Trevor said:
Thanks Chris,
My understanding is the LC3 has permanent 4WD with a centre diff and rear diff which are capable of being locked.
So by applying the lever, does this lock the centre and the rear diff at the same time? or is there a seperate control for each?
I'm sure the confusion will wear off when I have bought one and when I have found somewhere to learn how to drive the thing properly.
Hi Trevor,
The land Cruiser you are looking at is permanent 4 wheel drive.
You don't have or need an option to just want the rear wheels to be driven.
To engage the centre diff locking, this is as Chris says, selected by the shorter selector stick.
Normally, the shorter stick is fully rearwards. this is the normal running position, with the centre diff unlocked.
The moving of the shorter lever to 1 notch forward, engages the centre diff locking, and this can be done at any speed up to about 50 mph, if I remember, but could even be 60 mph.
When your on a strait road, you really cant feel any difference, so good is the synchronism to all 4 wheels.
First at the bottom of the speedo, a little orange car thing will start to flash, and when the centre diff locks, it stops flashing, and is permanently on.
OK, now that's on tarmac, and now to do some checks for the rear diff locking.
You should tri find some lose gravel, but if you can't then dont worry,
OK, so stop the 'cruiser.
Now the short stick, push it all the way forward, past the center diff lock position, and past the transfer box neutral position. All the way forward.
Now that engages bottom box, or low ratio, both the same meaning.
Now drive of gently, and you will very soon see that instead of doing 20 mph, you only doing about 5 mph,
Then you will notice the orange light is on constant again, because you cant have low range, without centre diff locking.
OK, so now the orange light is on permanent, now by your right knee, there is a rotary knob / dial thing, turn it clock wise to the extent, it turns about 90 degrees, maybe.
Now look also near the little orange centre diff locking light, and look for the similar light, but in red, first it will flash, which means the rear diff is waiting for an opportunity to line the splines, and lock.
When the red light stops flashing and gos solid red, then the rear diff is locked.
OK, now stop the cruiser, turn the dial back to unlock, and drive a short distance, and if all is ok, then the red light will disappear, and the rear diff is unlocked.
Then stop the cruiser again, and push the short stick, all the way forward, to normal running position, ie, center diff unlocked.
Now, because your probably on tarmac, there is every chance the splines in the diff, will not line up, so the little red light will always flash, and never go solid.
OH, you cant lock the rear diff in high ratio, must be in low ratio.
So go find some mud, and get some slip going between the rear wheels.
And same again to unlock, you might find again, because your on Tarmac, the little red light will stay solid, ie, the rear diff wont unlock, well, you may have to jack a rear wheel up to try to rock the lifted wheel forwars or backwards, to tru take pressure off he rear diff, which is still holding the diff locked.
But if your doing it on some nice wet grass, or mud, then the rear diff should lock and unlock easy, withing say 20 meters.
or you might have to induce some slip between the rear wheels by driving in a circle, so outside rear wheel travels further than the inside rear wheel.
Graham