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dilukabey

Member Since: 17 May 2011
Location: Sri Lanka
Posts: 173

2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Keswick Green

Defender Diff Lock Mechanism

Hi guys,
As far as I know that when you engage the diff lock either high or Low, one front and one rear wheel work simultaniously at a time. Please correct me if i am wrong.
Also I would like to know whether defender diff lock mechanism is same as other models as when engaged 4WD lever to H4 and L4 of Toyota, Mitshubishi etc?

Cheers.

Diluk

17th Apr 2013 5:02pm

SiWhite

Member Since: 19 Jan 2010
Location: North Hampshire
Posts: 455

2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey

Think of it in terms of this;

When the (centre) diff lock is engaged, it effectively locks the front and rear propshafts together - half the torque will go to the front axle, and half to the rear. From there, power is split between the wheels on each axle - so you are correct in saying that engaging the diff lock only guarantees 2WD - one wheel on each axle. My blog - www.anacreinhampshire.blogspot.co.uk

110 TD5 BuildHERE - sold!
110 Tdci Build HERE - sold!
Passat Alltrack - 4x4, auto, 45mpg, gloriously comfortable - but not a Defender!

17th Apr 2013 5:17pm

shaun.mobile

Member Since: 12 Dec 2011
Location: England
Posts: 156

2011 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Fuji White

Only if you have traction control.

Unless both the front and rear diffs are limited slip, the diff lock only ensures an equal split of torque front and rear. If any wheel is able to slip through loss of traction there is no torque available for the opposite wheel.

So in theory, with diff lock selected if both left wheels slip through lack of grip there in no torque available for the right wheels.

This is where the traction control kicks in and recognises the slipping wheel and applies the brake to it so that the torque can then 'flow' to the opposite wheel.

Just waiting now for someone to shoot me down in flames here but I think I am correct.

17th Apr 2013 7:07pm

mikeh501

Member Since: 07 Jan 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1142

shaun.mobile wrote:
Only if you have traction control.

Unless both the front and rear diffs are limited slip, the diff lock only ensures an equal split of torque front and rear. If any wheel is able to slip through loss of traction there is no torque available for the opposite wheel.

So in theory, with diff lock selected if both left wheels slip through lack of grip there in no torque available for the right wheels.

This is where the traction control kicks in and recognises the slipping wheel and applies the brake to it so that the torque can then 'flow' to the opposite wheel.

Just waiting now for someone to shoot me down in flames here but I think I am correct.

he said the same thing. with diff lock selected you will guarantee that 1 front wheel and 1 rear wheel will turn; whether or not you have traction control.

if you have traction control it will apply the brakes to spinning wheel when the opposite wheel on the same axle is not spinning (or at different rates) which will have the effect of transferring torque to the spinning wheel. Alternatively your axle diffs could be fitted with limited slip differentials or a fully locking differential which provides for a more mechanical means of meeting the same objective.

18th Apr 2013 7:55am

mikeh501

Member Since: 07 Jan 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1142

Re: Defender Diff Lock Mechanism

dilukabey wrote:
Hi guys,
As far as I know that when you engage the diff lock either high or Low, one front and one rear wheel work simultaniously at a time. Please correct me if i am wrong.

correct

dilukabey wrote:

Also I would like to know whether defender diff lock mechanism is same as other models as when engaged 4WD lever to H4 and L4 of Toyota, Mitshubishi etc?

Yes its the same. Those vehicles may also have a 2WD mode which the defender doesnt have (its always 4WD). The way you select combinations of high/low/lock will obviously depend upon model etc.

18th Apr 2013 8:09am

dilukabey

Member Since: 17 May 2011
Location: Sri Lanka
Posts: 173

Thanks everyone for the posts. Cheers.

Just want to share my idea on full time 4WD with you guys.

It has worked even well on the sandy roads with out wanting to engage diff lock. Also LR manual says not to use centre diff lock while turning the steering. So sometimes I use the full time 4WD with muddy curved roads as you have to turn the steering!

19th Apr 2013 3:14pm

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