Issue to engage a rear differential locker

[ultane]

Hey All! Finally got my 26 LC out on some rowdy tracks. I, however, was unable to get the truck to engage the locking rear differential. I put it in neutral and then placed it in 4-low. No problem. I then engaged the center lock - no problem. However, every time I hit the locking rear button, the rear lock symbol would flash red and it would never lock. I tried moving the vehicle back and forth, and it never locked. Luckily, I got up the trail without the rear being locked, but several times it would have been nice and was a little dicey without it. Any suggestions? I'll bet I'm missing something but don't know what it is. Appreciate any help!

That’s happened to Miss Daisy a few times. I don’t know why..

 

[MSINAL]

Perfect - thanks for the suggestions! I'll bet I just didn't give it enough time and distance to be damn good and ready I'll just have to play with it longer and, as suggested, engage it well before I need it. [Fact is, it wasn't as necessary as it might otherwise have been given the truck's video system - seems like cheating with cameras and tracking lines that allow you to put your tire exactly where it needs to be without a spotter!]

I just tried it on pavement and it took more like 100 feet to get it to engage. I slowly turned the steering back and forth after about 50feet trying to help it. It was about the same for turning it off.
It never took that long off road, but ive only used it maybe 6 times. Perhaps with more use it will engage with more expediency. Anyway, yours likely isnt broken, it's just stubborn. Search the threads, there's a couple discussions about the locker being slow to engage/disengage and also exactly why it's slow.

 

[LCOceans]

I played around with this in snow and also found driving a few feet while wheels are straight helps rear locker engage. Drive slow and straight for a few feet.

 

[ultane]

I played around with this in snow and also found driving a few feet while wheels are straight helps rear locker engage. Drive slow and straight for a few feet.

That seemed to help Miss Daisy as well. She is persnickety sometimes.

 

[wpage]

That seemed to help Miss Daisy as well. She is persnickety sometimes.

On my old rig. Engagement of the locker sometimes took a few tries. I think it was caused by the relay not engaging properly from lack of use. Could have been carbon on the relay contacts from lack of use. Or just getting old...
Do know that after a few presses on the command button, it would finally lock in.