Is a centre diff lock fitted to my Discovery 2 td5 year 2004

How to tell if you have the centre diff lock or CDL fitted to your year 2004 Discovery 2, in under 2 minutes without moving from the drivers seat.
So many people have asked the question and so many report that the centre diff lock was fitted to later models like the last 2004 model, they possibly mean the internals were fitted inside the transfer box but not cabled up.
So why, you may ask is the sticker there saying it is fitted.
Read on.
Three easy checks are shown in the video for those owners who have the sticker saying they have the diff lock fitted but the low range gear lever will not move over to the left and report that it feels stiff.
People on many forums say that all the 04 discovery's had the CDL fitted as standard and this was cabled or connected up, but that is not true that is was factory connected as standard, I have the 2004 landmark, last one made, and although the sticker says that the centre diff lock is fitted, it is not.
This is because Land Rover continued to fit the old sticker just in case new owners paid extra to have the centre diff lock twin cable lever fitted and working along side the traction control which does the same but is easier to use.
Take a look at your discovery 2 and look closely at the low gear stick, and how it was made or put together, look to see if it is welded in place at its base where it hinges back and forth.
If the round gear stick is welded directly into the larger round "T" part at the bottom, then it cannot move sideways and you do not have the centre diff feature fitted up with cables.
NOW, If you can see that the smaller diameter low gear stick shaft goes into a square block and is pinned in place, and sits in a slot then it can move sideways, so this is a good sign. It proves that the stick will move sideways to the left.
If the gear knob is engraved with the diff lock diagram this is another positive sign, mine did not have the hinged gear stick or the writing on the knob. Also mine even though a top of the range 2004 landmark model and having the diff lock sticker, did not disappointingly enough, have the diff lock lever or cables, even though many sites will say it does.
Lastly Land Rover turn off the led colour picture of the diff lock on the dashboard on start up if it is not fitted, so this is another clue you should look for first, just on the dash board.
When you buy a second hand Discovery 2 and the previous owner has never used the low gears the shift will be stiff and this does not help the situation of finding out if the CDL is fitted as I found out. Try and use the low gear selection once a week for a few yards to keep the stick freed off.

[@timratnett4243]

I've had my D2 from new 2001. and it is worked. Used across the farm, or hauling a trailer, towing up hills. wet grass mud or snow. No need for difflock. What is important, is the right tyres. I had difflock on my Defenders and my D1. In the twenty years I've used this vehicle TC has been all that is needed and of course the right boots.

[@PillSharks]

One of the most stupidest things Land Rover ever did was removing the CDL

[@harveysmith100]

Ssshh, they didn't remove it. Check my comment above.

[@koitorob]

@@harveysmith100 They did remove it in phases. 2002 and 2003 had it all removed, both controls on the outside and the internals too. Before the internals were present but not the linkages. 2004 they brought it back as an option.

[@chociskyenquiries7573]

The only way to tell is go under the car and check. Early vehicles 98/99 do have fitted but don’t have the linkage.

[@garviere]

I heard that even some of the earlier Disco 2s apparently were built with a diff lock even though it was inoperable. I gues because although Landrover thought it was no longer needed due to their new electronic traction control system, it was cheaper to still buils them with the diff lock in plkace than to redisgn and re configure the gearbox.
So how can you tell if your Disco 2 has a diff lock that is not connected? Any idea?

[@Ivan-od7bp]

My neutral alarm switch won't go off but everything works good goes in to lo and back to hi it just won't turn off while driving or anything chime and dash light any idea what it could be ?

[@Romerogeo]

thanks a lot for the info, so now, myDiscovery 2 doesnt hace diff lock fitted, where (online), can I purchase that kit? it has to be online because Im in Venezuela, thanks.

[@Dutcharmytent]

Geonell Romero Andrade on the Internet is where I would look.

[@cdchantler]

www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/miscellaneous/disco-ii-difflock.html

[@sterlingwitherspoon5709]

Why in the hell would it be welded if ot has 4wd???

[@gushbucket5998]

Does it need diff lock as it’s got traction control?

[@koitorob]

YES!
Always wanted a D2 with TC. Had a D1 at the time.
Now i have one i can confirm that the TC is crap.
Looking to retrofit the appropriate bits to get a CDL

[@mikeb53]

@@koitorob The TC itself is not crap. It was an innovative system that was ahead of its time. The problem was that Land Rover believed that with the TC the CDL was now unnecessary, they were very wrong! The CDL effectively halves the load on the traction control, and When you combine the TC and the CDL together on a Disco 2 its incredible. I have a Disco 2 with a CDL retrofitted and it is amazing. If you do fit a CDL to the Disco 2, it will outperform the Disco 1 off road.

[@PillSharks]

@@mikeb53 what’s happening with your traction control then with the diff locks engaged?
Ive just had the transfer box out of mine and it has the linkage in the box, I was playing around with it on the floor and turning the outputs to see if it was locking, it was! I must have forgot as when I put it all back in I started the engine and noticed I had the diff lock light on my dash and the abs,tc lights on...does this mean when the diffs engaged it turns off the TC and ABS?

[@mikeb53]

@@PillSharks yours must be the pre facelift...?? When you engage the diff lock and start engine you wont have TC. The old SLABS unit was not designed to work with diff lock which is why some guys cut the wire to prevent the diff lock disengaging the TC. If you engage diff lock while the engine is running, you will have tc and diff lock.

[@PillSharks]

@@mikeb53 it’s all back together now but I did think about enabling the diff lock, thanks for answering the question, and yes it’s a 2001 pre facelift.
If I did fit it I think I’d rather not have the TC working when the diff was locked anyway, I just like the idea of having it for when the TC has a fault and the vehicle basically becomes a one wheel drive..
It’s funny how all these years later I’m looking at it, I remember when my father bought ours in 2001 and I asking the salesman why it’s been taken out...his words were “now land rover have developed a clever TC system you won’t be seeing locking diffs anymore, they will be a thing of the past”. 2 years later they gave the customer the option and then became standard again on the disco 3 with option rear locker!
I do think the TC system fitted is brilliant and really works well but if it goes down then your in trouble, hence the reason I think Land Rover should have left it in place!
Anyway, thanks again for the reply.