To Diff-lock or not

ok, got a bit of a 'discussion' started on the Danish landy site..

Off to work in an hour, 25 miles country lanes, 20 miles motorway, all got a light, half inch so far, covering of snow..bit icy some parts of the way, other parts a couple of inches drifted onto the road, other parts i.e motorway mainly clear,,you can see tracks ahead of you.

Now shall i put the difflock on for entire journey...or disengage at motorway...or not bother using difflock at all...

My opinion was to use it all the way and play safe..its there so why not use it...other folks disagree...i'd like to hear the knowledgeable english meaning!!

cheers, Mark

don't use it at all, unless you get stuck or hit some really deep stuff.

i would not use it at all

90boy said:

i would not use it at all

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Why not then?

Mostly not needed I'd say.

because diff lock forces the front and rear axles to rotate at the same speed, which causes horrendous oversteer on bends.

its a bad idea over 5-10mph and open throttle. you wont need it for that much snow either. pointless, your not offroad either, there is a firm base.

G

Treworgey 90 said:

because diff lock forces the front and rear axles to rotate at the same speed, which causes horrendous oversteer on bends.

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thats what i wanted to say, but couldnt think of the words

mines been seized up for nearly a year ant needed it yet

... and there's also the chance that if the roads have clear patches there just might be enough clear and grippy to wind up the transmission and blow something.

oki doki guys, thanks..just for off road sticky situations then...unless we get a good foot of snow then i'll creep along at low speed with it locked...off we go then!

Sorry I don't agree. If it is very likley that you are about to loose grip you should engage difflock. I had it engaged on and off through the back roads up to 45mph around my area when there was snow covering the entire road. Do not just use it when you get stuck its far too late then. On a Series landrover it states that you should not use permenant four wheel drive for prolonged periods when you have grip.

A defender is no different people say oh no transmission wind up and you will damage the transfer box (LT230's are very robust strong units and I have only ever seen them fail when either: they have been low on oil and driven for miles or the output seals are fooked and have let water in and damaged the unit) How many have you seen failed due to transmission wind up? As long as it is used when there is little or no grip i.e on a snow covered road/lane you will be fine and it will drive very well and you will be in more control. If you have grip i.e you can see tarmac I wouldn't use it.

No doubt this will stir up some people but this is what I have always done and have been told to by a Land Rover trained instructor who has over 25 years driving and mechanical engineer. Ok so land rover may even reccomend not to use it but I trust my judgement rarther that a reccomendation stamped into a plate for the clueless to read. Jai

Bring on the critisism.

Grifdowg,
Do you not use difflock on sand when travellin off the beaten track?

jai_landrover said:

Bring on the critisism.

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have you tried it on snow/ice?
I have, and it was terrible / bordering on dangerous on the bends.
Diff lock off and it was fine.

Yes I have driven for many many miles offroad with difflock engaged in my landy. I also had an old Hylux in Afghanistan with permenant 4Wd and I used to drive from Kabul to Gardez and Gardez back to Kabul regularly over a mountain pass (if it was passable) in deep winter up to -20Deg C with 200ft sheer drops down a mountain where many jingle truck end up. It was about a 5 hour journey in the snow at speeds up to 50-55Mph. In the summer the trip was about a 3 and a half hour trip 2Wd tho. Jai

Down town Gardez view from my hylux,



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In the above pic I was just starting back up the mountain pass with empty trucks back to Kabul after giving an armed escourt of 22 Trucks carrying pre fabricated buildings and equipment for the RTC I was building.All 22 trucks got stuck on the mountain pass where a tanker ground out ahead of us and we had to go around it through a stream. I drove to site and brought back a 8 tonne 6x6 russian crane to tow all vehicle out and carry on the rest of the journey. Jai

only used diff-lock when we had to cross some wet sand around oueds. not very often. not on the dunes though. just 2nd high and flat out. I tend to not use diff-lock much to be honest, I rarely get stuck anyway.

Well I like my difflock, and my lowrange TBH. Although not suited to desert driving I use it when I feel appropriate and in the last lashing of snow when there was no road just ice and snow cover roads I was more than comfortable driving at speed with difflock well and truly engaged.

Yeah, horses for courses ... full cover snow & ice maybe, but when it's windblown and patchy you're more likely to feck the tranny than get through!