Hi all,
My neighbours disco 1 is not illuminating the dash lights when the diff lock lever is pushed over. Is this because it isn't working or could it just be the contacts aren't working? Bearing in mind when he brought it a few weeks back the guy used it and the dash lights illuminated.

Is he pushing it far enough over and is he moving when doing it?

Moving the lever only sets the CDL up so it can lock, it sometimes needs to have some rotation to 'drop in' to the locked, or un-locked state. The best way to lock the cd is to be moving and move the lever over, you don't need clutch or change of revs etc, just make sure you do it whilst the wheels are rotating at the same speed, ir before they start to slip! Same for un-locking, just move it over whilst moving normally.

On my Disco it was quite stiff and sometimes took a while, on my 90 it's still stiff but goes in almost immediately.

Thanks for the reply Paul.
No, he isn't moving when he's trying it but I thought the little instruction panel said you have to be stopped? We tried locking the diff then moving a little but we didn't even do a quarter turn of the wheels. We will have another go and move further this time.

With my Disco, I might have to put the diff lock into low then N then back into low. Usually then it'll light up.

By moving I do mean 'as you're driving'!

I use diff-lock very regularly, whenever I go on grass or most farm tracks even, I don't see why people think it's cool to do a section without, when the chances of spinning a wheel and consequent chance of breakages can be minimised so easily.

Typically, as soon as I turn onto a lane, within the first few feet, I'll push the lever over so it has quite a way to go before the diff lock is actually needed. I do similar when I get back onto the road, push the lever out of difflock maybe 10 feet or so before I get to the road so it's out before I actually get there, if conditions are right. Doing it this way also gives me chance to have a couple of goes, for those days when nothing's working, before it's needed to be locked!

The 'stopped' bit is for changing between Lo and Hi, though good technique can also make this un-necessary .. Double de-clutch usually does it, but even then it should be done at a relatively slow speed, especially going Hi to Lo .. get it wrong and it makes a right noise though ...

Mine will only light up when moving and goes off when disengaged and moving.

Goin from hi to lo or lo to high should be stopped with foot off the clutch.

You may find itl pop out of hi or lo with clutch pressed and may get a clunk.

Thanks for the replys guys