90 200tdi issues

HI all new to the site, I have a recently purchased 200TDI 90 which I have manage to fix its little issues my self up to now. However today whilst doing a local green lane that I use regularly with no problems usually I got have way up the lane and she started to struggle on what I've done numerous times before. So whilst going up I looked out of window to notice that power was only going to my rear axle(was using diff lock) and non to my front. So I reversed down back to the road to discover that I only have drive in diff lock and not in high or low box anymore after 10mins trying to convince myself that I just wasn't getting it in to high or low gear, I decided that I had a problem now she only drives when in diff lock and goes through the gears fine, when put in high or low it does sound slightly like its trying to engage but nothing happens in any gears, any ideas whats gone on? 200TDI with LT77 I think. thanks

Broken half shaft in front axle is likeliest cause.

thanks for the speedy reply, would this also cause me not to be able to get it in to normal high and low box? new to this stuff, sorry

matthewb3333 said:

thanks for the speedy reply, would this also cause me not to be able to get it in to normal high and low box? new to this stuff, sorry

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if front half shaft has gone then with difflock disengaged, All drive will go to the point of least resistance. In this case the broken shaft. Easy way to check is to jack up the front engage difflock and put it in gear If you can turn a wheel by hand then that is the broken one.

I think you are slightly confusing the operation of the transfer box lever. You are not either in low, high, or diff lock - but either in high or low (or neutral in between), and then diff lock can be in or out in any of those cases. In other words the range change and diff lock are separate functions, just operated by the same lever.

With your symptoms I agree it sounds like something has broken in the front axle. This will mean that with diff lock disengaged there will be no drive in high or low range. With diff lock in there will be drive in both.

To confirm it, have a friend look underneath while you try and drive it gently with the diff lock off. If the front propshaft is spinning but you're not moving then something has gone bang in the front axle. Diff, shaft, cv, drive member etc.

ahh right I get it better now, thanks for both of your replys. I shall have a look in morning and post back to confirm if this is the case which I hope it is as I was thinking my transfer box was a goner! hopefully not. Should have joined this place sooner losts of help and knowledgeable people on here always happy to help

once again thanks for your replys I couldn't wait till morning yep your both right, some thing defiantly gone bang in front axle, prop is spinning not getting anywhere, just a thought I recently changed my rear diff would this have any thing to do with my front going bang? or just coincidence?

Coincidence unless you have changed the rear diff to one that is a different ratio to the front diff - that will end in tears!

if its come off a defender will it be the same ratio or not the case? how can i work out what ratios they are? typical always jump in two feet not knowing what im doing lol

i had a 10 spline diff on the back originally but ended up with a free 24 off sum-one who had a defender was upgrading to a locker, so i just bought some 24 spline shafts and poped it all on and has been fine up to now if that has any help?

If its from another defender then it 'should' be a 3.54:1 ratio so you should be fine. However if you want to double check you could jack one wheel up at each end and count how many prop revolutions you require for one wheel revolution on each diff (once you have the front end fixed)

Just a update whats gone on, for some reason my two front half shafts have both sheared off in side my diff on the spline bits. Anyone else come across this? Or know what this would happen to both shafts at the same time? Im planning on just changing the axle rather then trying too fix as i think this is going to be quicker and possible cheaper then stipping all down and rebuilding if anyone knows of a front axle in north wales or north west area? Cheers.

Not hard to do half shafts, well worth the effort of stripping it down then deciding where to go from there.
Wheel, drive member, calliper, hub and ring of bolts for stub axle and the shafts are ready to come out, less than an hour a side if you take your time, no need to touch the swivel assy at all

How do you know both shafts have snapped without stripping it down?

Hi lynall thanks for the reply, looking back on what you said yeah it might have been worth it if i new what i was doing but i took the swivel pin bit apart as i didnt really know how to get the shafts out so i undone more then i needed to an ended up in abit off a mess. Also when the half shafts sheered off there was about a inch left of them stuck un the diff. Which would have ment taking diff off an getting them out and hoping they had not damaged the diff/splines on it. This is why i just thought be easyer for a novice just to change the axle then i could play about with spare one when i get time. Anyway managed to sort new axle part refurbed and poly bushed £90 fitted it in about 4 1/2 hours with someone helping with the weight of it. So all in all im happy with that an i can work out how to do things correct in my spare time an prehaps rebuild old axle. Also the polybush has made the ride so much better would well recommend to anyone thinking of it.

Ps i did strip both sides down just didnt fancy putting all back together :lol:

Hi Matthew,

Did you check your diff ratios? Just for interest.

Cheers

Hi neilly

No not as off yet something i need to do, should be the same as both diff's are out off early defenders but i will do this at sum point just ran out of time after fitting axle, or did you mean before i put new diff on the back? If so no i never and maybe thats why this has happened so im defo going to make sure new 1s are the same, was going to check new 1 before i put it on but break discs had rusted up an wasnt free enought to turn if that makes sense.