Driving without viscous coupling?

Hi. Like most Freelander drivers, I have problems with noise etc and now am thinking about disconnecting the viscous coupling to stop rear tyres scrubbing when on full lock. Husband can do the job, but can I drive around for ever without the 4 wheel drive or will I cause any damage to anything else? Advice from anyone who has done this or knows what could go wrong would be great. Many thanks !

wot sorta noise ? mine dint mek a noise !

I've been thinking of removing my the prop shaft too, had it off for a wee while, weeks, and it drove fine, no problems, quite nicely in fact why would it not nothings working, rear tyres would last forever. Only problem I have is this niggle about the insurance / MOT side off it. I'm quite sure its not any different from any other front wheel drive cars , but you know what like insurance companies can be.

Hello.

Negatives:

If you have manual transmission then you will probably lose some engine braking effect when going downhill and will therefore have to use your footbrake more.

The front wheels will spin more easily on loose/wet surfaces.

You will need to be more careful when cornering and negotiating roundabouts in wet and icy conditions.

Going off road would be out of the question.

In the event of an accident a switched on assessor would spot that 4wd had been disconnected. The insurance company may then refuse to pay your claim.

Positives:

More MPG

No effect on MOT as drive train is not inspected.

Less transmission noise.

More power available as the engine has less to do.

Less wear on rear tyres.

Would I do it? No I might as well go and buy a Golf or a Focus!

Regards. D..

REVVER said:

I've been thinking of removing my the prop shaft too, had it off for a wee while, weeks, and it drove fine, no problems, quite nicely in fact why would it not nothings working, rear tyres would last forever. Only problem I have is this niggle about the insurance / MOT side off it. I'm quite sure its not any different from any other front wheel drive cars , but you know what like insurance companies can be.

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Insurance company will just f**k you straight off, as the vehicle has been modified from how the manufacturer designed and supplied.

MOT won't give a toss unless you're in northern ireland

REAR TYRES WOULD LAST FOREVER ? I DON'T THINK SO. Otherwise normal front or rear wheel drive cars (ie 2 wheel drive) would only ever need the driving wheel tyres replaced!

O.P.
Rear tyre wear.

Figure of speech. Nothing lasts for ever.

According to RAVE only 0.8% of the drive goes to the back wheels under normal driving so you are driving a front wheel drive car anyway

gingerjess said:

Hi. Like most Freelander drivers, I have problems with noise etc and now am thinking about disconnecting the viscous coupling to stop rear tyres scrubbing when on full lock. Husband can do the job, but can I drive around for ever without the 4 wheel drive or will I cause any damage to anything else? Advice from anyone who has done this or knows what could go wrong would be great. Many thanks !

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hi gingerless.
I considered this for ages but unfortunately never got round to removing the prop shaft until now, when the damage is already done - my viscous coupling is bunched.
Anyway, the freelander drives great, lots of power and i'll be keeping an eye on the mpg. Less noise, feels nippier. Yes it will spin on gravel / soft surface, and i'm sure that it's not half the car on snow / ice. But i'll be in no hurry replacing the shaft until i'm going to sell it.
If i'm unlucky enough to have an accident, i'll be bolting on the old shaft right quick b4 the assessor gets to it!

podge said:

If i'm unlucky enough to have an accident, i'll be bolting on the old shaft right quick b4 the assessor gets to it!

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just better hope it's a minor prang then and they don't have to get your freelander on the back of a flatbed straight to the garage or you'll be f**ked no mistake !

(just as a point of note, you can insist the vehicle is recovered to your home first to remove all your personal belongings. They usually drop it on the day of your accident, and then come back to pick it up the day after)

I remove my rear prop a week ago - i usually use 6 gallons of fuel a week with the distances i do at weekends - filled up earlier and it only took 5 gallons so there's nearly a fiver saved each week

Can't see the point of converting a 4x4 into a 2wd permanatly,just get rid of the freelander and buy somthing with a switchable 2 or 4wd.

podge said:

If i'm unlucky enough to have an accident, i'll be bolting on the old shaft right quick b4 the assessor gets to it!

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So you are a fraudster then?

Cheers

Blippie

Just trade it for a Rover Streetwise

Look, lets face it, it's daft that the freelander doesn't give the driver the option to switch from 4 to 2wd and back when they feel like it. Most other 4x4's do.

Blippie said:

So you are a fraudster then?

Cheers

Blippie

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Do you mean then, that drivers of other 4x4's are commiting fraud by driving in 2wd mode - I think not!

Anyway, no choice at the minute, the shaft is lying on the garage floor in 3 parts waiting for new bearings...

which others like yer swap between 4wd and 2wd?

podge said:

Look, lets face it, it's daft that the freelander doesn't give the driver the option to switch from 4 to 2wd and back when they feel like it. Most other 4x4's do.

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Well, if you know about that patch of ice or oil around the corner, then you are superhuman. It's the 4wd that gives the Freelander lovely on road manners and a reassuring drive. Drive a Honda CRV after a spin in a Freelander and you will see what I mean.

podge said:

Do you mean then, that drivers of other 4x4's are commiting fraud by driving in 2wd mode - I think not!

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No. But that doesn't escape the fact that you are an uninsured driver. And you've stated that if something happens, you will commit fraud!

... unless you know something about your particular insurance compnay that makes it different from all the others.

It's a pet peeve of mine, uninsured drivers - I've seen the misery they cause, and think the penalty should be harsher.

'Course, you may have been joking and have actually informed your insurance company of the modification to your vehicle.

Cheers

Blippie

okay okay point taken. chill out man

Lets not go down this route, ask yourself who are the real fraudsters? Insurance companies never pay up what the vehicle is worth.
Blippie - do you think your insurance will pay up to the full value of a Camel FL? Whether you declared it as a Camel or Station Wagon.

have those that have done the face lift from a later model also informed the insurance company

Northern Irelander said:

Lets not go down this route, ask yourself who are the real fraudsters? Insurance companies never pay up what the vehicle is worth.

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Insurance companies aren't exactly my favourite charity, however, defrauding them is only defrauding us indirectly. My dislike of uninsured drivers is because of the misery and hardship I have seen them cause.

Blippie - do you think your insurance will pay up to the full value of a Camel FL? Whether you declared it as a Camel or Station Wagon.

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It is, of course, insured as a Camel Trophy, unmodified but the company are aware of its specification. All on an agreed valuation.

My 90 is insured normally and the company would never pay out what it owes me - rebuilt from the ground up - but I'm prepared to take that risk.

It's as close to a guarantee as you can get. BUt I don't trust insurance companies one bit.

Cheers

Blippie