Difficult to reach low range...

[ericge]

I have a new vehicle (5 days) and have not yet managed to get to low range. Vehicle stopped, transmission in neutral, foot on brake, lift collar on low range shifter, and it just will not go into low range. Getting into diff lock is fine and smooth. Can't imagine what I am doing wrong...

 

[rovie]

I have a new vehicle (5 days) and have not yet managed to get to low range. Vehicle stopped, transmission in neutral, foot on brake, lift collar on low range shifter, and it just will not go into low range. Getting into diff lock is fine and smooth. Can't imagine what I am doing wrong...

You're not doing anything wrong. You actually have to pull or push hard with feeling.
Sometimes it also helps to drive forwards and backwards briefly in the high range beforehand.

 

[Disco Dave]

Try shifting when you the vehicle is moving ever so slightly.

 

[James]

…. Still in neutral, let it roll a few inches as you try to change; helps the gears mesh. If it’s going to help youll know straight away.
the linkage is cables, it is possible theyre stiff, but operating thrm is oart of the pdi, so call your agent if theres further difficulty.

 

[bemax]

It took me some more force in the first two or three times I tried. Now it became quite smooth.

 

[Tom D]

Take your foot off the brake and allow it to move a fraction…

 

[Ever Pragmatic]

I have a new vehicle (5 days) and have not yet managed to get to low range. Vehicle stopped, transmission in neutral, foot on brake, lift collar on low range shifter, and it just will not go into low range. Getting into diff lock is fine and smooth. Can't imagine what I am doing wrong...

You need to be “positive” with it. once In neutral, if it doesn’t select, let your foot off the brakes and let it move a tad, and try it again. Once you’ve done it a few times, you get the feel for it and it does take some mechanical sympathy..

 

[anand]

As everyone has said, when they are fresh, it takes a good bit of effort. The one thing to make sure of is to ensure that the collar has seated fully to ensure that you are in either high or low before placing the vehicle into drive/reverse

 

[DCPU]

Might help to see what's actually happening when you are moving those levers:
Post in thread 'Transfer Box Lever' https://www.theineosforum.com/threads/transfer-box-lever.12410508/post-1333164106

 

[ericge]

I have a new vehicle (5 days) and have not yet managed to get to low range. Vehicle stopped, transmission in neutral, foot on brake, lift collar on low range shifter, and it just will not go into low range. Getting into diff lock is fine and smooth. Can't imagine what I am doing wrong...

Interesting development. After all the encouragement above, I sat on our steep driveway and tried to change to low range. While messing around tried to roll a little, I accidentally changed the main box into Manual - and afterwards got into low range quite easily. OK - back to trying to change normally, and I could not. Changed into Manual and again it worked.

I'll have to see how it goes in future...

 

[DCPU]

I'd have to think harder to try and come up with a reason why manual mode would help, but reading you're doing it on a steep hill may be the thing that's not helping. Gravity will take all the free play/ backlash out of the system.

Have you tried whilst on level ground?

 

[ericge]

I'd have to think harder to try and come up with a reason why manual mode would help, but reading you're doing it on a steep hill may be the thing that's not helping. Gravity will take all the free play/ backlash out of the system.

Have you tried whilst on level ground?

I started out on level ground. Moved onto the slope after the suggestion to rock the vehicle back & forth. I will give it a few more goes and report back.

 

[rovie]

Interesting development. After all the encouragement above, I sat on our steep driveway and tried to change to low range. While messing around tried to roll a little, I accidentally changed the main box into Manual - and afterwards got into low range quite easily. OK - back to trying to change normally, and I could not. Changed into Manual and again it worked.

I'll have to see how it goes in future...

I was driving in my forest yesterday. Because it had rained, the ground was very soggy. I had a steep driveway and tried it only with a reduction gear without locks. No chance. It was very easy to engage the reduction in automatic mode. When I had the car new, it was also very difficult. I think I will need it more often now in the coming season.
With the centre differential lock, I was able to get up the hill. But even then it wasn't always completely without problems. I deliberately did without the front and rear locks. If it gets even more wet, I will try it with the rear and then also with the front lock. I am going to test the limits.

 

[ericge]

I'd have to think harder to try and come up with a reason why manual mode would help, but reading you're doing it on a steep hill may be the thing that's not helping. Gravity will take all the free play/ backlash out of the system.

Have you tried whilst on level ground?

Latest news on the range change front: I drove back from town (about 5 minutes) and on a whim, tried to get into low range. It was not exactly easy, but I was able to get smoothly in and out half a dozen times. Drove 10m and...it wouldn't repeat. Anyway, I live in hope that it will eventually decide to cooperate. I'm treating it as a win!

 

[rovie]

Latest news on the range change front: I drove back from town (about 5 minutes) and on a whim, tried to get into low range. It was not exactly easy, but I was able to get smoothly in and out half a dozen times. Drove 10m and...it wouldn't repeat. Anyway, I live in hope that it will eventually decide to cooperate. I'm treating it as a win!

You'll be fine. I use the reduction almost every ride when I'm out in the woods. In the meantime it works very well. You'll see, it's getting better and better.

 

[Tomdoc]

I am now putting mine in low range as a daily test. It is getting easier each time - certainly needs some "welly" the first few attempts.

 

[stuart1927]

Latest news on the range change front: I drove back from town (about 5 minutes) and on a whim, tried to get into low range. It was not exactly easy, but I was able to get smoothly in and out half a dozen times. Drove 10m and...it wouldn't repeat. Anyway, I live in hope that it will eventually decide to cooperate. I'm treating it as a win!

I thought I was going to have your dilema. Tried for 1/2 an hr to get into low range and no joy. However, I got it on a slight incline and let it roll back slowly....I then engaged low and it went in! Strangely once I'd done that a couple of times I can get it in without rolling the car now. It must just be an initial resistance. Hopefully it will get even easier as time goes on.

 

[ECrider]

My high to low / low to high is getting easier. It does benefit from rolling a little forward or backwards while selecting. Still very stiff to unlock the central locker. I find need to first select High or down to Low then try and disengage.

 

[evomind]

It's like getting reverse in a manual transmission car....Sometimes you have to let it roll just a little before it meshes and goes into neutral.

 

[DaveB]

It's like getting reverse in a manual transmission car....Sometimes you have to let it roll just a little before it meshes and goes into neutral.

Exactly with the added impact that the transfer box doesn't come with a clutch.