The problem:
I really like driving my Terrycan and use it to the max in deep sand,water etc. as a true off roader. The only problem has been the way the 4 wheel system would not engage unless it was moving forward.
This of course is impractical and useless as **** on a bull when you are up to your axels in mud or deep sand.
When you are in the middle of nowhere, at night, and it raining and you are bogged down, you have spent an hour in the mud with a spade and still cannot get out as the 4by4 will not engage you loose your sense of humour and want to put a match to the car. ( this is a recurring theme from my reading and personal experience, several times. However I get over it as I like the car and am very tenacious.
To try to find a solution I canvassed all the forums I could find but did not find the answer.
I have an excellent mechanic who builds race cars from the ground up and is exceptionally talented at fixing problems.
After much trial and error and lots of frustration we have a solution that allows the 4 wheel drive system to engage with almost no forward movement. Maybe an inch or so. This enables you then to drive into deep terrain without the fear of the 4 wheel not engaging and you becoming stuck in the middle of nowhere.
The solution and Proceedure:
First check to see that the actuator is actually working and that the 4 wheel will engage after you drive it forward (could be up to 20 metres) .
Then pack the rubber boot that surrounds the actuator with a silicon water resistance grease and use quality ties to make sure its tightly fixed.
Attach a small rubber tube through the boot and run it up over the motor to the top of the engine bay.
This allows the movement of air to take place when the actuator is activated and not blow out the boot cover. (this is needed to prevent water getting into the actuator boot cover)
Next and most important of all is to remove the non-return valve from the cable that is attached to and drives the actuator.
You will find this little $2 valve hidden from site so follow the tube.
The non-return valve is only as big as your thumb.
Once you have removed this and replaced the tube you will be able to engage the 4 wheel drive system with only the slightest of movement of the car.
If you are stuck rev up the motor to 1500 revs,then let the revs drop down to normal (this increases the pressure needed to dive the actuator) and then immediately engage the 4 wheel system by turning the **** to 4 wheel high.
Accelerate slightly and the car will move forward a few inches. That is all the movement needed for the gears to mesh.
Why it Works;
The non-return valve is so small that it restricts the amount of pressure that can be delivered to the actuator when you turn the 4 wheel drive ****.
My mechanic said it was a stupid idea from its inception.
Once we had made the above changes I took the car out to deep sand and mud and sank the back wheels down to the axels so the car could not move more than a few inches.
I did this around 20 times over the space of 2 hours in sand and mud and never once did it not engage almost instantly.
Only when it was so bogged down that the running boards were on the ground did I have to put it into 4 low to get out.
If you need a more detailed description of the above let me know.
Only two happy to help any fellow frustrated terrycan owner..