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Diff locks
Posted: 22 Jun 2013 22:59
by dieselfan
Iv test driven so many patrols over the last few months and out of them all only one engaged instantly. the others just sit and flash. Is it a major issue? If all goes well I should have my patrol by next weekend. Its in excellent condition but the rdl just flashes.
Re: Diff locks
Posted: 22 Jun 2013 23:08
by Tinus lotz
Roy normally a vac problem but it is the only soft thing on a patrollie
Re: Diff locks
Posted: 23 Jun 2013 06:35
by Kagiso II
Roy -- veels geluk met die voorneme - O K .. diff lock: it must the opening in the gears in order to engage . - you have a 50/50 chance of stopping so that the gears are perfectly aligned. -- when that light is just flashing means the locker can't engage cozz the geras are not aligned.
Turn the steering hard right, let the Trol move forward a meter or so en VOILA !!! the locker engages en the light5 stays on --
to disengage, switch off the locker, if it stays on it means it has wound up a bit -- reverse in a straight line couple of meters, it should disengage - or drive forard in 3rd for 'entjie'
Go enjoy your Trol !!
Buy the SWAMBO a Subaru Forester .. Volvo's breakdown too much to be safe for and kids .. Subie?? they go forever.
Re: Diff locks
Posted: 23 Jun 2013 07:51
by Peter Connan
Roy, as said above:
The teeth on the dog engagement are quite large. It probably has about 8 teeth, thus engagement could take a significant amount of differential movement between the rear wheels.
If there is a problem, the chances are 85% that it is a vacuum problem. This is relatively easy to sort out. Some guys strip and overhaul the solenoid, some replace them with far more robust industrial solenoids. Just don't ask Nissan to fix it for you.
Most of the last 15% is that the electrical switch on the rear diff that tells the system when engagement has occurred is faulty. I have heard that this is the same switch as is used to activate the reverse light in a 1400 bakkie, but can't confirm this.
Bring it round for a look-see?
Re: Diff locks
Posted: 23 Jun 2013 08:57
by Chris Skinner
I agree with the statements above. In my experience, the chances of engagement from a still standing position, or while a lot of power is being applied to the rear wheels are a lot less than 50%,. This means that once you are already in a difficult position where difflock is required to move forward or back, you are too late - you must be pro-active and make sure its engaged before tackling, for example, a steep dune. When not concentrating, I have tried many times to engage diff-lock while struggling up a sloping dune while towing boat in Moz, to realize that as I crest the dune the light is still flashing. The only way to get it to engage then, is to slack off the throttle completely for a second or two - but in sand this is often not possible.
Re: Diff locks
Posted: 23 Jun 2013 10:05
by Clem
To assist a differential lock to engage, drive forward following an S shaped path. To assist it to disengage, do the same, but in reverse.
As Chris has noted, you need to be proactive with the use of a differential lock.
In passing, I will say that that is the beauty of a gear driven torque biasing differential: it requires no driver intervention and it is always there, working when required and not working when not required. I believe that there is now a combination unit available – that is to say it operates as a normal torque biasing differential all the time but can also be manually engaged to act as a full differential lock. The other thing about gear driven torque biasing differential is that there are no clutch packs and so it cannot wear out and there is no maintenance required.
Re: Diff locks
Posted: 23 Jun 2013 21:58
by ChristoSlang
Peter Connan wrote:If there is a problem, the chances are 85% that it is a vacuum problem. This is relatively easy to sort out. Some guys strip and overhaul the solenoid, some replace them with far more robust industrial solenoids. Just don't ask Nissan to fix it for you.
Most of the last 15% is that the electrical switch on the rear diff that tells the system when engagement has occurred is faulty.
And if you do not fix it quickly, you'll end up with worn bits & pieces resulting in a HUGE repair bill...
- Broken bits.jpg (60.12 KiB) Viewed 8695 times
- More sorrow.jpg (78.63 KiB) Viewed 8695 times
Been there, ran away from that
Re: Diff locks
Posted: 24 Jun 2013 08:50
by Marino4x4
Just check if the pipes is not blocked before you go the solenoid route. I reconed my solenoid just to see all I had to do is put some compressed air through the pipe.
The 1400 reverse switch is the same as the difflock switch, this I can confirm. You can unscrew it an Q20 it a bit. Sometimes the switch is dry and get stuck.
Good luck with the car and laat die wiele rol!!!!
Re: Diff locks
Posted: 24 Jun 2013 10:48
by Clem
ChristoSlang wrote:Peter Connan wrote:If there is a problem, the chances are 85% that it is a vacuum problem. This is relatively easy to sort out. Some guys strip and overhaul the solenoid, some replace them with far more robust industrial solenoids. Just don't ask Nissan to fix it for you.
Most of the last 15% is that the electrical switch on the rear diff that tells the system when engagement has occurred is faulty.
And if you do not fix it quickly, you'll end up with worn bits & pieces resulting in a HUGE repair bill...
Broken bits.jpg
More sorrow.jpg
Been there, ran away from that
Yoh! Maar dis lelik!
Re: Diff locks
Posted: 25 Jun 2013 21:43
by dieselfan
Thanks, I get the patrol hopefully tomorrow or Thursday so will be keen to first check the pipes. From the looks of things this Patrol hasn't done many trails so things should be "sticky". The guy I buying from works for Nissan and is supplying all spares for a major service (plugs, filters etc). I intend to have the gearbox oil, diffs etc all flushed this week for the weekend. My wife knows I'm out. not sure where just I'm out.