My VCU help please

Hello today in the snow my freelander 1.8 was struggling badly and started to slide out when going around corners. I had a friend to look at it for me and he said only the rear wheels were spinning. I did some research, which lead me to believe that with the VCU there could be two main problems with it..

Dont forget that the VCU can fail in 2 ways....
1) locked solid (causes drive train failure).
2) no locking capability (doesnt lock front and rear together - only 2WD)

Is there anyway to repair it or does it require a replacement?



Thank you, Kay.

replacement only by qualified repair agency - not by your good self .

But the two wheel drive would only be to the front surely?

nope only rear

two wheel drive is to front only.

She was in the snow, if the vcu is locked it will spin the back as the rear diff is geared higherthan the rest of the train

shouldnt do - traction control will lock the rear wheels, surely? there aint that much difference in ratio to notice wheel spin on one axle but not the other.

Not all were built with traction control

There's enough difference in ratio to smash the IRD!

The TC light was flashing up when it was happen and making a stange sound

So traction control was trying to stop the spin!
I'd get my rear prop off and have the IRD/VCU checked, don't drive it or you'll have a pursectemi ( I had a walletectemi)

If you can get under the car, and have basic tools you can remove the prop shafts and VCU. Then split the VCU out the drive train and exchange it for a reconditioned one, there is a company called Bell Engineering who recon these things for a price, on an exchange basis.

The sooner you get the propshafts and VCU off the sooner you remove the risk of busting the IRD

According to Haynes, make sure you undo the propshafts from the gear box and rear diff before undoing the retaining bolts holding the VCU bearings in place.

It's probably worth your while swapping the VCU bearings as well while the thing is off the car

Don't let a garage try and charge you for a brand new unit, unless you are minted

Edit:-

The basic tools would have to include torx stuff I forgot those, had them so long I think of them as part of my tool kit now

Is there an echo in here

right well that has gone straight over my head. Are you saying that my rear differential might be going? right I will be honest, I bought this car from my brother a year ago and since then I have had to repair a head gasket failure, Slave and master cylinder as the clutch arm ceased. I have repaired the break pads and discs, the cat converter, the back exhaust, starter motor, fuel pump... I have paid for the car twice now and can't even drive it without feeling sick that it is going to break. I asked a mechanic about the oil soaked rear differential and he said dont worry about that, its an old car and they can leak forever. It has been damp for a year but has never dripped on the floor. I know that I should have got rid of the car but after repairing so much, it's hard to let go of it.

My car seemed fine driving up untill today when it started to snow and I let a friend drive it as I'm scared to drive in the snow. He played about with it a tiny bit and now my ABS and TC lights will not turn off. I hate my land rover haha

I have been driving my car for over a year with only the rear wheel drive and my differential hasnt broken.

kaye said:

I have been driving my car for over a year with only the rear wheel drive and my differential hasnt broken.

Click to expand...

pleeeez listen - you car is FRONT WHEEL DRIVE!!!

In between the gearbox and your propshaft is another gearbox called the IRD this can break if the Viscous coupling( inbetween your front and rear propshafts) seizes.
The extra lights that won't go out are a different problem called the Three Amigos and are usually,but not always, sorted by changing the brake light switch on the pedal.

Symptoms - Bell Engineering

Have a look at the diagram on Bell Engineering's site

OK, I'll try with pictures



The bit in the middle, marked VCU is knackered It can be removed, allowing the car to run in front whel drive mode only.

Leaving it in place will break, eventually, one of the front bits (IRD) which cost a lot of money (£600 to £1,200).

It's not hard to remove, but you need torx bits and sockets, a special type of tool, but readily available from the likes of Halfords.

This is a video of my Freelander only spinning the rear wheels

freelander RWD - YouTube

Did it drive ok before the snow?
No knocking or banging/clonking