Diff Advice

Hi,

I've had two Discos and a RRS and enjoyed mucking about with them. This time I wanted something I could get a bit more hands-on with so purchases an old (2001) Freelander. Engine and body work is good. Drive system, not so good. I'm about to drop the prop shafts and VCU off. Before doing this I got the car up and found this.



Clearly the join between the diff and the drive shaft is pretty screwed and is spraying oil all over the place. As there are no signs off an oil leak on the ground I suspect that the diff is pretty well dried up. What I want to know is whether this is a new diff (when I say new I mean recon) or whether it's the drive shaft that is the problem.

Thanks for taking a look.

Peter

common prob on old diffs, just needs a new oil seal-DIY job, 2hours mate..
did the same seal on my IRD not long back-have a search as I did a how to guide on changing it.

I take it you've done a search for VCU, tyre size mismatch, and mondo mode on the forum here to get some background info on the Freelander drive train?

Hi,

Thanks for that. I have done quite a lot of reading, there is so much info on here it is brilliant.

The three main symptoms I am getting are;

1) car feels like the brakes are on the whole time, not just at low speeds.
2) a terrible grinding noise and vibration from under the car when pulling away and turning at the same time.
3) a high pitched squeal.

The initial plan is to take the prop shafts and vcu off and see which if these problems it cures. Then strip down the rear brake drums and check them out, need to change the brake hoses at the same times as they are quite badly corroded.

A thought, can you run the car with the diff and rear drive shafts removed?

Thanks
Peter

the symptoms you describe point to a siezed vcu and worn vcu support bearings, remove the vcu and both propshafts as soon as you can, hopefully the diff and IRD will be ok but if the vcu has been faulty for a long time you may have some transmission wind up damage.
Does the rear driveshaft move around a lot in the diff? It looks like a bit of a large gap between the driveshaft and diff housing old bean!

I'm with Joe on this one. Drop the prop and vcu and see what happens. Hopefully the prob will be gone.

Well I've dropped off the prop shaft and vcu (very easy job, apart from a bl&@£ nut holding one of the vcu brackets to the car) and it seems to have cured all the symptoms. Going to take another look at the diff tomorrow and figure out what to do. Will definitely change the mounts as they look pretty well past it. Diff doesn't seem to be making any noise so might go ahead with the suggestion of changing the oil seals and see if it behaves.

Also have to sort out the tyres. Two the same wranglers, one cheapy looking one, and a flamin AT on the front right, good grief.

ensure your tyres are exactly the same size, and always fit new tyres to the back.
if your front tyres are even a few mm larger than the rears it throws the transmission ratio out and cooks the VCU as the constant difference in front and rear prop speeds due to tyre size permanently engages your VCU ( bit like driving your car permanently slipping your clutch-it's gonna cook it)
change your diff driveshaft oil seal (don't touch pinion seal if it's not leaking as its a bitch to get correct preload on it while attached to vehicle) new VCU and bearings from Austen at Bell engineering and your motor should be a happy 4x4 again.

might be worth changing your IRD fluid too if there has been a lot of strain on the drivetrain.
it'll keep you busy if nothing else