Date: Wed, 2 Dec 1998 15:29:35 +0100
Reply-To: "Dr. Rainer Woitok" <woitok@RRZE.UNI-ERLANGEN.DE>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Dr. Rainer Woitok" <woitok@RRZE.UNI-ERLANGEN.DE>
Organization: RRZE (Regionales Rechenzentrum Erlangen)
Subject: Re: Differential Lock curiosity
In-Reply-To: Msg <567be28b.3665342f@aol.com> of 1998-12- 2 07:35:59 EST from
DanielisOk@aol.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Daniel and all,
On Wed, 1998-12-02 07:35:59 EST, Daniel Bey wrote:
> How do I test the dif lock to see if it's
> working?
Secure the front wheels (using some bricks if nothing else is at hand)
lift the hindquarters of the van on jack stands, so both rear tires are
off the ground. Have the gear in neutral, release the parking brake,
start the engine to get enough vacuum, and pull the diff lock switch.
Then hold the left rear tire with one hand and rotate the right tire.
As I just mentioned in another posting the diff lock should engage after
a 60 degree rotation of the right tire at the latest.
Another method would be to set the van back in such a way that one rear
wheel (mind you, only one!) is well in a ditch. This wheel will have
only pretty reduced contact to the ground and thus little traction, as
will have the front wheel on the opposite side. If you do it correctly,
and with the diff lock not activated, when trying to get out, the rear
wheel in the ditch should start spinning as should the front wheel on
the opposite side, while the other two wheels should not move at all.
If you don't have a diff lock or if your diff lock doesn't work that's
the end of the story and you need somebody else or a whinch to pull you
out. If you do have a diff lock you should activate it now, and the
rear tire not in the ditch should then pull you out of the ditch or at
least it should start spinning, too (in the latter case your diff lock
is ok, too, but you just did too good a job of setting her in that ditch
... :-).
> ...
> Also the lights on the lock panels all light up, but does not
> change when I pull the knob out.
The diff lock panel is illuminated as your dash is. And the three green
indicator lights are slightly illuminated as well, all three of them.
You can control the brightness using the variable resistor under your
head lights switch. However, when the diff lock engages, the green
light gets really bright. The difference is significant.
Sincerely
Rainer
'89 Caravell GL Syncro 16"
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