. Especially likely if the Difflock isn't used much.
LR or my old Lada just needed a bit of back and forth rocking or reverse a bit. Try it gently around a few tarmac bends .If the steering is heavy then its still in, if its ok then its unlcoked.
Moral of story for all is use the difflock more than occasionally.
Try http://www.difflock.com
great 4wd website, not just for difflocksPosted 1 year ago # -
for my edumacation...
does the entire "blue" ring gear & side gear assembly rotate around the spider gears on the ends of the axles?
And then when a differential is locked, the SIDE gears show in the blue assembly (but obviously NOT the ring gear) are locked in position relative to the spider gears so that the load to the spider gears can only be equal?
Posted 1 year ago # -
That shows a differential on an axle. The principles of a centre diff are the same though.
They're not using the same terminology for some of the parts that I would, but I'll stick with it for clarity.The pinion gear is the input from the engine and gearbox.
The right and left axle shafts on that drawing would be the front and rear propshafts on a centre diff.Posted 1 year ago # -
Under normal conditions, the pinion drives the ring gear.
The two lugs with the side gears on them are attached to the ring gear so they all go round with it.
In a straight line, the side gears and spider gears don't move in relation to each other. The whole lot goes round as one and both axle shafts turn at the same speed.Posted 1 year ago #
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