drive train squealing! plus other noises

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ballyligboy

Member
Posts
52
Location
Northern Ireland
I am at a loss with my freelander and so is my mechanic! I was told a few months ago that my VCU had seized so I had the VCU replaced with a reconditioned unit and new bearings supplied by landrovercity. As soon as the propshaft was put back on with the new vcu all of my probems came back. As soon as the propshaft goes back on all of the noises start again.

current symptoms
1) a slight creaking on tight turns (possible dry u/j)
2) rumbling from drivetrain when underpowered at around 1200 revs (eg, slowing down to 30mph in 3rd gear or above)
3) vibrations from drivetrain above 50mph
4) a slight ginding noise from rear (only developed at christmas)
5) along with the grinding a loud squeal has developed after a couple of miles.

The grinding and squeal i thought was a seperate issue, I thought it was the brakes but I had them looked at today and they were fine. Had to remove the propshaft to get rid of the noise. Sitting in the car all of the noises do seem to be coming from the rear. My mechanic checked the oil in the diff/transfer box and apparently it was clean, he reckoned if there was something wrong the oil would not be clean.
Can anyone suggest anything easy that I should be checking or anything more difficult that someone else should look at?

I would doubt if the car would pass the MOT without a propshaft or with the noises.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
ballyligboy said:
I am at a loss with my freelander and so is my mechanic! I was told a few months ago that my VCU had seized so I had the VCU replaced with a reconditioned unit and new bearings supplied by landrovercity. As soon as the propshaft was put back on with the new vcu all of my probems came back. As soon as the propshaft goes back on all of the noises start again.

current symptoms
1) a slight creaking on tight turns (possible dry u/j)
2) rumbling from drivetrain when underpowered at around 1200 revs (eg, slowing down to 30mph in 3rd gear or above)
3) vibrations from drivetrain above 50mph
4) a slight ginding noise from rear (only developed at christmas)
5) along with the grinding a loud squeal has developed after a couple of miles.

The grinding and squeal i thought was a seperate issue, I thought it was the brakes but I had them looked at today and they were fine. Had to remove the propshaft to get rid of the noise. Sitting in the car all of the noises do seem to be coming from the rear. My mechanic checked the oil in the diff/transfer box and apparently it was clean, he reckoned if there was something wrong the oil would not be clean.
Can anyone suggest anything easy that I should be checking or anything more difficult that someone else should look at?

I would doubt if the car would pass the MOT without a propshaft or with the noises.

Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Shot rear wheel bearings can make it sound as if the rear axle is falling to bits? Wont fail MOT with prop removed or noises!
 
Shot rear wheel bearings wouldn't be affected by the removal of the prop or would they?

The MOT centres in NI are pretty strict, a 4wd car only working in 2 wd would probably be an issue
 
ballyligboy said:
Shot rear wheel bearings wouldn't be affected by the removal of the prop or would they?

The MOT centres in NI are pretty strict, a 4wd car only working in 2 wd would probably be an issue
Click to expand...

Yes, good point, well, may be more load on them with prop in place - worth checking. Assumed same MOT - mine passed fine a few weeks back. The brakes get tested harder on rolling road.
 
If defo coming from back you cant rule out diff - even if oil is clean. As Hd3 says, rear subframe bolts, the rear frame can crack apparently. Wheel bearings, binding brakes, that's about it in terms of backend.
 
Gonna jack up the rear at the weekend and check for play around the diff input. If it is the diff I dont mind paying for a recon unit... its all the hastle involved in diagnosing the problem. Unfortunately there are no freelander transmission specialists in NI.

subframe bolts are fine, i had them checked
 
1) a slight creaking on tight turns (possible dry u/j)
Click to expand...
Change the rear one at the diff. It would give your symptoms and they're not expensive.
Think I'm right to say no prop in NI is a fail.
 
I inspected the propshaft today. When I spin the bearings on the VCU one of them is a little louder than the other. These were new bearings that came with my reconditioned VCU 2 or 3 months ago! Although I dont think my mechanic had one of them at 90 degrees to the line of the VCU.
Gonna change the bearings.
Also I seem to have punctured the gaiter that covers the joint on the front propshaft. All of the oil has come out. Wondering if I should bother replacing it or is it ok as it is?
There are new gaiters available on ebay, are they easily replaced?

The U/Js twist and turn ok, i am assuming if there was an issue with them they might not turn correctly?
 
ballyligboy said:
I inspected the propshaft today. When I spin the bearings on the VCU one of them is a little louder than the other. These were new bearings that came with my reconditioned VCU 2 or 3 months ago! Although I dont think my mechanic had one of them at 90 degrees to the line of the VCU.
Gonna change the bearings.
Also I seem to have punctured the gaiter that covers the joint on the front propshaft. All of the oil has come out. Wondering if I should bother replacing it or is it ok as it is?
There are new gaiters available on ebay, are they easily replaced?

The U/Js twist and turn ok, i am assuming if there was an issue with them they might not turn correctly?
Click to expand...
I am also in NI and i would like to know did you get the recon VCU locally.
freelander specialist do not exist in this part of the world. thats why i do all
my own work and the help on this forum is great.
 
No, I ordered from a place called landrovercity in England somewhere. Carriage is a lot more expensive to NI than mainland UK... something I dont understand.
I'm just really learning how to do stuff myself on the car, the guy I normally use to do stuff seems to destroy as much as he fixes.
I am taking it to a fella in Portglenone this week, he specialises in Landys and stocks parts. Hes fairly close to me, I am in Broughshane (near Ballymena).
There is a landrover breakers in Randalstown, gonna try them for a 2nd hand front prop.
 
ballyligboy said:
No, I ordered from a place called landrovercity in England somewhere. Carriage is a lot more expensive to NI than mainland UK... something I dont understand.
I'm just really learning how to do stuff myself on the car, the guy I normally use to do stuff seems to destroy as much as he fixes.
I am taking it to a fella in Portglenone this week, he specialises in Landys and stocks parts. Hes fairly close to me, I am in Broughshane (near Ballymena).
There is a landrover breakers in Randalstown, gonna try them for a 2nd hand front prop.
Click to expand...

I am in Tyrone and there is a breaker not far from me who has 3 freelanders for
breaking, but i do not know if they are being broken for IRD or engine problems.
i will give him a shout to see what the story is with them.
I have a 20 l series freelander, what have you got.
 
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