used the FF in the snow today and switched on the 'snow/gravel' mode and the dash showed the front diff unlocked....

my question to those that know, what benefit does having that diff unlocked give whilst driving in the snow ..

I noticed the same when I used snow and gravel too when I went "exploring" a couple days ago, or "dicking around" as my wife calls it!

I had the chance to raise the suspension and use low range because of the depth and softness of the snow.

Maybe the front diff only locks on low range?

I'd be interested to hear from more experienced members too.

Mike

Snow, ?
23c and sunny in Tenerife.
Mike. G reg 2.5VM Vogue Portofino red 1991- 1999
V reg 2.5td P38 Rioja red 1999- 2006
53 reg td6 Vogue Oslo blue 2006- 2015
11 reg 4.4 TdV8 Vogue SE. Baltic blue 2015- date.
https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic56162...tty+affair

you're missing all the fun we're having here Mike..

My understanding is it auto locks when the RR decides it needs to due to wheel slip/spin etc Gone to a good home: 2011 4.4 TDV8 Vogue SE Buckingham Blue with Ivory and clear glass = "Rory"
2025MY Defender D350 90 in Silicon Silver on coils
1974 Series 3 Lightweight = "Millie"
Many, many other Landies over the years
My preferred specialist: www.glenrands.co.uk
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That is my understanding as well.
It only locks when drive is lost to one wheel.
Mike. G reg 2.5VM Vogue Portofino red 1991- 1999
V reg 2.5td P38 Rioja red 1999- 2006
53 reg td6 Vogue Oslo blue 2006- 2015
11 reg 4.4 TdV8 Vogue SE. Baltic blue 2015- date.
https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic56162...tty+affair

I guess that you're referring to the centre diff.

Wasn't aware of any L322 fitted with a locking front diff...

Rear was an option, and they all have the centre diff lock, but front...

If the front diff locks you'll lose steering!

I'm not sure they have a locking diff in the front do they?  2009 TDV8 Vogue SE - Bonatti Grey

There is no 'benefit' as such, the car is just showing you what it is doing, so the car is driving fine in the standard setting despite the snow. If traction is being lost then the padlock symbol changes to closed to show the differential being locked. You'd feel it too. Only Range Rovers since 1988

It's all great stuff but absolutely useless if a load of jacknifed cars and lorries in front and behind you are blocking the road  2011 4.4 TDV8 Vogue SE
1993 Discovery 1 3.5 V8i

The display doesn't tell the whole story. If you monitor the locking % using an IIDtool then you will see that the centre and rear e-diff, if fitted, are often pre-loaded to varying degrees even when no special program is in use yet not loaded high enough to trigger the locked symbol. The locked symbol only shows once a threshold has been reached and when shown, doesn't mean that the diff is effectively locked solid. As I've churned through mud, once the e-diff lock symbol shows, the locking % can reduce to well below the threshold yet the lock symbol stays on, only going off if the diff remains below the threshold for an extended time.

As stated previously with a front diff locked you get real lousy steering , when competing (in 90) I usually run centre and rear locked and leave the front free unless I know I'm going to need it , it's then ulocked as soon as possible as you've got all turning ability with everything locked up , (many years ago on a Bulldog someone I know ended up upside down in a ditch from locking his front diff and going straight on ).

matthews

Bulldog is an event from the past, I am Keith, used to help Brian run the events. I had a Grey 90 V8 back then 2010 3.6TDV8 Stornoway Grey/ Black interior - gone
2005 4.4V8 (M62) Bonatti Grey/ Parchment interior - gone
1998 4.6HSE Blue/ Cream interior (can't remember exact colours) - gone
1977 White - gone (should have kept)

Mark.abersoch wrote:

If the front diff locks you'll lose steering!

I'm not sure they have a locking diff in the front do they?