I just bought a 97 disco and the lever wont move from high. Is the linkage visible under the passenger side? Also, for regular driving, is it supposed to be on high? Is there a way to put it on 2 wheel drive??

 

It is all time 4wd. the linkage is visible from underneath the vehicle, not from looking under from the side of the vehicle. Read your owners manual for how to operate the vehicle's drivetrain. If you do not have the owners manual, it is available in the RAVE download in my signature.

 

I changed my signature to include a link to some photo albums. Click on that link and you will see several detailed pics of the CDL in various stages of total teardown and re-assembly.

 

It's certainly easier to try pb blaster first than tearing everything apart. Get under the truck on the inside of the right front wheel and look up through the mess of pipes with a flashlight in the direction of where you think the transmission shift is in the middle of the center counsel. It looks like a thin piece of metal pipe dropping straight down 12 inches or so into some linkage. Can't miss it. Then back up and spray all the way up and down. Worked on mine anyway.

 

I'm kinda surprised there isn't a CDL sticky that you can point people too *hint* Given this question comes up like two or three times a week.

 

Whats the right to left "travel" when shifting from unlock to lock on the CDL? Mine moves side to side about an inch or so. I've doused it from below with PB. But not sure if its broken free. Gonna try again this morning with locking it and moving forward so many feet to see. For all I know the bulb in dash could be toast.

 

It'll go as far left as it does right. Corner to corner. It may take a few days of coating though mine didn't. The light should come on after a few hundred feet. Mine came on in reverse. Try that.

 

Sure take out whichever propshaft depending on if you want front wheel or if you prefer rear wheel drive.

If you want a detailed set of pics of the CDL Linkages that take you completely through disassembly, clean-up and restoration of the CDL to proper working order, click on the link in my signature.

Also go to the Rovers North website and follow the prompts to the transfer case and you will find detailed illustrated parts breakdown drawings that show ALL the correct parts and pieces along with guess what, the part numbers and prices to rebuild your linkages.

There is a triangular part at the bottom of the linkages that you must physically rotate to lock/unlock the CDL. I highly recommend you remove your center console and drill out the factory rivets securing the metal frame of the rubber gaiter around the little short shifter and set it aside for reinstallatioon with pop rivets. Look directly down and you will see the clusterf**k they call a linkage. Spray everything heavily with PB Blaster several times for a few consecutive days and slowly try to wiggle it around. If that don't work, tear it down and rebuild it like I did.

 

I actually had to take a socket and place on the bottom pivot point and turn it to get it to move. I was attempting to unbolt it and tear further into it when it shifted by rotating the nut securing that triangular shaped part. Until it physically rotates, you ain't locking the Center Diff.

This is it right here:
http://rides.webshots.com/album/561941781dIDDCp

To check the bulb, undo the binnacle and swap it with a known good one. If the bottom lever rotates, it is engaged. If the light still does not come on with a known good one, then the next culprit is that CDL Switch. Look at the RN Drawing that I mentioned.

Don't know how to make it any simpler for you.

 

Well hell, I got a ways to go then! Mine don't have that much side to side movement. The PB didn't help much, so looks like I'll be tearing into the console from above and pulling it out and cleaning it right! Are the spring clips, pins, etc on lever readily available at a hardware store in case I have to break something to get it apart?