Alright, just realized that I still don't understand the difference in our full time 4x4 (CDL unlocked) and an all wheel drive vehicle? In another thread Spike says there's a HUGE difference. What makes it so HUGE?

 

AWD = Subaru.

 

Full time four wheel drive uses gears to send power to all the wheels, gears in the t-case, gears in the diffs.
AWD cars use clutchs to send power through the t-case and the diffs.
If it is a AWD SUV, like a RAV4 then they use clutchs in the t-case and gears in the diffs.
Subaru's use all viscous clutchs.
Part time 4x4's with "shift on the fly" 4x4 use clutchs in the t-case, enage 4-wheel drive at any speed because when you push the burron on the dash you electronicaly engage the cluch but then the diffs have gears, except the front diff which also has a "free wheeling" switch, what that does is dosconnect the front diff from the front hubs so that it reduces strain on the driveline and helps MPG.
Now the problem with these AWD and part time 4x4 set ups is that you need to use it or lose it, dont use the 4x4 on a S-10 and when you do finally need it it wont engage because everything is seized.
Around here this happens alot to guys with Chevy trucks, they off road once a year for deer hunting, works great the first year but not the second because they never used the 4x4 all year.
Not to mention that these part time 4x4 systems use ATF in the t-case which needs to be change somthing like every 15,000 miles, and wont hold up under alot of use.
Alot of people with Chevy 4x4's have to replace their t-cases before 100,000 miles because they never change the t-case fluid or used it often and wore out the clutch.

When you have all gears like we do all you need to do it change the gear oil every 30,000 miles or so and they will last forever.
LR's drivetrain are built like your grandpa's old Case farm tractor, simple reliable mechanincal gears, they will take tons of abuse and come back for more.

 

The D1 is the North American Defender..Thats why it so badazz

 

BUt you still need to engage the CDL once a month or so, to ensure that it works, right?
ive done the gear oil change in my diffs. and t-case but havent engaged CDL since I did the gear oil change, im a little concerned that it wont work as it should when i go to engage it. this is due to lack of a need for full 4x4

 

Yes you should shift your transfer case shifter once a month through all the gears that it has, if it only has hi-lo, then shift from hi-lo.
If it has hi-lo, hi-lo locked make sure that you shift between all the positions.

 

this thread got me pumped and i climbed some dirt hills by my house this afternoon. i spun out a few times on climbs and saw/felt the TC activate. also played around with trying to climb short hills with and without the CDL locked. now thats a HUGE difference.

it will take a while for me to trust the HDC...and even when i do i sometimes wish it would keep me at an even slower speed. do you guys always use HDC? or do you use brakes when on really steep stuff?

i bet lots of folks don't read the manual to know that when shifting the transfer case you should either (1) roll slow and straight or (2) sit still and press the gas a bit. Seems a lot of posts around here about "stuck linkages" might be due to this driver error.

 

My HDC is the t-case lo locked and the transmission in 1st.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GduqS0FqxkM

This hill is so steep at the top that a CD fell out of he map pocket above my head and landed in my lap.

 

another question: i've read that some LR3 models have an auto diff lock.

in fact when i read the wiki, it says the (plural) differentials can lock (e.g., in rock crawl mode).

Is the LR3 in fact able to fully lock either/both of the axles? If so, why is the CDL Disco still better for extreme terrain, as has been said on here many times.