New to 4x4

[newbie22]

Hi guys
New to the 4x4 world after having owned cars and vans

Bought a 7 seat 3.0 sve
Mainly for space and for towing small caravan

Car runs fine in 2wd, I take it the back ends are a bit slippery and a bit of body roll

Put it into 4 and when I try and turn it clunks and bangs and hardly any drive

also the 4wheel drive selector is that a straight up and down or is it like a snake shape

any advice greatly appreciated

[zippy656]

Hi guys
New to the 4x4 world after having owned cars and vans

Bought a 7 seat 3.0 sve
Mainly for space and for towing small caravan

Car runs fine in 2wd, I take it the back ends are a bit slippery and a bit of body roll

Put it into 4 and when I try and turn it clunks and bangs and hardly any drive

also the 4wheel drive selector is that a straight up and down or is it like a snake shape

any advice greatly appreciated

Welcome!!

3.0 nice!

Can be tail happy in wet, or if wrong oil in dif

Don't try 4wd on tarmac, can break something!!!

Yup Terrano is straight ... but has dip into low box.

[jims-terrano]

Hi and welcome. These trucks have a limited slip
Diff on the rear. Sounds like the oil needs changing and if you don't know it's full history it's wise to change it. When it does get changed it's important to use proper limited slip diff oil and not gear oil.
As for the 4wd system you cannot use it on a hard surface. The wheels must. E able to slip a little to relieve wind up. These trucks don't have a centre diff so need to. E on a slippery surface when in 4wd.

[solarman216]

Hi guys
New to the 4x4 world after having owned cars and vans

Bought a 7 seat 3.0 sve
Mainly for space and for towing small caravan

Car runs fine in 2wd, I take it the back ends are a bit slippery and a bit of body roll

Put it into 4 and when I try and turn it clunks and bangs and hardly any drive

also the 4wheel drive selector is that a straight up and down or is it like a snake shape

any advice greatly appreciated

As Jim says if the back end is twitchy then probably due an oil change, as for clunks and bangs in 4 wheel this should not happen even on hard surface, what you will get is transmission wind up and wheel slip, since you ask about the 4 wheel lever I suspect it is not locking in correctly probably due to lack of use, this may explain the clunks and bangs and lack of drive as it drops the transfer box into neutral, this lever is straight up and down but needs depressing as well, Rick

[newbie22]

Thanks for the info guys

Is changing the diff oil something I can do myself?
Not mechanically minded

The 4wd works fine in a straight line
Can I only test turning on some kind of terrain? I'm just afraid if it doesn't work and I get bogged in

Going to fit a towbar tomorrow
As for the electrics I'm confused I have a 7pin plug fitted to towbar but the lights have 2 wires each

[jims-terrano]

Think there's a how to guide for towbars it you'd need full membership to access. If you can fit a towbar you should be able to change rear diff oil. It's two drain plugs fill and empty but before removing drain plug make sure you can remove the fill plug.

[solarman216]

Forgot to say welcome mate, but pay your tenner and you will get far far more than a tenners worth of info, Rick

[Blocky10]

Hi and welcome. All covered above. Not a tricky truck to maintain even with limited spanner experience. As said pay the annual membership of 10 whole english pounds and it'll open up the world of information.
Oh, one more thing. Zippy didn't mention it for some reason. He must be ill!

PICTURES................

[newbie22]

I have the 7pin plug on the tow bar that's wired

I know what colours correspond to the rh light, indicator etc

But there's 7 wires coming from plug but each light has 2 wires running to the light

Confused

[Barrbeast]

I have the 7pin plug on the tow bar that's wired

I know what colours correspond to the rh light, indicator etc

But there's 7 wires coming from plug but each light has 2 wires running to the light

Confused

Welcome bud :thumb2

Each light will have a positive wire coming from the battery and a negative wire leading back to earth otherwise there wouldn't be a complete circuit and you'd have no lights :nenau One wire isn't enough.

[newbie22]

Towbar cleaned hammerite and fitted

Just electrics now
So do I connect the corresponding wire to the postive wire on the light or trace it back where it goes to 1 wire

[newbie22]

So many guides online saying connect coloured wire to light etc

But doesn't say whether you connect the one wire or both

Eg
Do I tap into 2 indicator cables run to 1 cable then to towing socket

sorry to be a pain need to crack this

[jims-terrano]

Just a quick bit of advice regarding the wiring, pull the inner trims off the side of the boot area on passenger side. Theres a nice rubber bung behind the bumper to run the cable inside. Make all your joints direct into the wiring loom inside the car. More protection from the muck n wet of the roads. :thumbs

[newbie22]

Like a y connection from light to tow bar wire

[newbie22]

Also where is the cd changer?

As In how do I put a cd in

[jims-terrano]

The wiring loom to the rear lights runs behind the inner boot trims at passenger side. The wiring loom is wrapped in black insulation tape. Basically strip the tape off a section and then make your joints there between vehicle wiring loom and your black 7 core cable from the socket.

Have just checked and the how to guide gives you the colours of the vehicle wiring loom.

Just to clarify I don't mean a dedicated plug in wiring kit. I meant make your own connections and don't forget to ensure theres no bare wires exposed.

[jims-terrano]

As for cd changer, ive seen them located in different places. Both mine were exactly same model, needed a cartridge to put your cd's in and then the cartridge loads into the changer.

[Lazy-Ferret]

Not being rude, but if you do not know the simple bits like why there are two wires, and how they relate to the socket, plus you mention the indicators, but have not mentioned the indicator and warning controller device, I would be inclined to pay for someone else to do the wiring side of it...

I only say this, as I have just sorted the towbar wiring out on my wife's car, and it was obviously wired up by someone who had no idea what they were doing, and because of that, it had nearly set fire to the carpets in the car. That and all the dodgy Scotch lock connectors behind the bumper caused the wires to corrode and snap, resulting in the rear lights keep failing until I took the rear bumper off, and re-did all the wiring properly.

When you add the wires for a towbar, you are messing with all the lighting circuits on your car, and running them to a single point of failure, so any mistakes, and you very easily loose all your cars important lights.

Also if you are determined to have a go, then at the very least add some fail safes, like using a 7 Way universal bypass relay, which at least keeps the towbar socket isolated from the car lighting circuits, reducing any problems should the rear socket get damaged.

When The lady smashed into my caravan, the socket on my car was smashed to pieces and several of the lights on the rear of the caravan were all shorted together, but only the feed fuse for the bypass relay blew on the car, and all the car lights still functioned.

[Lazy-Ferret]

By the way, when connecting to the cars wiring loom, I have found these connectors (http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=%283%2C4%29+WAY+SPADE+TERMINAL&_sop=15&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X%283%2C4% 29+WAY+SPADE+TERMINAL+-socket.TRS0&_nkw=%283%2C4%29+WAY+SPADE+TERMINAL+-socket&_sacat=0) a very neat way of doing things... You just cut the wire, fit a 1/4" 6mm spade on each of the ends, and then re-join them with one of these, leaving you a spare connector or two for connection to the towbar electrics or what ever else you are adding.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=%283%2C4%29+WAY+SPADE+TERMINAL&_sop=15&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X%283%2C4% 29+WAY+SPADE+TERMINAL+-socket.TRS0&_nkw=%283%2C4%29+WAY+SPADE+TERMINAL+-socket&_sacat=0

[Blocky10]

Also where is the cd changer?

As In how do I put a cd in

Under the drivers seat. Get ya head under there. Slide the door open and push the eject button. :thumb2

[newbie22]

Thanks for the info guys

think I've got the idea now just borrow a continuity tester and ill go for it

as for the diff oil ill look into that soon

just the cd changer to find now

[macabethiel]

By the way, when connecting to the cars wiring loom, I have found these connectors (http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=%283%2C4%29+WAY+SPADE+TERMINAL&_sop=15&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X%283%2C4% 29+WAY+SPADE+TERMINAL+-socket.TRS0&_nkw=%283%2C4%29+WAY+SPADE+TERMINAL+-socket&_sacat=0) a very neat way of doing things... You just cut the wire, fit a 1/4" 6mm spade on each of the ends, and then re-join them with one of these, leaving you a spare connector or two for connection to the towbar electrics or what ever else you are adding.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=%283%2C4%29+WAY+SPADE+TERMINAL&_sop=15&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X%283%2C4% 29+WAY+SPADE+TERMINAL+-socket.TRS0&_nkw=%283%2C4%29+WAY+SPADE+TERMINAL+-socket&_sacat=0

Never seen this type of connector before they look pretty good.

[macabethiel]

Thanks for the info guys

think I've got the idea now just borrow a continuity tester and ill go for it

as for the diff oil ill look into that soon

just the cd changer to find now

Can't be many places to hide the CD changer, under front or rear seats, rear boot area including any cuby holes, glove box, center arm rest or under dash.

If the loading cassette is missing might not quite look like you expect.
Worst case scenario is the last owner removed the unit.

[newbie22]

Thanks for the information

I have found the cd changer and all seems to work

I have found a bung in the middle of the boot floor to feed 7 core tow wires through. Is the bung you mean?
I have bought a 7way bypass relay so I will have a go tomorrow/Friday

Only faults now are the writing on cd player is hardly showing as In can't read it and airbag light is flashing

Cheers guys can't wait to tow with the terrano this weekend

[newbie22]

And does anyone recommend where to put the earth, where to put the bypass relay and where to connect to the lighting wires
I found that by rear passenger door is accessible
As by rear wheel arch I can't get plastic trim off

[zippy656]

Did some one say pics!!!!



Welcome..... I'm no help, this lot don't even like my jokes!

[Banshee]

Thanks for the information

I have found the cd changer and all seems to work

I have found a bung in the middle of the boot floor to feed 7 core tow wires through. Is the bung you mean?
I have bought a 7way bypass relay so I will have a go tomorrow/Friday

Only faults now are the writing on cd player is hardly showing as In can't read it and airbag light is flashing

Cheers guys can't wait to tow with the terrano this weekend

You're going to struggle with the Stereo mate, the one in my Grandad's 3 litre is awful, I looked on eBay for 2nd hand headunits and they are very scarse, I then started looking for a new LCD screen to solder in and hit a brick wall there too :(