I know I have the CDL nipple, and I know where it is.
But, I am curious about how to engage it. I have read some posts but im not sure I fully understand...
If I get under there and turn it(clockwise?) will the CDL be engaged? I do NOT have the in truck shifter to do it, so im not sure it it even possible. (It sounds likeI engage it from the outside though from what i read)
What are some things I should look or listen for? Once engaged, can it be left on all the time or just for off road use?
And (here comes my stupid question of the day) what exactly does it mean to have the Center diff locked? The only thing I know is, its good off road, and thats the extent of my knowledge!

ANY HELP is greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Cam

 

to engage the cdl the "nipple" should be moved toward the right side of the vehicle... i light should show up on your dash that looks like 4 wheels with a little deal connecting them... what locking the center diff does is split the power evenly between the front and rear axles instead of when it is "open" it sends power to where there is the least resistance (the wheels with no traction)... no u should not leave it engaged all the time only for offroad use... leaving it engaged all the time can do some serious damage to your transfer case... i have seen a setup where instead of running the linkage inside someone had bolted a flat piece of metal with an L bend in the end to the nipple and ran the bar straight out under the passenger door, so instead of having to crawl under there to lock or unlock it you simply pull(lock) and push(unlock) the little flat deal...

 

Thanks man, good info.
Can I engage it by hand or do I need touse a certain tool?

 

Cam, all you need is a 10mm wrench, and the nipple only turns ~45*. Once the CDL is locked you may need to roll forward a few feet to get the light to illuminate on the dash. Likewise, after unlocking it, you may need to roll forward or (in my case most of the time) tap the brakes to release the CDL and the light will go off. You have other options with the CDL and your TC system.

Lock the CDL and start the engine will cause the 3 amigo lights to turn on. This means that those systems are disabled. If you lock the CDL with the engine running you will have the combo of the TC and CDL. If you go the route of installing linkage go with the D1 or '04 setup. Getting in and out of your truck to lock/unlock gets old real quick. Especially if it's cold or muddy outside. Usually, I just lock it at the start of the trail and unlock it at the end of the day before hiiting the pavement. If you air down your tires and use the CDL, it's best to have the same psi on all four tires instead of the 10 psi difference front and back for street driving.

 

You will want to hook up some sort of linkage, D1, 04 or electric solenoid,once you drive it a few times off road.
You will actuall gain and easy 50% more traction when engages.

 

Awesome, I just got invited on an off road trip to a friends cabin, its up on a mtn and he said it will be the most fun I've had getting to it. but the catch is, he drives a jeep wrangler, and I want to show him up in the rover! I figured Id go ahead and learn how to work the CDL before I go on that trip!

 

the last offroad trip i went on had something like 37 vehicles... all types of jeeps, 1 tacoma, and my rover... at the end of the day they had respect... most of them have never seen a rover in action so all they have to go on is heresay... you wont be let down by your rover...

 

PM me with your tele number and I'll walk you thru how to show the Jp up.

 

I just installed the DI linkage in my DII. It works great. It was kinda a pain in the butt, but it was worth it. You can check eBay for used DI linkage and pick it up for under $150. Ping me if you need any help. Good luck!

 

Yeh, but it beats crawling under the truck everytime you need it, think of getting in all that snow, mud or whatever then going back and sitting in the truck.