cant shift to low range (4L)

[lookoutworld]

Hello fellow forumers!

I was out last weekend trying to drive through a washout on a dirt road. This was my first experience with my Delica and 4WD.

I stopped, shifted to 4H, drove forward a bit until I heard clunks and "wheel lock" appeared on my dash. I then tried to shift to low range and my stick simply wouldnt go far up and right as prescribed. I could go in and out of 2H and 4H but could not get the stick into 4L.

NOTES:
I was *not* moving when I tried to go from 4H to 4L...
I was in neutral (but I have a 5-speed)...
I had my foot on the brake...

***Any ideas why my Deli can't get into 4L? What is this noob missing?!***

Other things to mention:
I went for the washout in 4H... almost made it.. but stopped a bit short. my rear passenger wheel left the ground and my front driver side was digging a hole. I heard some "bad" noises when I went for it again. Sorta "clicky" noises. Perhaps only one wheel was locked? In the end, I gave up, reversed out of it and didn't end up with a deli in the ditch.. phew!

proof:

Screen Shot 2016-08-27 at 9.38.14 PM.png (516.95 KiB) Viewed 5184 times

Thanks much!!!
Scott

[ChuckBlack]

You should have a chat with the previous owners as to what the hell is going on!!! Looks like you've been having some pretty bad luck!

It's my understanding that to get it into 4x4 the van has to be
1:stopped,
2:in neutral
3:then move the shifter to 4H or L,
4:then get it in reverse about 10 Feet.

The auto-lock hubs works on a reverse clock spring that applies the front axle... That's why most true mudders out there would replace the auto-hubs for manuals ones... Anyway. I've been doing it this way since I've purchase mine.

Perhaps yours have broken/detached cable down by the transfer case... an investigation must occur...

[ChuckBlack]

Oh and by the way Scott... auto-hub comes on and off as you drive forward and reverse... Another flaws of having auto-hubs...

Basically, if you are in 4H or 4L... with auto-hubs you want to be driving in one direction. When you start jerking off back and forth.. the clock mechanism comes off... then your wheels need to do at least one full rotation in reverse for it to come lock again...

[lookoutworld]

Hi Chuck!

Thanks for the comments! I edited that post above to add more details.. sorry if I didn't get to it quick enough.

Somewhere... there is a crowd of 4WD enthusiasts laughing at me... but here goes:

I thought that the hubs locked when I went forward and driving in *reverse* was to *disengage* 4WD? My reference is here:
https://comoxvalleydelica.files.wordpre ... ration.pdf

Scott

[lookoutworld]

Chuck!

You just confirmed my fears... I thought I had gone through all possible scenarios with me and that washout.. but I failed to think of the one where I had to reverse out of it... thus potentially losing my 4WD and making a sticky situation. Luckily.. it worked out fine.

-Scott

[ChuckBlack]

Holy crap... 10 meters!!!!

[ChuckBlack]

Check a few videos online.... auto-hubs vs manuals ones!!! Worth it if you wanna replace them. or search it on the Delica forum! Good luck!

[lookoutworld]

Holy crap... 10 meters!!!!

My thoughts too!!!

And yeah, my old truck had manual hubs... thats what I was used to. I have a buddy who works for Warn so maybe he has some neat prototypes I could throw on the deli!

...now... to figure out the 4L thing..

[FalcoColumbarius]

I've had the auto hubs (8.5 years) and am very satisfied with how they work. I have a question for you: Do you know how long it has been since the fluids in your diffs, transfer case have been changed? When was the last time you greased your hubs? There's this macho stigma about getting out of the wagon to walk around and manually disengage one's hubs ~ personally, I've been caught in too many deluges to actually desire to do this and would much rather drop the gear into neutral, shift the transfer case to 2H and back-up ten or so feet to unlock my hubs. The hubs should automatically lock when after you've geared to neutral and shifted your transfer case to 4H/4L. I've found it useful to start with the simple possible solutions before tearing things apart.

Falco.