THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

I'm a new Pinz owner (just picked up my 712 Rapier Cargo at SAV Aug. 9) and I've been trying to get accustomed to driving it. Today was the first day I engaged the lockers since I got it and the right light for the rear locker never came on. I know it isn't the bulb because it came on for just a second as I disengaged the locker and also just for a second as I engaged it for a second time. It was working when I picked it up at SAV on the 9th, but it did take about 45 seconds after the others to engage. I only drove it for ten minutes with the lockers engaged each time, I was wondering if sometimes it may take longer than that to engage or if maybe I just need to flush the hydraulics or worry about a bigger problem. Anybody have any experience with such problems?

checking the switch is working at the rear cover is simple enough. With a lot of these trucks that sit for some time, flushing the hydraulic system is a very good idea. I have taken apart the locker slave cylinder and found a fatty looking build up in there. Once removed and flushed all was good. The locker if not under a bind or load should engage and disengage in just a few seconds.

Did sav offer a warranty?

I will check the switch and then I think I will flush the system and change the fluid anyway, whether it's just the switch or not, it can't hurt; and no, SAV doesn't have a warranty, but they did a pretty good job of fixing little details before I hauled it home. I really can't blame them, I figure it's 35 years old and you are going to encounter a few bugs now and then; I just consider myself lucky to get such a low mileage Pinz this late in the game.

Uncover the switch in the rear, and short the electric line to ground. If your light lights, it's likely the switch sticking or bad. Grounding the line tests the lamp portion.

It sounds like it could be you need hydraulic fluid(clean) because of what you say that it comes on for a bit then goes away as if it would loose pressure. I say your best bet is flush the system and u should be set. Good luck keep us posted!

Thanks everybody for the sound advice!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I followed everyones advice and the problems are completely gone now. I did a full fluids change for the brakes, clutch, hydraulics, all the wheel drives, diffs, tranny and transfer case and that was really what it needed. The service records indicate it hasn't been driven by the swiss army since May '99 and with only 66 miles on top of that since then...it has been sitting a long time. The lockers are working great now, thanks everybody!

now go out and get us some pics of it in action