Anyone know about 4x4 drive train?

[DerekJ]

Hi All,

 

Does anyone know what a "free wheel cluch" on the front wheel transmission is for? Can the car run without it being actuated? If it can, should it be engaged or free?

 

Cheers

DerekJ

 

[blue ass fly]

What car derek ?

Do you mean free wheel hubs

[DerekJ]

It's an Mitsubishi L200. Page from the manual below.

 

One of the vacuum connectors on the actuator (7) is broken and she can't afford to replace it.

 

http://www.bluesky-software.co.uk/Westf1eld/GeneralPics/l200.jpg

[DerekJ]

Hi Steve,

 

First off, I know NOTHNG about 4wd.

 

As you say the 4wd is selected by a second stick in the gearbox.

 

This cluch seems to be in the FRONT diff (the front  diff assembly is shown on the manual page in the link above) not the hubs.

 

The front hubs are connected to this diff by drive shafts via CV joints. There is a shaft from the front diff to a drive from the rear of the gearbox, just before the prop-shaft output to the rear diff.

 

Did that make sence?

 

DerekJ

[blue ass fly]

The free wheel clutch solenoid is an assembly with two vacuum solenoids attached to each other which direct the vacuum as needed to engage/disengage the 4WD. The solenoid pack is located under the hood, low on the right hand frame rail, just near the drive belt area.

If the vehicle is stuck in 2wd it would be ok to use as the front axle will be redundant

If its stuck in 4 wd or is making a grinding noise ( not fully one-way or other) then she cant drive it

A L 200 has no center diff so when in 4wd the front and rear diffs turn the same amount so going around corners with be very difficult as you get axle 'wind up' - the front takes a wider corner than the rear so would need more revolutions but cant because the rears are connected and they have their own ,lesser ,path

Am i making sense ?

It would at least ruin the tyres,worse could damage the drive train

Thats how i understand it ,however ime sure someone will be along to shoot me down in flames if ime wrong

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Nope that sounds about right, Suzukis seem to be similar, no centre dif, so four wheel drive on hard grippy surfaces isn't recommended, or you'll get axle wind up.

 

if its failed in two wheel drive, then TBH, that's how most would probably be driven anyway. Just leave the transfer lever in 2 wd till she can afford to do something about it.

 

Free wheel front hubs on 4x4's were originally used for economy reasons and to give the transmission etc an easier life when in 2 wd. The front wheels were effectively disconnected from all the front part of the transmission, so it was less drag and less load.

 

Some of the makers of budget 4x4's have then exploited the fact that the front wheels are normally disconnected and 4x4 mode only used on slippery surfaces to save money in 2 wd mode by doing away with the centre differential.

[DerekJ]

Thanks Guys,

 

When we tried to move it by pushing it on the road, it rolled OK for a bit then became stiffer and stiffer until we had to tow it. No grinding noises just stiff like the brakes were binding.  Is this like it's in 4wd and the clutch is on???

 

DJ

[blue ass fly]

Why did you have to push it - Does it not drive

The dash lights should indicate what mode its in

However,if its in 4wd is would roll in a straight line ok,just turning would become difficult

If it drives gently drive it in a straight line and then try to turn

If its in 4wd it will feel like the handbrakes on

In which case dont use it

You cant really assess it by pushing,theyre the best part of 2 ton so would probably feel as if the brakes are on anyway,especially if shes like my missus and half the tyres have 10 psi in them

Good luck with it

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

As Mr Fly said, is there not a dash light for 4x4 mode?

 

If there isn't any kind of working indicator, then you could try jacking one front wheel up off the ground. Put the car in 1 st gear, If its in normal 2wd free wheel mode, you should be able to spin it by hand reasonably. (There will be a little more drag than a rear wheel drive car would have, but you should be able to get it spinning)

 

Daft question I know, but how do you know what the problem is? I'm sort of assuming a garage has looked at it, told her the problem, quoted to repair etc. What I'm really asking I suppose, is are you should a faulty actuator valve is the extent of the fault, or could there be more?

[ajpearson]

Ok then, there will be a gree light bottom centre of the dash if she is stuck in 4wd, however if the vacuum has gone then there is chance that this light will be on anyway (its a common fault on older L200s)

What year L200 are we talking, if its pre 2006 (old shape - square) then 2wd no problems, if its new shape (post 2006 - curvy) then its a bad sign and stop using it.

I would recommend you have a look at www.l200.org, loads of great people on there for advice and some real experts with the 4wd chain so will be able to get you a definitive answer very quickly

[DerekJ]

So, the story is ..... she bought the L200 with a year's MOT but brought it up to dad to "just patch a few holes on the chassis".  I looked at it and told her that it was a wright-off as the whole chassis was paper thin, rotted to hell and back.

 

Instead of cutting her losses and scrapping it, she talked to the local scrap man who told her it was easy to change the chassis. "Just lift the cab, roll the old chassi out. transfer the engine and drive train and roll the new one back in". So, 'cos it's easy" her and her friends just started the job and I got invloved half way through when they got stuck. Scrap man was rubbing his hands with glee as he made the sale and was expecting both chassis and all the bits back in a week when they gave the job up as too difficult.

 

So now it's almost back on the road and just the detail bits and bobs to finish.

 

Thanks to all for the help.

 

Pic below is when the last bolt was taken off the old chassis

 

CLICKIE

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

If you've come so far, sounds like you're well past the worst, just the (admittedly fiddley) bits left!

[DerekJ]

If you've come so far, sounds like you're well past the worst, just the (admittedly fiddley) bits left!

 

 

Not me.

 

The two girls have done most of the work, I just did some of the heavy lifting.

 

Respect to them.

DJ

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Respect to anyone taking on that challenge