Diff Switch's

1
Hi, I was just curious about the diff switch's I hear and read about on
the differnet syncro sites. I have a 1989 syncro Trakka conversion and
so far I am truly impressed and happy with my van. We recently did the
Holland Track in WA and intend to do more of the same type of trakking
and camping. I was just wondering was the diff lock and switch an
option, a factory thing or an aftermarket? Also, unless doing serious
4X4ing would it be considered a necessary item or a desirable. On the
track we did I didn't even hear or feel the wheels spin and we were the
only ones who had to tow anyone out of a mud hole! A very pleasant
surprise. Thanks for any info... Sincerely, Harold
2
Harold,
 
The diff locks, both front and rear, were original equipment and a Syncro could be ordered with no locks, rear lock, or front and rear locks.  The gearbox casting, however, is different, so it was an OE option when ordering the Syncro from new.
 
For average difficult terrain - eroded fire trails and similar - a Syncro without diff locks is remarkably capable.  Using judicious driving techniques, it will deal with some quite improbable situations.
 
Les
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: oznewf19
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:37 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Diff Switch's

Hi, I was just curious about the diff switch's I hear and read about on
the differnet syncro sites. I have a 1989 syncro Trakka conversion and
so far I am truly impressed and happy with my van. We recently did the
Holland Track in WA and intend to do more of the same type of trakking
and camping. I was just wondering was the diff lock and switch an
option, a factory thing or an aftermarket? Also, unless doing serious
4X4ing would it be considered a necessary item or a desirable. On the
track we did I didn't even hear or feel the wheels spin and we were the
only ones who had to tow anyone out of a mud hole! A very pleasant
surprise. Thanks for any info... Sincerely, Harold

3
Hi Les,

I would agree with your last statement from our experiences at Shallow Crossing 2007 and plenty of Diff Lock / No Diff Lock vehicles completing the same terrain.

In fact, the Diff Lock actuator, which when operating correctly is shortly followed by a small green light illuminating, is often more the green light of confidence than simply extra ability :-)

Regards
Mark.

On Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 7:25 AM, Les Harris <leslieharris@optushome.com.au> wrote:

Harold,
 
The diff locks, both front and rear, were original equipment and a Syncro could be ordered with no locks, rear lock, or front and rear locks.  The gearbox casting, however, is different, so it was an OE option when ordering the Syncro from new.
 
For average difficult terrain - eroded fire trails and similar - a Syncro without diff locks is remarkably capable.  Using judicious driving techniques, it will deal with some quite improbable situations.
 
Les
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: oznewf19
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:37 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Diff Switch's

Hi, I was just curious about the diff switch's I hear and read about on
the differnet syncro sites. I have a 1989 syncro Trakka conversion and
so far I am truly impressed and happy with my van. We recently did the
Holland Track in WA and intend to do more of the same type of trakking
and camping. I was just wondering was the diff lock and switch an
option, a factory thing or an aftermarket? Also, unless doing serious
4X4ing would it be considered a necessary item or a desirable. On the
track we did I didn't even hear or feel the wheels spin and we were the
only ones who had to tow anyone out of a mud hole! A very pleasant
surprise. Thanks for any info... Sincerely, Harold




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4
Gday Harold,

Adding to what Les has said, offroad, it is possible in the circumstance
where one wheel on each axle spins at the same time, so a stock syncro
is going nowhere under those conditions. Having a rear diflock and
engaged would give you that extra possibility of extracting yourself
from a ticklish situation which otherwise you may end up stuck.

If it's important enough to anyone wanting a diflock (usually the rear),
then its a case of searching around for a complete replacement diflocked
transaxle (2nd hand) and also finding and installing all the extra bits
needed to get it to function. Lot of trouble and expense, but heh,
that's your choice in terms of priorities.

My syncro didn't originally have a diflocked transaxle. However, when I
bought it, there was one onboard. I went ahead and had all the extra
bits installed and so yes .... works a treat. In my view however, if you
want to avoid huge repair bills, it's not something to use as a
play-thing, rather as a last line of defence for offroad
security/safety.

Cheers.

Ken


--- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, "Les Harris"
<leslieharris@...> wrote:
>
> Harold,
>
> The diff locks, both front and rear, were original equipment and a
Syncro could be ordered with no locks, rear lock, or front and rear
locks. The gearbox casting, however, is different, so it was an OE
option when ordering the Syncro from new.
>
> For average difficult terrain - eroded fire trails and similar - a
Syncro without diff locks is remarkably capable. Using judicious driving
techniques, it will deal with some quite improbable situations.
>
> Les
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: oznewf19
> To: Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:37 PM
> Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Diff Switch's
>
>
> Hi, I was just curious about the diff switch's I hear and read about
on
> the differnet syncro sites. I have a 1989 syncro Trakka conversion and
> so far I am truly impressed and happy with my van. We recently did the
> Holland Track in WA and intend to do more of the same type of trakking
> and camping. I was just wondering was the diff lock and switch an
> option, a factory thing or an aftermarket? Also, unless doing serious
> 4X4ing would it be considered a necessary item or a desirable. On the
> track we did I didn't even hear or feel the wheels spin and we were
the
> only ones who had to tow anyone out of a mud hole! A very pleasant
> surprise. Thanks for any info... Sincerely, Harold
>
5
A possible middle ground solution to those w/o diff locks are Peloquin limited slip diffs which does not require any vacuum fittings.
Tey are not full lockers but give you somewhere between a fully locked diff and wide open diff. If there isn't a Peloquin dealer near
you, Daryl Christensen at www.aatransaxle.com can probably help. The downside is Daryl in the US.
 
 
Cheers,
 
BenT

On Tue, Oct 28, 2008 at 4:47 PM, Ken <unclekenz@yahoo.com> wrote:

Gday Harold,

Adding to what Les has said, offroad, it is possible in the circumstance
where one wheel on each axle spins at the same time, so a stock syncro
is going nowhere under those conditions. Having a rear diflock and
engaged would give you that extra possibility of extracting yourself
from a ticklish situation which otherwise you may end up stuck.

If it's important enough to anyone wanting a diflock (usually the rear),
then its a case of searching around for a complete replacement diflocked
transaxle (2nd hand) and also finding and installing all the extra bits
needed to get it to function. Lot of trouble and expense, but heh,
that's your choice in terms of priorities.

My syncro didn't originally have a diflocked transaxle. However, when I
bought it, there was one onboard. I went ahead and had all the extra
bits installed and so yes .... works a treat. In my view however, if you
want to avoid huge repair bills, it's not something to use as a
play-thing, rather as a last line of defence for offroad
security/safety.

Cheers.

Ken
6
Thanks for the info from all. I was just curious and I think that the
syncro as fitted will probably satisfy our 4X4ing requirements. I was
just surprised to find so many mentions of a diff locker and I even saw
on one of the videos on You-Tube where the diff lock was engaged and it
was lit up on the dash. Mine has no such instruments or switches.I
think as long as I plan and drive well enough we'll do fine on the
tracks here in Western Australia to get to the camping and remote areas
we want to get to. Thanks again to all who replied.. Harold
7
Harold,
 
It is very hard to put a degree of difference between T3 2WD, T3 Syncro without rear lock and T3 Syncro with rear lock (we didn't get too many with both front and rear locks) because the incremental difference isn't all that great.
 
Yonks ago, I had a T2 (2WD) camper that took me to many interesting places, some very much off the beaten track.  I once followed a fire trail up to the end of a spur in the Victorian eastern mountains.  It was a great spot and we stopped, broke out the coffee and enjoyed the silence and view.  The silence didn't last all that long.  We heard the sound of vehicles grinding up the same fire trail.  It sounded as if they were making fairly heavy weather of it.
 
About half an hour later, four 4WDs appeared and came to a stop behind the T2.  The driver of the first 4WD glared at the tatty old T2 and snarled "How the **** did you get up here?"  I pointed back down the track and said, "There's only one road up to here and that's the one we both used."  With further baleful looks, they left.  I am sure they still don't believe that there was only one road up there.
 
The point of the story is that the T2 2WD could go to a lot of unlikely places (as could the average Beetle before it).  The T3 Syncro without any diff locks can go to even more places and the Syncro with a rear lock can go even more.  You will find that your non-lock Syncro will probably take you to most of the places you would ever want to go.
 
As Ken says, the next level - rear lock - requires that you change the gearbox to a locker box, which can be expensive.  In the meanwhile, you are unlikely to be disappointed.
 
Les
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: oznewf19
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 8:23 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Diff Switch's

Thanks for the info from all. I was just curious and I think that the
syncro as fitted will probably satisfy our 4X4ing requirements. I was
just surprised to find so many mentions of a diff locker and I even saw
on one of the videos on You-Tube where the diff lock was engaged and it
was lit up on the dash. Mine has no such instruments or switches.I
think as long as I plan and drive well enough we'll do fine on the
tracks here in Western Australia to get to the camping and remote areas
we want to get to. Thanks again to all who replied.. Harold

8
>
> It is very hard to put a degree of difference between T3 2WD, T3 Syncro
> without rear lock and T3 Syncro with rear lock (we didn't get too many
> with both front and rear locks) because the incremental difference isn't
> all that great.
>

The FORS was not very happy about front diff locks apparently.




> As Ken says, the next level - rear lock - requires that you change the
> gearbox to a locker box, which can be expensive. In the meanwhile, you
> are unlikely to be disappointed.
>
> Les
>
I think that Mullers have fitted diff locks to a non-diff lock box many years ago,