Driving in low without the lock button switched on...Is this ok?

[RutHunter Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RutHunter]

As the title suggests when 4wdriving on hard rocky tracks, every now and then the track becomes flat hard ground for a distance before getting into the hard stuff again. On these breaks I have been turning off the lock button but leaving it in low still until the next major obstacle that requires the lock button turned on again. Why? Well as we know if you run your vehicle on hard level ground locked in 4wd this is not good for the driveline, especially for tight turns on these tracks. I feel the vehicle always travels much better around these tight turns without the lock button on (if 4wd is not needed).

My question is...Is driving in low 4WD without the lock button on going to damage anything? I don't believe so but want to be sure? The only thing I can think of is that the VSC turns back on when the lock button is switched off, and sometimes I can here the clicking of it on the flat dirt tracks in some situations.

Comments / Knowledge please???

[rorza Member Find all posts View Profile Close rorza]

If you are referring to the little 'Shift Lock' button near the gear lever as far as I was aware that is for when your gear lever is stuck in place, not for any kind of operational use while driving. Is this the "lock button" you are referring to?

[Guest Close Guest]

Are you referring to the centre diff lock button that is standard on VX and Grande models? If so, I don't think there is an issue. I have used it reversing a trailer up a steep driveway.

[RutHunter Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RutHunter]

I mean when the low and high gear lever is placed into low (transfer case), and the centre lock button on. Yes on the my VX.

[RutHunter Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RutHunter]

I mean when the low and high gear lever is placed into low (transfer case), and the centre lock button on. Yes on the my VX.

No diff locks.

[RutHunter Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RutHunter]

yeah it is the centre lock button, I have used the low gear lever for pulling the boat out of the water as well, but really want to know if driving in low is going to do any damage, I can't see why as it is just a lower set of gears through the transfer case and the centre lock button being off (AWD mode) will then make sure there is no wind up.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Your talking about the centre diff lock button, absolutely no reason at all why driving in low with it off will cause an issue, what you are doing is fine. It's one of the few things that the up spec models have that I wish my GXL had, the ability to turn off the CDL in low range.

Cheers Andrew

[D4Dforme Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4Dforme]

Your centre diff will lock when you select low4 anyway.........Pushing the lock button when in high4 only engages (locks) High4 to my understanding.

[RutHunter Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RutHunter]

Great to know, thanks!

I did not know the GXL did not come with the centre lock button, I thought they were all All wheel drive.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Yes they are all constant 4wd.

When you lock the centre diff it means that the front and rear axles need to turn at the same speed, so gives you extra traction in certain circumstances, much the same way as axle diff locks mean that left and right wheels turn at the same speed.

Cheers Andrew

[RutHunter Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RutHunter]

Your centre diff will lock when you select low4 anyway.........Pushing the lock button when in high4 only engages (locks) High4 to my understanding.

Definitely does not lock when selecting low4. I have tested this. The Button must be pressed, which then also turns off the vehicle stability control(VSC). This is shown on the dash.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

The transfer lever on the GXL looks like this, assuming no option pack.




So has

H - High
HL - High locked
N - Neutral
LL - Low locked

On the models with the CDL button it just say H - N - L, High, Neutral, Low.

Cheers Andrew

[RutHunter Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RutHunter]

Has all those options and still constant 4wd? that's pretty good.

My VX just has High and low lever (no neutral), Neutral is in between Drive and reverse on the auto, which must be switched to, to change to low or it won't let you move the lever, hence another reason why I drive in low with the centre lock off.

[D4Dforme Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4Dforme]

Definitely does not lock when selecting low4. I have tested this. The Button must be pressed, which then also turns off the vehicle stability control(VSC). This is shown on the dash.

Sorry my bad........only ever had poverty pack GXL's etc.....

[Rusty62 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rusty62]

In the VX and Grande models, as well as the safety pack option for the 120's the traction control and stability programs work without the centre diff locked. By locking the centre diff the stability program is off, but traction control stays on. Traction control cannot be turned off on the 120 series.

Some think this will be bad for soft sand or loose gravel (traction control) but far from it. The settings for the traction control allow for towing my camper on sand soft enough so the auto picked up 1st high range, open centre and full throttle. No activation of traction control. Low range centre open the traction control does a fairly good job but not as good as centre locked. Having the open centre in low range make tight turn a breaze.

For the standard 120 has anyone come up with a mod to only have the centre locked by the button?

Rusty.