Rubber Prop Shaft Doughnut......DEAD!!!

I just thought that i would share this with some like minded landrover people!!

About a week ago my 1995 300Tdi ES Auto developed a rather strange vibration when accelerating. I had a quick look and couldnt really see anything too offending.

I drove it steady for a day or two and it got worse......much worse.

The problem turned out to be the rubber propshaft doughnut on the rear prop......AGAIN!!!

I have seen on this forum a few times now where people have asked "how do i know if the doughnut is dead"

So here is a picture of a Dead Doughnut!!!!

Are you running a lifted disco ?

Yeah its lifted, by 2".

I know you can get solid spacers or double jointed rear props, it hasnt really caused a problem until recently

well as other parts wear out the damage spreads

Get a 200TDi prop and change the flange, I done 3 donuts in about 4 months with mine, admittedly all mine were off road andI was pushing it but still, for the price of a few donuts you can get all the conversion parts...

If you are going to buy doughnuts, don't buy cheapies. Only buy the proper GKN kit.
These are made of the right stuff as opposed to the ones made of recycled trainers......

Huge difference in how long they last.

my britpart one did exactly the same thing after 3months on a standard disco with mild offroading. put an allmakes one on and 6months later still looks new

I replaced mine 6 months ago and with a 2" lift and plenty of off road use it still looks like new.

Dont buy the cheapest and it should be fine, but make sure all your other bushes are fine as well as the input bearing in the rear Diff.

200 rear prop is the way forward or a wide angled jobbie if it's lifted.
Fit & forget. One of the best mods I've carried out.

I got through 3 donuts before I got sick of changing them.

If you think that ones dead, I will try and find a pic of mine when I changed it.....that one was really dead....and I ain't even lifted...

This was the state I found mine in before I finally did away with the whole set-up:

Jongould said:

Get a 200TDi prop and change the flange, I done 3 donuts in about 4 months with mine, admittedly all mine were off road andI was pushing it but still, for the price of a few donuts you can get all the conversion parts...

Click to expand...

I expect that 200s kit will look the same as the later V8s, they the don't have donuts either

discool said:

I expect that 200s kit will look the same as the later V8s, they the don't have donuts either

Click to expand...

Im not sure but looks similar, maybe there is a differnce tho as i havent heard anyone mention it before, i have no idea tho...

It is by far the best way to go, it costs less than £100 and you will never have to worry again, after changing mine whilst in a pay and play mud pit i decided that the donut is a truely rubbish idea!

That one is truly dead.

whosgotthedeadestdoughnut.com

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but what parts are needed to do away with the dodgy darn donut?

200/v8 prop and rear diff, or a flange kit for the diff

When you say flange kit, is this a tailor made piece or just the flange from a 200 series? Also why did Landrover change to the donut design, surely there must have been some perceived advantages?

definate perceived advantages.... theyre cheaper!

It is just a new drive member for the diff mate. but rather than replace it with a new 3 bolt unit, you replace it with a 4 bolt one. I think MM4x4 do them. If you can get a cheap rear diff its much easier

I brought my 4-bolt conversion kit from Gwyn Lewis. Around £38 if I remember rightly.
Don't let anybody tell you it's a piece of cake to remove the old 3-bolt flange. It fookin' isn't!

They changed it to a rubber coupling for vibration and driver comfort reasons, I believe.

Kit as in items will be a four bolt flange and a the spacer required so the flange matches the length of the old three bolt flange, both items are sold separately.

Land Rover do a four bolt flange kit STC3722 that includes an oil seal, mudshield and pinion nut/bolt but not the spacer.

I haven't a clue why donuts are such a problem, perhaps it's just the few reported in the forums, my RRC had one which was still ok 110,000miles and 10years later when I sold the vehicle.

The later 300series V8s don't have one but strangely the D2 V8s do.. as far as I know.

Perceived advantages.. none as far as i'm concerned, but maybe it is for a 'smoother' transmission but then may be not as I haven't noticed it.