No 4wd..

[clivehorridge]

Isn't there a viscous coupling on the 90 Bob?

Chris

Oh dear, this is getting too technical for a "tank" owner, I'll shut up and get my coat!

 

[Shayne]

I don't think there quite that weak Clive but theres another thread on here somewhere about a bloke who crucified his lockers 5 times for no apparent reason , it was possibly you that suggested his driving style was to blame which prompted me , after seeing his vid of the locker giving up the ghost , asking if he uses the lockers like a 4x4 mode and simply engages everything every time he leaves tarmac . A 2 wheel drive might have cleared the obstacle that bust his so i figure they are best only used when they are needed on a 90 . that said i suppose on wet mud the wheels can spin freely so it would be very unlikely to cause damage .

 

[Chris]

Don't worry Clive you HAVE a VC in yours. In effect it's like a limited slip diff in the middle. On an 80 if you disconnect the front prop it will still drive. Not up a steep hill, but it will still move. This is what makes an 80 so awesome even with everything unlocked. There is always some drive going forwards.

Just can't recall if the 90 has one.

C

 

[clivehorridge]

Don't worry Clive you HAVE a VC in yours. In effect it's like a limited slip diff in the middle. On an 80 if you disconnect the front prop it will still drive. Not up a steep hill, but it will still move. This is what makes an 80 so awesome even with everything unlocked. There is always some drive going forwards.

Just can't recall if the 90 has one.

C

Thanks Chris, I've learned something today! So the VC is in the transfer box then? I surely didn't know that. I meant it when I said I should shut up because I only know my 80 and you've just proved I don't know that as well as I thought!

The 80 is pretty tough, I've inadvertently driven with the lockers on on dry asphalt, and as soon as the mud clears from the treads, it hops and staggers about all over the place with wind up! It soon gets me back to open diffs again sharpish!

Thankfully, I've never broken anything yet...

 

[Shayne]

Isn't there a viscous coupling on the 90 Bob?

Chris

A quick web search suggests UK 90's only have a mechanical centre diff but some exotic ones had the VC . Seems odd to me but maybe you can make sense of it Chris ?

 

[Chris]

Shayne, the 80 has a mechanical diff too. I don't think you quite understand the set up of the VC. The drive to the front prop output shaft comes via the VC. It's not the diff itself. It's sort of in between the diff and the prop. It's a metal can about the dia of a music CD and as deep as a tin of luncheon meat.

Chris

 

[Shayne]

Your right Chris i had never heard of one before you mentioned it thats why i looked it up , just trying to educate myself a bit . Its a cool concept from what i can tell , bit like a clutch to my layman eyes but my search always resulted in a discussion about 80's apart from one convo of a UK fella saying to an American who claimed to have once owned a 90 with VC "you guys get everything we only have mechanical on our 90's here" . I just thought i'd mention it as it might help you work out a solution .

 

[Chris]

Yes, it's a sort of 'as well as' rather than an 'instead of'. A Disco for eg doesn't have one and therefore the centre diff is completely open. The 80 just has that edge. It just makes life a little easier. Once it's locked then there is no advantage at all. The locker connect the front output shaft, mechanically to the rear. Essentially it's a can where the inner section moves relative to the outer and it's filled with oil and thin plates with holes in. It basically provides limited resistance in a way, tricking the centre diff to send drive forwards. Now I always get these two mixed up, but this addition, IIRC is why the 80 can claim to be full time 4x4 as opposed to say a Disco which is permanent 4x4, meaning you can't put it into 2 wheel drive selectively.

Cheaper 4x4 systems are selectable 2 and 4 simply because they can't cope with being in 4 wheel all of the time. They're cheap for a reason. Fitting a fully mated centre diff is an expensive option, so they get around the issues by being able to disconnect drive to the front or some other dodge.

 

[BobMurphy]

Isn't there a viscous coupling on the 90 Bob?

Chris

Nope - No viscous coupling on a 90 .

Bob.

 

[BobMurphy]

As correctly stated (above) if he only has the rear shaft on, then the centre diff has to be locked to drive, either by selecting it on the dash switch or by using low ratio. I don't care what lights are flashing, if the centre lock works he'll go along, of it doesn't then it won't. Fact.


The front diff lock is easy. If you can steer the car with the front locked on asphalt, then it's not working. If it is working, it feels like the power steering has broken. If the steering feels normal, then it's not working.

Sorry Clive - You're talking about an '80'.

On the '90' the centre diff lock is operated by the transfer lever - its mechanical (via a spring), not electrical.

There isn't a front diff lock on a '90' (some say . . . that the front diff isn't man enough for one ).

UK Spec '90s' have an electric rear diff locker which only works (when it does) when in Low Ratio and is switched from the dash.

Other-spec '90s' have a Limited Slip Diff (LSD) in the rear.


I think we've bamboozled the OP - he's gone all quiet .


Bob.

 

[Chris]

Bob, the 90 IS man-enough for a front locker. It's the drivers that are the weak point.

Oh and the drive shafts.

Runs and hides.

C

 

[TonyP]

That was a very expensive lesson for me.... three times in fact Good thing I sold LB before it happened again!

 

[clivehorridge]

Sorry Clive - You're talking about an '80'.

On the '90' the centre diff lock is operated by the transfer lever - its mechanical (via a spring), not electrical.

There isn't a front diff lock on a '90' (some say . . . that the front diff isn't man enough for one ).

UK Spec '90s' have an electric rear diff locker which only works (when it does) when in Low Ratio and is switched from the dash.

Other-spec '90s' have a Limited Slip Diff (LSD) in the rear.


I think we've bamboozled the OP - he's gone all quiet .


Bob.

Thanks for the confirmation Bob, that's why I've opted to shut up on the subject. I have no knowledge of the 90 and shouldn't have given any opinion.

I was simply frustrated with the OP's inability to self diagnose what was happening and trying to assist at least us knowing what his symptoms were. I think we've confused him and I'm much to blame maybe.

All you 90 experts can take over from here, I'll just read with interest. Chris has already enlightened me with more knowledge of my "tank" as Shayne delightfully referred to it! (like).

Thanks for the info...

 

[Shayne]

Guess what i found on the door of my 90 this morning -

Grrr i hate it when i'm forced to read instructions !

 

[Chris]

Wow, that's a handy thing. You know they should put one of those in every vehicle Shayne. Brilliant idea. They could call it the vehicle instruction book. Or driver information handbook. Or ........

 

[Shayne]

I originally only posted the sticker on the door pic as it supports what i said about "only when your stuck" . But as i had the owners manual to hand i thought why not post it at the same time because this guys been given lots of advice relevant to an LC80 and not relevant to an LC90 . I've got a Haynes Workshop Manual here as well but i figured i'd be here for hours posting just the pages relating to diff .

 

[Chris]

Well he's been given a lot of advice about the 90 and some from the 80 which is just as relevant, but then in absence of any feedback it descended into another conversation as tends to happen. I think finding out that the 90 doesn't have a VC is highly relevant.

Tell me more of this Haynes manual of which you speak. You are saying there is even more help available? Whatever next - electronic parts catalogues I shouldn't wonder! Next you'll be telling me that Google is actually going to be real one day.

I used to think the the 2nd start button on my auto mean that it linked a second battery if it was struggling. Don't tell anyone. It can be our secret.

 

[Shayne]

Googles not real i was told i don't exist because i don't have facebook ?

 

[Chas]

Googles not real i was told i don't exist because i don't have facebook ?

Does this mean you're a figment of our collective imagination Shayne?

 

[Shayne]

Does this mean you're a figment of our collective imagination Shayne?

Could be i'll put it in a letter to the tax man and let you know how he responds , fingers crossed eh