88 Rx Center Diff Question

[Naked Buell]

Hey guys,  I was wondering how to check to see if the center diff switch in my Rx is working. The light is on regardless if the switch is turned on or off. Any advice work be great. I finally just took out the bulb in the dash but I would like to fix it so everything works probably.

Thx

[Crazyeights]

Try turning the car in a tight circle and it will torque bind with the center diff locked. Without the center diff locked you can turn circles all day long if the tires match

Edited February 7, 2017 by Crazyeights

[Naked Buell]

What explains the light on the dash always being on??? Is there a switch on the tranny that is stuck on something?

[idosubaru]

You need to determine if it's actually locked or not first.

 

Without any other information every failure is a possibility. "The light is on" is nearly meaningless by itself.

 

Switch sticking, wiring issue, prior work, diaphragm stuck, vacuum hose issue, cable issue, bracket holding the cable issue, center diff issues, or it just needs driven a bit with matching tires/diff ratios/air pressure in a straight line to disengage.

[Naked Buell]

I bought the car from a guy who blew the engine. I replaced it and drives fine in the snow and everything but I never really messed with the center diff because I didn't know much about it. I figured you only needed to use it if you were really stuck. But the light was always on whether the switch was on or off. And no, it wasn't engaged. I would know the feeling like in my diesel truck when it is locked. 

I guess I should see if it engages in the on position.

[idosubaru]

there's a bracket holding the lever on the front passengers side of the transmission which switches the transmission between locked and not-locked. 

 

you can look at the position of that switch to determine if the controls (button, wiring, fuse, diaphragm, vacuum, etc) are working properly. 

 

if that's moving back and forth and your transmission still isn't locked then that's another issue. 

 

it's hard to guess what's going on - it sounds like it's simply stuck in the unlocked position mechanically but the light shouldn't be on if that's the case.  

[Naked Buell]

I have it the garage now, 4' of snow outside and it just snowed 6" more and we have more coming, and I will see what you are talking about and post what I find. Thx

[DagdaS]

I know the feels. I'm down here in the 'burg. We have yet to have any significant melt. The snow is almost to the tops of the wheel arches on the Comanche that's been parked all winter. And the bottoms of the doors on my lifted '80 DL are scraping when I get in and out. She doesn't like that, she ends up getting in where her tires don't quite reach with enough down pressure.

[idosubaru]

I have it the garage now, 4' of snow outside and it just snowed 6" more and we have more coming, and I will see what you are talking about and post what I find. Thx

I had one not working like 15 years ago and just bolted the end of a 2 foot or so rod to the lever that switches it on/off on the side of the transmission.

then I ran the piece of metal into the cabin around the shifter/passengers seat area and I could just push/pull it to lock the 4WD. at the time it was better than troubleshooting some wonky system I didn't understand or know where/how to look in the middle of winter with no garage and no internet.

 

there's like 2 bolts that hold the cable against the transmission - those need removed for there to be enough slack for the lever to move. unbolt those two bolts and the lever itself is free to move by hand...assuming you can get enough leverage, it's a very short lever.

 

you could probably even just run it up into the engine bay somehow, that would be easier than snaking it into the cabin which isn't immediately straight forward or simple. you'll just have to pop the hood every time you need to lock it - but that beats messing with 4 feet of snow.

Edited February 9, 2017 by grossgary

[Naked Buell]

Haven't checked yet. My Dad got the plow truck stuck yesterday, then I grabbed our 4x4 tractor with chains on the front, I got that stuck then unstuck, got my diesel 4x4 stuck trying to pull my dad out, then unstuck, went and put chains on the front of the truck, and returned to the truck, just next door, and then the neighbor decided to drive the their Forester up the hill to see if we needed help and then the Forester was stuck. That took an hour and a half to get the Forester out, then back down the hill, then I got up there with my diesel truck with the chains and it pulled the plow truck out backwards no problem.

There is just alot of snow and slick. I was surprised the Forester got stuck. 

[edian727]

i ran into a problem with the diff. lock recently on my xt6. it would just be locked(and mine was) and the light would stay on. i switched the vac. lines and it unlocked and wouldnt lock, so vacuum. problem. maybe part of your problem too. idk where the feed for the light is but it didnt turn off when the switch was off and the diff was still locked so somewhere in the mechanism.