Discovery Diff-Lock

Baldrick,
Bravo mate........I'll second that last statement. If I had a quid for the number of blokes who reckon their Prado or Landcruiser or Disco etc is equal in standard form to my ARB AirLocked Patrol, I'd be a wealthy old man.
It takes a while, but I eventually convince them by suggesting they jack one front wheel off the ground and try rotating that wheel. If it turns even though the centre diff lock is engaged....no cross axle diff lock is fitted.
With centre diff lock engaged, his vehicle is the equivalent to a standard part-time patrol when it's in 4wd...(well I probably shouldn't have said that, because NO vehicle is as good as a standard patrol...LOLOL)
Cheers,
Roachie

Not quite true.

With the CDL engaged you won't be able to rotate one wheel alone, you would have to have two off the ground. ;)

G'day Baldrick,
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree mate.
From where I sit, if he jacks up a front wheel while the CDL is engaged, the open front diff will allow that wheel to free spin. If he had a cross axle front diff lock too (& it was engaged), then there'd be no way he could turn the raised wheel. I've deliberatly used the front wheel as an example because the back end has probably got a LSD which would limit the ability to rotate a rear wheel if lifted off the ground.
As one of the other blokes has said below, the reason he's noticing it is harder to steer with the CDL engaged (especially on a hard surface.....now where did I put that bloody cheque book???) is that the front and rear prop shafts are rotating at exactly the same speed, but when he turns any sort of corner, the front wheels take a slightly different line (and travel a different distance as a result) causing the transmission wind-up that's gunna get his credit card into melt-down mode.
Cheers,
Roachie

Roachie,
This is exactly what happens when you jack one front wheel up on a Disco and spin it. The open front diff will rotate the front prop shaft, now if the CDL is disengaged(unlocked)and the transmission is in nuetral the front wheel will spin. When the CDL is engaged this locks the front and rear prop shafts together as if one shaft, therefore unless one of the rear wheels is off the ground the front wheel will not spin.

Hop,
Okay, I'll admit I'm now getting out of my depth of knowledge on these matters. As far as I was aware, even with the CDL engaged, the front wheel which was lifted off the ground should still spin due to the actions of the open front diff. It's got me beat??????????LOL
Cheers,
Roachie

Roachie,
Try it on your patrol, jack one front wheel up, with your front diff lock disengaged turn the wheel, you will notice the front prop shaft will spin. If you lock the front diff the wheel will not spin.
Hop.