Disco drive problem.

Hi everyone, this is my first post but I have logged in as a guest a good few times. I have also posted this in the intro section.
My N Reg Disco 300 tdi Auto, got RAC'd home yesterday after loosing all drive whilst on holiday at Lymington.
It started making the odd noise a couple of weeks ago, on pulling away with a bit of steering lock on, it made a sound like a CV joint on a "normal" car, was beginning to fail. Not every time just occasionally.
On Friday this got progressively worse, starting with the odd graunching noise whilst pulling away, next was an awful noise that sounded like a brake pad was making metal to metal contact with the brake disc.
I was slowly trying to make my way back to my caravan site by this time, I got within 1/2 a mile when I lost all drive as I turned onto the site road.
I did manage to get the last 1/2 mile by selecting low range which worked but not properly it would jump in and out until even that wouldn't work.
Having called the RAC at 1418 hrs they said they were busy and it would take about 2 1/2 hours to get someone out to me.
The chap arrived at 1816 hrs having come from Bournemouth.
He had a look and thought it was the Transfer box that had eaten its bearings inside.
I have it booked into a local garage tomorrow for them to take a look before I try and locate a spare.
Does anyone have any idea if he is right, or might it be the Gearbox?
Up until the failure the gearbox has been perfect, changing smoothly and giving no indication of a fault, I checked the G'box oil level and that is fine.
Over to you experts.
Regards Mike

sounds like a diff to me,
could be the cv joint but that would of clonked like hell on full lock.
could also be the tranny box but i doubt it.

Sounds like the CV in the front swivels if it happens when you are on lock.

Benst thing to do is to see if you have any drive to either end at all by looking under with some one selecting and engaging a gear, if one of the props go round then you have a problem in the axle some where, if there is no movemne to the props then you have issues in the gear box.

If it is an issue at only one end you can select difflock to get moving unless you have managed to get everything jamed up so it won't move at all, in this case you will have been dragging a wheel onto the recovery truck.

It does sound more like diff or halfshaft or cv joint. Do you have drive if you engage the diff lock?

No drive at all now, there was intermittent drive with a lot of graunching noise but only in low ratio, not diff lock, all there is now is a noise like a bag of spanners being shaken in a metal box.

Are either of the props spinning when in gear?

Can you tell where the noise is coming from ie front axle, rear axle or somewhere in the middle? Get someone to peer underneath and see if either of the propshafts are turning.

It sounded like it's around the transfer box / gearbox area I don't want to run it any more now in case I increase the damage any more.
I will keep you updated when I get back from the garage.

Hi.I had a very simular problem it was the clutch.It was the steel forks that join the inner and outer parts of the clutch together they had snapped

OK I now have the Disco back and it turns out there were 2 different problems ( I am lucky like that ).
The transfer box was replaced with a 2nd hand item and we got drive to the back wheels, but found the front nearside c/v and half shaft knackered as well, so that was replaced.
I took it for a drive & I thought all was well until I tried it in diff lock, and found it won't change up through the gears beyond 2nd, ( it's an AUTO ) same in low range. There is also a lot more play / movement in the diff lock lever than there was before, so I am hoping there is an adjustment problem in the linkage.
Any more input from you guys always appreciated.
Mike