has my diff locked

[way2deep]

hi,jacked up my rangie to check the front wheel bearings and the wheel would not spin ,thought with one wheel off the ground it would spin freely? it's a 200 tdi with a hi low  permanent diff lock box..thanks for any advice..robbie

[lambert]

One in the air won't spin as the other 3 effectively hold the diffs still. Two in the air on opposite axles I.e. one front one rear will spin.

[way2deep]

thanks mate.that's good news then...thought i had a major problem

[Saffy]

What type of box is on it then as I thought it be a perm 4 wheel drive but without difflock (if it hasn't a lever) like some of the D2 with the lt230 that hasn't the difflock mech fitted. Can't see it driving around with difflock on all the time unless there some other magic on a rangie (never owned one).

[James.Harwood]

If there is no diff lock lever then you probably have the borg warner transfer box (I know all the P38's did). This box doesn't use a 'traditional' diff, insead it has a viscous coupling on the front output of the transfer box. It should not be possible to jack up 1 wheel and spin it.

[carls200tdi]

with the viscous coupling with one front wheel jacked up you should be able to turn it with a wheel brace very slowly with some resistance if you cant turn it at all your viscous coupling could be seized i used to have a rangie with viscous coupling and thats how you check its working.

[muddyman]

with the viscous coupling with one front wheel jacked up you should be able to turn it with a wheel brace very slowly with some resistance if you cant turn it at all your viscous coupling could be seized i used to have a rangie with viscous coupling and thats how you check its working.

I second that I have a range rover with the borg warner tbox and that is how i check the VC

[Range Rover Blues]

Viscous diff more or less came in with concealed hinges in 1988/89.

They are chain-driven (to reduce noise and backlash) and have a thermo-viscous hub ahead of a traditional 50/50 diff.  They are menat to lock up when one output spins dramatically faster than the other, though doing this is what leads to their demise.

With one wheel in the air you should be able to tighten the wheel nuts, or loosen them unless you jar on the wrench which will loosen them.

There is a correct torque setting for checking but basically if you can turn it really slowly then it's ok.