REAR DIFF LOCK STUCK ON!

[Seamus McLaughlin]

Diff lock refuses to disengage, was working fine before this. Have tried jacking one wheel up and shaking with no luck, have tried tapping the actuator and turning circles on a loose surface and using the brakes and accelerating hard. Has anyone any ideas?

Thanks in advance, Séamus.

 

[tim falce]

You've probably tried it but just in case have you tried reversing the car yet?

 

[SpinDrift]

One time it took a good 10 minutes to driving back and forth on loose ground to unlock mine, so keep trying.

 

[BobMurphy]

What state is the Actuator in ??

Is it likely that you could remove it intact - whilst keeping all the electrical connections in place ??

If so, remove it (with the car in low box) and then engage & dis-engage the diff lock . . does the actuator turn fully in each direction ??

With it in the 'unlock' position, use a screw driver to move the diff lock rack fully to the nearside of the car, then replace the actuator. The two are now in synch.

Try it again. If it still fails I suggest the Actuator is faulty and should be replaced (you really don't want to accidently engage diff lock on a motorway ).

With the actuator removed, this is what the diff lock rack looks like in the 'unlocked' position . .

If you remove the cover on the side of the diff, just behing the Actuator, you can manually did-engage the diff lock by pulling the shaft outwards. . .

However, if the Actuator is faulty, the internal spring may just pull the diff lock back into engagement so be warned.

Bob.

 

[Chris Green90]

BOB You are a LEG END (Compliment where I come from)

 

[vrecha]

... you really don't want to accidently engage diff lock on a motorway ...

Usually not that problematic as it may sound.
Been there, done that. Yes, driving a slight turn on a motorway @ 100 km/h. Nothing problematic, except some funny voice from the rear wheels (it didn't sound as you usually hear at low speeds, tires rubbing on the surface). I drove 10 km like this to the first exit and then repaired the problem on the side of the road. It was during my experiments with repairing the rear locker on 80.
But I agree this isn't a good practice.

 

[BobMurphy]

Been there, done that. Yes, driving a slight turn on a motorway @ 100 km/h. Nothing problematic, except some funny voice from the rear wheels.

I guess that, at speed, the tyres will skip easier than they will at slow speed. Might be interesting in the wet.

The real problem will come on tighter bends - when the car will want to go in a straight line (well, the back-end will anyway ) .

Its not a problem to be 'put off for another day'.

Bob.

 

[vrecha]

Well, tried that too.
Here is the part of the road where it happened. Not comfortable at all to drive with the rear difflock engaged. At first I just drove on as I was in a hurry. Used the side of the road much to allow rear tires to slip more easily. But after some km I decided to stop, used the spanners and manually disengaged the locker.

But anyway, we survived (including the truck's rear diff). I hear many people telling fairy tales that if you engage the lockers on tarmac, the diffs will instantly fall apart. Well, not true. You just gave to be cautious and gentle to the degree permitted by circumstances.

 

[BobMurphy]

Well, tried that too.

There are certainly some tight bends there (I was in that area on my BMW R1150 GS Adventure M/C in 2008 ).

Bob.