VCU Torque test results

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a vcu lasts for 70k, i read somewhere, mine is reconditioned with "new and improved viscous fluid" why do i have to check it?

i regulary reverse on full lock and can guage how tight the lock is from that, can't i?
 
Wouldn't take much to make vcu testing spanners with a pair of old props and a welder! Add a dumb bell weight and away you go!
 
Freelaner said:
a vcu lasts for 70k, i read somewhere, mine is reconditioned with "new and improved viscous fluid" why do i have to check it?

i regulary reverse on full lock and can guage how tight the lock is from that, can't i?
Click to expand...

I can, you may well be able to but from experience most people can't especially with something that creeps up on you!
 
Freelaner said:
a vcu lasts for 70k, i read somewhere, mine is reconditioned with "new and improved viscous fluid" why do i have to check it?

i regulary reverse on full lock and can guage how tight the lock is from that, can't i?
Click to expand...
new improved ?driving style ,trye sizes ,motor way or country roads (lots of corners) would determine life span ,yes you probably could its only another way of testing how tight vc is
 
jamesmartin said:
you can get perfectly good measure with torque wrench ,thats what borg warner used and they know as much as any on the subject
Click to expand...
The result of the wrench test varies. If you play with it you'll see. I have 2 wrenches. Put them back to back and set one to 30 and t'other to 50. 50 clicks first as it's way out.

Also it doesn't allow you to do multiple tests on the same vcu. The "one wheel up test" allows the tester to perform the same test with different weights. What we want to know is weight against time to turn, increasing the weight to see the effect. There's also a cut off point where additional weight won't froce the vcu to turn faster. I think this point lowers as it ages, as logic would suggest when vcu's start to "activate" early as they start to fail.

As for borg knowing... they know just enough to know vcu's are crap and not to use them. :eek:




I gives up. Round in circles again.
 
Hippo said:
The result of the wrench test varies. If you play with it you'll see. I have 2 wrenches. Put them back to back and set one to 30 and t'other to 50. 50 clicks first as it's way out.

Also it doesn't allow you to do multiple tests on the same vcu. The "one wheel up test" allows the tester to perform the same test with different weights. What we want to know is weight against time to turn, increasing the weight to see the effect. There's also a cut off point where additional weight won't froce the vcu to turn faster. I think this point lowers as it ages, as logic would suggest when vcu's start to "activate" early as they start to fail.

As for borg knowing... they know just enough to know vcu's are crap and not to use them. :eek:




I gives up. Round in circles again.
Click to expand...
they used rather a lot for rrc and p38,unfortunately no ones going to bother with clat of bar and weights ,and t/wrench can be used successfully from experience ,you only need to know its not to stiff ,the rests irrelevant
 
jamesmartin said:
they used rather a lot for rrc and p38,unfortunately no ones going to bother with clat of bar and weights ,and t/wrench can be used successfully from experience ,you only need to know its not to stiff ,the rests irrelevant
Click to expand...
It’s irrelevant if you only want to test your own vcu. That’s not what we’ve been trying to do here. Our test was designed to allow peeps to perform the test and receive a result, in the form of a value, which we could collate. Results would be collated weight/bar length (force applied) against time to turn 45 degrees to horizontal. We would then be able to see a common trend for all vcu’s tested. Anyone wishing to test their vcu could use the data as a comparison, to see how their vcu performed against others. If in the unfortunate event someone snapped/cracked their ird we could ask them to immediately test their vcu. If their result was way off the general average, we could perhaps consider a logical limit above the average result, where transmission stress (due to failing vcu) is likely to happen, causing repairs bills. A warning limit if you like. If you found your vcu was much higher than the average, but not near the limit, you could monitor the situation.

If peeps prefer to use 70k miles as a suspected end of life instead, then so be it. If peeps prefer to use age of vcu as an advisory, then so be it. If peeps prefer to use tightness whilst reversing on full lock (mine does too), then so be it. If peeps prefer to turn a lifted wheels by hand saying “it turns ok”, then so be it. The old saying of “use it or loose it” referred to peeps that often go oft road don’t suffer with vcu/transmission problems. This could be true. Perhaps a link to another reason here? A vcu travelling at 70mph will be notably hotter than the same vcu travelling at 30mph, over the same distance. Hence why I also added the Turnip Test. It could be the vcu having to do the same amount of work, in a shorter time, causing this. My vcu reads something like 15-17 seconds approx for 8kg. I know of another which reads 70 seconds for the same weight. It’s all down to peeps wanting to take part and wanting to work together for a common goal. My results are all over the web. I’m guilty of not collating them and other vcu’s I’ve tested. I will get round to it. I hope others would like to join in. The majority will rule. I still gives up.

Edit: Graph added as I for got it.

Edit: approx time for 8kg changed
 

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im not knocking your work or thinking ,its just to get numbers to perform test ,test has to be simple and using tools equipment people are likely to have ,since failing vc is stiffness ,torque wrench test would deliver maybe more results to compare ,its not difficult to pull t/w slowly
 
Hi there everybody

Ive been reading your thread over the last day - "entertaining" and informative.

Anyway - i just became a freelander owner - 2004 td4 with 97000 kms

I tried the torque wrench test yesterday evening - i have the click type.
So after some experimenting and getting used to the way the wheel turns I arrived at a torque value of about 60 Nm to have a slow steady turning of the rear wheel
If my calculation is correct this is 44 foot pounds - ish
According to what I have read on this forum this seems to be OK.... ???

what do you guys think ??

thanks

Digby
 
Hello all,

The rear differential on my 06 TD4 is in trouble with a rumble which is getting worst day by day.

As part of my investigation I carried out the VCU test and am sharing my findings with the forum.
I used a 5kg weight on a 1.2m lever arm. Timed between 45 degrees and the horizontal.
The test was repeated a few times giving timings between 32 and 36 seconds.
The car has done 115,000 miles with no transmission problems, signs of tyre wear or problems on full lock. It's an auto, so difficult to do the wheelspin test, I'll have to wait for some ice (which will be along soon I'm sure).

I have had a quote from Bell for recon diff, VCU, new VCU bearings and diff mounts. But unfortunately it is not affordable at the moment. So a used diff will have to do for now.

I don't think the results are bad.....are they ?

video of my arrangement:

Freelander VCU Test - YouTube

Great discussion by the way !
 
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PhilPrice said:
Hello all,

The rear differential on my 06 TD4 is in trouble with a rumble which is getting worst day by day.

As part of my investigation I carried out the VCU test and am sharing my findings with the forum.
I used a 5kg weight on a 1.2m lever arm. Timed between 45 degrees and the horizontal.
The test was repeated a few times giving timings between 32 and 36 seconds.
The car has done 115,000 miles with no transmission problems, signs of tyre wear or problems on full lock. It's an auto, so difficult to do the wheelspin test, I'll have to wait for some ice (which will be along soon I'm sure).

I have had a quote from Bell for recon diff, VCU, new VCU bearings and diff mounts. But unfortunately it is not affordable at the moment. So a used diff will have to do for now.

I don't think the results are bad.....are they ?

video of my arrangement:

Freelander VCU Test - YouTube

Great discussion by the way !
Click to expand...
Well done. You can have a cookie.
cookies.gif


I get 35 seconds for the same test on mine. 1.2m wooden bar, 5kg weight, simular metal thing holding bar on wheel. Mines a 2001 v6 with 32k miles. VCU at ambiant temp of 23 degrees and not driven for many hours prior to test. I consider 35 seconds to be a good value, for this test set-up.

Often peeps get a rumble from the VCU bearings holding the VCU in place.

More results from me soon - video being edited/timed currently.
 
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