Defender 90 drive shafts

My first defender. Trying to remove rear drive shafts on my 1987 defender 90 so that I can assess rear diff etc. Removed drive flange and circlip but shafts only move by about 5mm. Do I have to remove whole brake drum and backplate assembly first?

Cudhamdave said:

My first defender. Trying to remove rear drive shafts on my 1987 defender 90 so that I can assess rear diff etc. Removed drive flange and circlip but shafts only move by about 5mm. Do I have to remove whole brake drum and backplate assembly first?

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Shouldn't need to remove the circlip, just unbolt the drive flange and prise it up with a lever, the shafts should come out.
Also, it isn't a Defender, it is a Ninety, Defenders were not made in 1987.
I have reported your post, and hope it will be moved to the Defender section.

OK thanks but I tried prising the flange away from the assembly with the circlip in place but no luck.

Cudhamdave said:

OK thanks but I tried prising the flange away from the assembly with the circlip in place but no luck.

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Few whacks with a hammer, break the seal where it has been there for ages, or tap a cold chisel into the gap.

OK tried levering the drive flange with crowbar but it still won't come out more than 5 or 6mm. Didn't want to force it in case I damage something. Could there be a shoulder on the shaft getting stuck behind oil seal?

Should pull out by hand once flange gasket has let go but sometimes loosening the diff can help free them.

tottot said:

Should pull out by hand once flange gasket has let go but sometimes loosening the diff can help free them.

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Might be worth turning it a little bit backwards and forwards, free it up a bit.
Can't say I have ever had any difficulty getting them out before, it is one of the better design features on a Land Rover.

Turboman said:

Might be worth turning it a little bit backwards and forwards, free it up a bit.
Can't say I have ever had any difficulty getting them out before, it is one of the better design features on a Land Rover.

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What he said, hit it wiggle it maybe rotate the prop.

Just a question is it in gear or handbrake on..?

Cavey_P38 said:

What he said, hit it wiggle it maybe rotate the prop.

Just a question is it in gear or handbrake on..?

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I have no idea, but can't see it would make much difference anyway. Once the drive member is unbolted, there can't be any torque load on the shaft.

There shouldn't be but might just be enough to pinch it a touch.

I have never had an issue with mine, even the 110 project that has been stood 15 years came straight out with a couple of good whacks.

Mind you my 90 does hub seals for fun at least one corner a shooting season, i put it down to the extra load from the insa turbo's in the winter, so all of mine have been out in the last 3-4 years

Cavey_P38 said:

There shouldn't be but might just be enough to pinch it a touch.

I have never had an issue with mine, even the 110 project that has been stood 15 years came straight out with a couple of good whacks.

Mind you my 90 does hub seals for fun at least one corner a shooting season, i put it down to the extra load from the insa turbo's in the winter, so all of mine have been out in the last 3-4 years

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I doubt if it is anything to do with the tyres. There is probably a groove worn in the metal where the lip of the seal runs, which means they don't hold oil for long.

Never the same corner, just one hub seal a season could be i have been round them all and they are all good now.

It only started once i had put the big tyres on it so had just linked the two together, however as this is about the OP having drive flange difficulties

Back to that drive flange never had one not come out, whacking left and right and keep wiggling it reckon if he has got 5-6 mm it must be pinching somewhere either seal or diff end.

give it the berries i reckon crowbar tyre lever, hammer and keep turning it @Cudhamdave

Good luck

Cavey_P38 said:

Never the same corner, just one hub seal a season could be i have been round them all and they are all good now.

It only started once i had put the big tyres on it so had just linked the two together, however as this is about the OP having drive flange difficulties

Back to that drive flange never had one not come out, whacking left and right and keep wiggling it reckon if he has got 5-6 mm it must be pinching somewhere either seal or diff end.

give it the berries i reckon crowbar tyre lever, hammer and keep turning it @Cudhamdave

Good luck

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I reckon he is just pussying it. Noobs are like that, always scared to get the big hammers and crowbars on the job!

Yep i second that give it the beanz, hardly anything to break in there

U would have to be superman to crack the drive flange or the halfshaft with a hammer

Not sure i would bother to take the diff out to assess it unless it was whining like a banshee..

As the guys have said above, don't be too afraid to use bit of e4effort...but don't hit so hard that you damage the drive flange. You may find applying some heat to the flange will help to ease off. For ref' take a look at Britannica Mike's ease of removing the driveshaft, from 5m30s

v8250 said:

As the guys have said above, don't be too afraid to use bit of e4effort...but don't hit so hard that you damage the drive flange. You may find applying some heat to the flange will help to ease off. For ref' take a look at Britannica Mike's ease of removing the driveshaft, from 5m30s

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Heat won't help, because the shaft is in the splines inside the differential.
I would put a crowbar between the drive member and the hub, and give it a good heave.

Have to say that the only time I have had difficulty is from an abused shaft. [ big bounce on a 4x4 trial and landing with power on. ] Shaft had twisted but not quite broken.

tottot said:

Have to say that the only time I have had difficulty is from an abused shaft. [ big bounce on a 4x4 trial and landing with power on. ] Shaft had twisted but not quite broken.

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That would make sense. Out of interest, how did you remove it?

You will like this one, It was a series axle so had the nut on the end to which a bracket was fitted. Chained other side of axle to a shed stanchion and then with wire rope to the bracket pulled it out with a tractor.

Thanks for input everyone. I managed to remove shafts and they don't look too bad although they are very slightly twisted at the diff end. Spline profiles look good but with very slight burring on splines where the twist is. I am just trying to eliminate the clunk that I get when dropping the clutch. Checked UJ's and A frame rubbers with crowbar which all look good. Maybe I have excessive slack in the diff? If that's the case can I fix this without a major diff rebuild?