Right, this is just a brief little guide, with some handy tips, to help when fitting one of these diff lock lever kits. I wont take you through the process of removing the centre console,
as this is fairly simple and well documented around the web. So, with all the console, ducts and foam out the way,
the first things to do is undo the 4 bolts holding the high/low lever. ( use a 6 sided socket or you may round off the heads ) Please note that the lever I,m taking out is a factory diff lock lever, but the same applies to the standard one ). Now get a 5mm drill and drill out the rivets. On the manual, I have also drilled out the gear stick gaiter for ease of the plate removal,
but the plate can be removed with this still in place. Now the plate should move down and to one side, and out. Leaving your lever ready to be disconnected, by unclipping the clevis pin and " C " clip. On the auto, it is best not to totally disconnect the auto shifter, but there is enough flexibility in the shifter
cable to allow removal of the plate from the transmission tunnel.
The plate can then be pushed out of the way to gain access to the top of the transfer box. Now you need to take out the 2 bolts from the spigot housing, and fit your cable bracket. The rear bolt will need some sealant round it when it goes back in.
NOTE :- Before fitting the control arm (below) Spray some WD40 or similar
around where the spigot rotates in the transfer box.
Now put the control arm over the spigot, together with the washer and tighten it down, to 25Nm. Before it gets fully tight it will " click " backwards.
This means the diff is now locked, and you can " nip " the nut up tight.
NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO CHECK THAT THE CDL WARNING LIGHT IS WORKING ON YOUR DASH !! Leave the arm in this position. Now take out the clevis pin at the lever end, and loosen the clevis fitting lock nut. Loosen the bottom clevis locking nut, and undo the outer bracket nut. ( keep the bottom clevis pin on, as this stops the nut and washer falling off ). You need to be firm now, and grab hold of the cable, and try to get in through the bracket on the transfer box. If possible, try to grip the washer and keep it against the nut left on the cable. It takes a little bit wiggling, but once you've got it through, you can put the other washer and nut on. Tighten the inside nut up FINGER tight, until it has pulled the cable in line with the spigot arm.
Once this is lined up, the inner clevis cable can be pulled over the spigot arm, and the clevis pin put in. Now it is time to adjust the cable. Put the lever in the ROUGH position it will be when its back together. ( sitting on the gearbox ). Now you can push the lever over and see how well the holes in the lever arm and clevis line up. It is now a case of turning the clevis in or out, until the holes line up.
( obviously after pushing the lever back over ). Now fit the clevis pin. Keeping the lever in the same ROUGH position,
it is now time to tighten the big nut on the outer cable at the bracket end, and then the clevis locking nut. Then the clevis locking nut at the lever end. Pull the lever up a little, and attach the high/low arm from your old lever,
and re-connect the high/low cable.
DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO TRY AND ACTIVATE THE LEVER AT THIS POINT,
AS YOU CANT HOLD THE BODY IN ONE HAND AND OPERATE THE LEVER WITH THE OTHER !!. Place the rubber gasket from your old lever over the 2 threaded studs. Push the lever down into the transmission tunnel, ensuring that the cable goes outside
the gearbox acoustic cover, and just under the a/c drains. Now put the cover plate back in, after widening the opening to allow the lever to move forward and back, ( the above step is NOT needed if you have a facelift vehicle ) and locate the 2 rear studs through the rear hole in the plate. Put on the 2 nuts and washer, and the 2 front bolts, and tighten. I would suggest now just putting in 4 rivets in the plate either side of the lever, and testing for operation. Once you are happy that the centre diff lock is engaging/disengaging smoothly,
then rest of the rivets can be put in, and the consul put back. The shift should be positive, and MAY be a little stiff to start with.
The cable will " relax " with use, and the diff lock mechanism will also loosen as it gets used more. I also advise that, if you have bought the sticker,
you fit it to the console BEFORE you put it back in, as it is easier to stick it on straight.
Cheers.
Any queries, please feel free to e-mail me at
d2cdl@hotmail.co.uk