Rear diff use

[reffug]

I would also suggest reading diffs for dummies, no offense intended - it is in the FAQ section of the 80 tech forum and it really gives an excellent explanation of diffs and how they work. Oh and welcome

 

[mabrodis]

If you get hard stuck and the locked center diff won't get you out, try the low range and locked center. If that doesn't get it, and you want to go only straight forward, lock the rear diff also. Do not gun the engine, just crawl forward until you can 1) unlock the rear diff and 2) get out of low range and 3) get back to the trail/road and unlock the center diff.
LT

Couple of points here. Why would he only want to go straight forward while having the rear locked? He could turn just fine, the vehicle won't turn as easily since the rear will be locked, but certainly not a problem, plus if he's stuck he should be doing everything to get unstuck IMO.

"Don't gun the engine"?? Where did this come from, sounds like the sticker Toyota put next to the switch on the 80-series. Once the locker is locked (light on the instrument panel is on solid) then he could gun the engine all he wants, once again he's stuck, so he needs to do everything to get unstuck. Crawling forward is not always an option, and for a stock vehicle usually wheel speed and aggression are your friends for getting unstuck. (Wait a second, what am I saying, with ANY vehicle wheel speed and aggression are your friends. )

Biggest thing to tell newbies who aren't useto the concept of a rear locker is that when it's locked the rearend will want to spin sideways more, so expect the rear to be all over the place, but don't be afraid to gun it...just when you do, expect the rearend to go crazy.

 

[Auggies'Blu]

Thanks for the advice and the welcome!

I will query the "diffs for dummies" section for sure, but I thought I had read somewhere that you don't want to have a locked diff when driving in snow/icy conditions.

Generally, I would agree with mabrodis' position on "wheel speed and aggression, but since me and the wife will be driving the Cruiser in Central New York this winter, I wanted to be clear on this.

Oh yeah reffug... "no, you're number 1!"

 

[ELLTEE]

Why would he only want to go straight forward while having the rear locked?
"Don't gun the engine"?? Where did this come from. ... but don't be afraid to gun it...just when you do, expect the rearend to go crazy.

Hey, nothing personal, I'm just sharing what works for me. In low range, locked, the truck will just about recover itself if I will just leave it alone and let it get on with the job. It will, however, recover mostly straight ahead since a locked rear diff means the rear wheels are turning at exactly the same speed. I don't do that in reverse, since the 99 (and the 98, for that matter) has the two-pinion front that is reported to sometimes break when stressed in reverse.

When I start twisting the wheel and gunning the engine, sometimes I just make a bad situation worse by diigging the hole a little deeper.


LT

 

[mabrodis]

When I start twisting the wheel and gunning the engine, sometimes I just make a bad situation worse by diigging the hole a little deeper.
LT

Yeah, I have to agree with you there. When you start gunning the engine and cranking the wheel you better hope you can get out because if not you're just getting in deeper.

Ofcourse the preferred way to get unstuck is slow and easy, but that doesn't always work, if it was that easy you probably wouldn't have gotten stuck anyway..

But trust me I've had my share of gunning it locked front and rear when I didn't make it out, but you put on a good show for those watching..

 

[krazzikiwi]

Folks,

I have just sold my Mercedes AMG G55 due to unreliability and high cost of repair and bought a new V8 VX-R with the rear diff lock option............

Now, upon reading the manual it states not to exceed 8km/h with the rear diff lock engaged.......!

Is this a hard an fast rule or Toyota's way of stopping fools (foolproof!, you haven't met our fool!)ruining the car on the road's hard surfaces?

I ask since we drive and camp a lot in the desert and I have been used to using the hydraulic air driven centre, rear and front diff locks on the Mercedes Gwagon in the desert without any regard to hi or lo 4 or even the maximum speed when negotiating dunes and saddles inthe sand. The closest thing for Toyota's I have seen is the ARB aftermarket air driven diff locks.

I would appreciate knowing about the top speed please.

Jeff

 

[MoJ]

krazzikiwi -

I've read about 80 series folks using the diffs at higher speeds for low traction snow runs. General consensus seems to be that it is a safety oriented recommendation in the owner's manual. (5 mph on the 80 is the recommendation from Toyota for the 80 series.) You might also try the international section of the forum for VX specific info.

 

[ELLTEE]

We don't have the privilege in the US of buying that model Land Cruiser. On the older 100 series with rear diff locks that were sold in the US, the factory setting doesn't allow you to lock the rear diff unless the transmission is in low range and the center diff is locked.
It would be fairly hard to exceed 10 or 15 mph in low range - maybe 20 mph if you red-lined the motor.

I'm sure it would be possible to change the lockouts such that the rear diff could be locked in high range, with or without the center diff being locked, but I don't see how it would be a really great idea. Let us know how it works for you.

LT

Oh, and give the Toyota all-wheel drive and stability control a chance before you lock it up -- I'm told the new technology is quite remarkable in sand/mud traverses.

LT

 

[mabrodis]

Folks,

I have just sold my Mercedes AMG G55 due to unreliability and high cost of repair and bought a new V8 VX-R with the rear diff lock option............

Now, upon reading the manual it states not to exceed 8km/h with the rear diff lock engaged.......!

Is this a hard an fast rule or Toyota's way of stopping fools (foolproof!, you haven't met our fool!)ruining the car on the road's hard surfaces?

I ask since we drive and camp a lot in the desert and I have been used to using the hydraulic air driven centre, rear and front diff locks on the Mercedes Gwagon in the desert without any regard to hi or lo 4 or even the maximum speed when negotiating dunes and saddles inthe sand. The closest thing for Toyota's I have seen is the ARB aftermarket air driven diff locks.

I would appreciate knowing about the top speed please.

Jeff

Welcome!!

Just sold an AMG G55, nice, those are nice vehicles, not reliable, but look sharp!

As far as locking the diffs. It seems like it's easier to lock the diffs at a slow speed, but that may be purely mechanics with the speed of everything happening in the diff. As far as speed when it's locked. I have always believed the 5mph (which is probably about 8 km/h) is just so you don't go crazy with it. Ofcourse I never follow that and have locked the diffs in high range (I have a seperate center diff lock in my 80series) and ran 70mph+ with them locked. Usually you don't need to however. I think the reason they encourage you to NOT do that is at any significant speed with the diffs locked it forces a tires to slip or spin in a turn, this could send you out of control on a bad road whereas having it unlocked would actually be safer.

I would not worry about what Toyota recommends though, you obviously have used lockers before and these are similar style e-lockers that Benz uses I believe (both use a electronic actuator, versus air, etc).

Good Luck...
Mark Brodis

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Oh, and give the Toyota all-wheel drive and stability control a chance before you lock it up -- I'm told the new technology is quite remarkable in sand/mud traverses.

LT

Good advice, it is remarkable, though the ActiveTrac and ASC didn't come until 2000+ and the rear locker is then gone. So, he can't try that stuff. Maybe on the 200-series we'll get it all? J

 

[mabrodis]

Good advice, it is remarkable, though the ActiveTrac and ASC didn't come until 2000+ and the rear locker is then gone. So, he can't try that stuff. Maybe on the 200-series we'll get it all? J

You sure about that. He is in the UAE, and bought a new VX-R (never heard of it) with the rear locker, so I'm guessing he's got access to way different stuff than we do.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Oh wow. Who knows. You might be correct.

I'm not smart enough to know the other countries stuff. I can barely comprehend the US.

Geeze, this is from a guy (me) that once said a 100 can off-road with an 80? What an ass, huh?

 

[reffug]

some recently got stuck in his yard but was able to get out thanks to his locking diffs...

E

Who would dat be.....................................................................




Must have been a real ................................................

 

[krazzikiwi]

Gents,

thanks for the replies.

Once I have run this car in, I'll get into the desert and tell you how it goes in the dunes.

I always use centre diff lock in the desert (AMG G55) and the rear diff lock and sometimes the front lock if the sand was particularly loose and dry (= deep) like at the end of a summer. I will of course use the centre lock on the Landcruiser and the rear diff lock.........this variant I have ordered does not have the traction control (ActiveTrac and ASC) etc on it, it seems to only come on the limited slip diff variants and Lexus 470.

If I can't get the rear diff to work in hi 4 then I'll get it modified as I suspect it can only be an electrical cutoff circuit that allows the solenoid to engage in lo 4.

Apart from that, it is a nice car..........100HP less than the Gwagon(it had 258HP) but because the summer heat is so high here in the desert, unreliability can bring death pretty quickly to occupants so have to keep the risk to the family down........

Expect a report within 2 weeks.............

thanks again folks

fjeff

 

[krazzikiwi]

Higher speeds ok to drive with in soft conditions

For anyone who looked this up,

I have had the beast in the desert a few times now and it is as someone said about the 80 series.............one shouls not activate (=switch on) the read diff lock at speeds greater than 5mph(8kmh)..........the Landcruiser has absolutely no problem driving around at higher speeds with the rear diff lock engaged........off road of course in soft conditions like deep sand (as in out in the desert).

I don't reall see the neccessity (for me) to make the mod to have this rear diff lock in Hi4 for desert driving...........if I am in Hi4 then it is pretty well 'straight ahead' driving and nothing too difficult that would require serious technical driving...........

For negotiating uneven desert terrain, I always engage Lo4 and hence rear diff lock to ensure full control both going up and down steep inclines or simply deep soft sand.........for 200metre slip slopes, nothing beats 1st gear in Lo4 with the rear diff lock engaged............absolute control and nothing gets away on you (brakes are not an option in the desert or deep sand slopes)

This V8 version has more than enough torque to do most things I ask of it in the desert, even my wife was happy with the ease at which she manouvered it around the desert dunes...........

Thanks to those of you who replied and confirmed my suspicion that the translation was slightly out (switching inor engaging would have been better than use).

take care and happy off roading

Jeff