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Diff Lock When And Where


Darrenp
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Hi Guys :help:

I did a search ( think I did it right :unsure: ) on diff locking but did not find anything. I got a 1998 2,0 5dr and I was just wonder when and where it is safe to use the diff lock and if it is safe to do it on the fly ( while moving ). I was off road :o the other day nothing serious but started to loose traction in the mud. I did stop and put on the diff lock ( for the first time ) it took loads of moving back wards and forwards to engage, what is the correct procedure for this. What does the diff lock lock :blink: Front and/or rear diffs or just the gearbox ????? and the last question is it safe to push it quite hard when the diff lock is on. I was trying to get up a small hill and gave it a little welly but it just did not sound like it was having fun. I got up the hill with no real drama, it just sounded very strange.

Any advice is welcome

Thanks

Darrenp

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Hi mate.

The diff lock should only be used in places of low traction, like on dirt. But definately not on the road. It is a vacuum activated lock that locks the centre differential. So with this locked you always have at least one wheel driving the front and one driving the rear.

Without it locked power can either be transfered to the rear or the front just like a normal differential would do from left to right.

Ideally you want to be locking it with the vehicle stationary, but sometimes it may help if the car is rolling forward slowly to enable the teeth to fall into place, if you are stationary you may not be in quite the right position for them to mesh. But obviously don't lock it while the car is under load like actually being pushed by the engine.

If you run with it locked on high traction ground (the road) it will cause too many stresses on the prop shaft etc and will no doubt cause damage. As far as noise goes, they do sound funny with the diff lock in place due to their now being a solid drive to the front and rear together. Providing it's the sort of ground where your wheels will loose traction, it won't hurt to give it some welly!

Hope this helps!

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Thanks Stuart :thumbsup:

Thats just the info I was looking for :D :D

Cheers

Darren

PS your RAV is a great colour. My choice was silver with aircon or black without :huh:

Silver it is :lol:

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Thanks mate! Haven't seen one in this colour since buying this one, it's kinda pearlescent with a purple haze in certain lights.

Yes, the aircon is the way to go on this car. It kicks ***** on these when the system is working correctly, and the little vent under the steering column is great for cooling the crotch area! :lol:

Best of luck with the purchase!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hi mate.

The diff lock should only be used in places of low traction, like on dirt.  But definately not on the road.  It is a vacuum activated lock that locks the centre differential.  So with this locked you always have at least one wheel driving the front and one driving the rear. 

Without it locked power can either be transfered to the rear or the front just like a normal differential would do from left to right.

Ideally you want to be locking it with the vehicle stationary, but sometimes it may help if the car is rolling forward slowly to enable the teeth to fall into place, if you are stationary you may not be in quite the right position for them to mesh.  But obviously don't lock it while the car is under load like actually being pushed by the engine.

If you run with it locked on high traction ground (the road) it will cause too many stresses on the prop shaft etc and will no doubt cause damage.  As far as noise goes, they do sound funny with the diff lock in place due to their now being a solid drive to the front and rear together.  Providing it's the sort of ground where your wheels will loose traction, it won't hurt to give it some welly!

Hope this helps!

It's all very well Toyota putting a Diff lock on the RAV4, but when you actually need a diff lock you usually need low range. The RAV4 does not have low range. Also engaging the centre diff lock will make little or no difference when running on standard road tyres as most do. My mother has a RAV, I drive a Landrover s111 and do lots of offroad work being a Farmer. We have tried the RAV offroad and found it totally useless-just sits there and spinns. Where as using my Land Rover towing two tonns plus goes anywhere. Not bad for a 36 year old 4x4. Why do you think the army use Land Rovers and not jap cars. To be fair the RAV4 has been reliable most of the time but when it goes wrong it kills the wallet, super time.

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With all due respect though, the land rover is built for a different job to the rav4. You try chucking the landrover round a corner like you can a rav4.

They are an SUV by rights, and are designed to spend most of their time on road, but be fairly usefull when the going gets tuff. That's exactly why they tend to run on mud and snow tyres.

Plus the landrover is only cheap because of parts availability and it's age. Toyota's are quite cheap to run in my experience cause they hardly ever go wrong. Even if it does cost a bit more when it plays up, this is far outweighed by the fact that it isn't very often.

Try speaking to a few australians about what they think of landrover/rangerover in the outback. They generally go for the Toyota every time. But this wouldn't be the Rav4, it would be the landcruiser which is built for the same sort of job as landrover/rangerovers. It may not be quite as good I admit, but i'd rather drive to the middle of nowhere in a car I know will start each time.

This isn't a rant or anything, I just think your opinion was a little off the main aim of this topic. After all, it's the Toyota owners club! :D

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. Why do you think the army use Land Rovers and not jap cars.

Simple really the UK Goverment force them to use them.

Forget to say why is it when you see the UN white vehicles they are always Toyota's or other Japanese vehicles and when you see news footage from Iraq on the streets and you see vehicles you always see Japanese vehicles and especially Toyota's and you never see L/R products. I wonder why :)

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. Why do you think the army use Land Rovers and not jap cars.

Simple really the UK Goverment force them to use them.

Forget to say why is it when you see the UN white vehicles they are always Toyota's or other Japanese vehicles and when you see news footage from Iraq on the streets and you see vehicles you always see Japanese vehicles and especially Toyota's and you never see L/R products. I wonder why :)

I would like to see TopGear put a freelander\RangRover\Defender through the same test they did to the Hilux.... I think the first wall test and they would crumble...

Then again LR has the G4 challenge but those are specially adapted I beleive... :ph34r::ph34r:

Having spent many a cold night in Wales and Salsbury Plain It can be rest assured not many 4x4 can withstand being dropped out the back of a Hurc and then drive around all day... :lol::lol: but seing the rear axle snap off when landing is a happy sight :eek: but the walk back was not.... :cacker:

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  • 7 years later...

Hi mate.

The diff lock should only be used in places of low traction, like on dirt. But definately not on the road. It is a vacuum activated lock that locks the centre differential. So with this locked you always have at least one wheel driving the front and one driving the rear.

Without it locked power can either be transfered to the rear or the front just like a normal differential would do from left to right.

Ideally you want to be locking it with the vehicle stationary, but sometimes it may help if the car is rolling forward slowly to enable the teeth to fall into place, if you are stationary you may not be in quite the right position for them to mesh. But obviously don't lock it while the car is under load like actually being pushed by the engine.

If you run with it locked on high traction ground (the road) it will cause too many stresses on the prop shaft etc and will no doubt cause damage. As far as noise goes, they do sound funny with the diff lock in place due to their now being a solid drive to the front and rear together. Providing it's the sort of ground where your wheels will loose traction, it won't hurt to give it some welly!

Hope this helps!

Sorry to bring up a dead topic but I'm taking my 98Rav4 offroad onto sand this weekend for the first time.

Just wondering what I should be doing. So all I have to do is press the diff lock button and I should be good to go? What tire pressure should I put on tires on? Ill need to put diff lock on when going on sand right?

Thanks mate

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  • 10 years later...

Hi all. 
Just am getting acquainted with a ‘98 standard tranny with the CDL. We have a backyard course that is snowy and muddy and have been experimenting with the CDL engaged. Wondering what all of your long term reviews of this system is? Been hearing some popping and mild clicking and am wondering if that’s the sound others have referred to? And get this. It’s right at 90’000 miles. But shows signs of more wear and tear. Sure they are kind of dorky but I love the ride and it’s mild abilities to get me places. I’m glad I found this thread although I fear its ability to be responded to may have lapsed.  But any long term info would be great!

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