High range 4x4 / Diff lock

Gday all

First up, I do not have a constant 4*4 so other’s may have different advice.

If travelling on a hard dusty surface (fire trail) wouldn’t worry about it as there is a risk of wind up and it is not really necessary to lock the C/diff.

I only lock it into 4*4 if necessary, Sand, Mud, Steep climb/descent or if use of 4*4 would help stop track damage but only if soft enough to stop wind up from accruing.

Hi,

But correct me if I'm wrong, even on my own 80's LC with it being constant 4wd supposedly. It is only constant as it does not have free wheelin hubs that you have to lock in. But it is still only 2WD untill u lock the centre diff which in turn runs the front diff. Even then it is not true 4WD unless diff locks are installed. If you think I am wrong, jack up the vehicle on the rear end and then try to drive off the jacks without the centre diff locked. My LC wont do it without the centre diff locked, and it is supposed to be full time 4WD.

True- with centre diff unlocked, it is effectively a 1-wheel (front or back axle) drive, lock it in and it becomes a 2-wheel (front and back axle) drive. The only thing I'd differ on is "lock the centre diff which in turn runs the front diff" keep in mind the centre diff is still a diff, and drive can be put to EITHER the front or the back. Try jacking up the front axle and driving off- same result as jacking the back.

BenSpoon

I'd have to disagree with you on the centre diff. It is in fact a transfer case which houses your High - Low Range as well as your 4wd status. There are two different transfer cases (not diffs) installed in the 80'series LC. They are a HF2A model and a HF2AV model. The first of which has an electic shift motor activated via a switch which can be used in High range thus giving you 4wd and the other model has a viscous coupling which acts like a limited slip coupling therefore transfering drive to the front diff without the need of locking in on H4, this particular model cant be locked in in high range. My vehicle has the HF2A model transfer case thereby only the rear wheels are driven unless locked in. It is just that instead of having a lever that you manually have to pull into either H2, H4, or L4 where you had to slow down, you can activate 4wd with a push of the button even at 100k. On my wagon the front diff wont drive the vehicle unless I activate the switch to put power to the front diff as well as the rear. The common mistake that people beleive in is as the vehicle states that it is Full Time 4WD it is in fact not. You just dont have to stop the vehicle to get out and lock in the front hubs. Push a button or pull a lever. L4 automatically locks the transfer case. Non of the latter models have a real problem of wind up that was constant in the older vehicles.

I still am fairly certain on the drive being pushed to both axles... on my 80 I have managed to do front wheel donuts, with no smoking action from the back wheels, indicating drive can go to the front with centre diff unlocked.
Also, dropping the clutch around a gravel corner just flicks stones up from the front wheels, it certainly doesnt make the back end step out or do anything to indicate it being rear wheel drive when unlocked.
Its been the same experiences in both 94 models I have owned.

Jsut be a little careful of windup. I had a windup problem on the dirt roads around Innamincka. Luckily I recognised it in time to prevent any damage.

I used to always hook in teh front diff (Nissan not constant) on dirt but am a little more selective now.

Duncs