Freelander 1 Help, F1 back end slides around tight bend

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Graham Newbie

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6
Location
Wrexham
freelander 1 2004, going around a tight roundabout at low speed, heard a noise like tyres juddering across road at back end, now it's worse, feels like the back end is drifting ! Tyres have great tread and all same size and make.
So hope it isn't serious ! Any ideas much appreciated ! No other noises or whines i.e. Diff etc
 
viscous seizing up,jack one rear wheel up and see if you can turn the wheel with a bar and socket on a wheel nut
Wot he said. Google one wheel up test and VCU. If you can't turn the rear wheel with a longish bar then get the prop shaft off pronto or you could have a very big repair bill.
It should be tight but you should be able to slowly turn the rear wheel.
 
What they said - DON'T DRIVE IT like it is. As suggested, do the 1 wheel up test...

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/tests-new-freelander-owners-should-do-on-their-car.312863/

The VCU is almost definitely pants, if it is....

Take the prop shaft & VCU off - unbolt the front prop shaft from the front diff (IRD) and the back prop from the rear diff - then undo the 4 bolts supporting the VCU in the middle of them - take the props & VCU off as a single unit. Its an easy job if you have a bit of clearance under the car - eg I drive the car up on blocks on 1 side. Be careful though because the pieces are very heavy and support the props as you remove them so they don't over extend (bend). A good tip for the last bit - ie removing and lowering the VCU is to support it on a trolley jack before undoing the bolts and lowering if on the jack. Another tip is to undo the lower bolts on the props and then push the car along a bit to turn the props and rotate the top bolts to the bottom.

You can then drive the car 2WD - but you should notify your insurance company.

Then renew the oil in the IRD. If it comes out very grey in colour, be careful about putting it back to 4WD without replacing it with a recon unit as it may be weakened.

To go back 4WD, replace the VCU with a new or good recon one - Bell Engineering are a good one. Good idea to replace the carrier bearings while you're at it. Might also be a good idea to replace the front mount for the rear diff as well as they do wear out and that may have been hastened by your VCU issues.

Good luck.
 
What they said - DON'T DRIVE IT like it is. As suggested, do the 1 wheel up test...

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/tests-new-freelander-owners-should-do-on-their-car.312863/

The VCU is almost definitely pants, if it is....

Take the prop shaft & VCU off - unbolt the front prop shaft from the front diff (IRD) and the back prop from the rear diff - then undo the 4 bolts supporting the VCU in the middle of them - take the props & VCU off as a single unit. Its an easy job if you have a bit of clearance under the car - eg I drive the car up on blocks on 1 side. Be careful though because the pieces are very heavy and support the props as you remove them so they don't over extend (bend). A good tip for the last bit - ie removing and lowering the VCU is to support it on a trolley jack before undoing the bolts and lowering if on the jack. Another tip is to undo the lower bolts on the props and then push the car along a bit to turn the props and rotate the top bolts to the bottom.

You can then drive the car 2WD - but you should notify your insurance company.

Then renew the oil in the IRD. If it comes out very grey in colour, be careful about putting it back to 4WD without replacing it with a recon unit as it may be weakened.

To go back 4WD, replace the VCU with a new or good recon one - Bell Engineering are a good one. Good idea to replace the carrier bearings while you're at it. Might also be a good idea to replace the front mount for the rear diff as well as they do wear out and that may have been hastened by your VCU issues.

Good luck.
Y
viscous seizing up,jack one rear wheel up and see if you can turn the wheel with a bar and socket on a wheel nut
 
Thanks so much guys for your help, really appreciate your help, I'm gutted, I've not long bought it and only done 600 miles, it's on 75,000 now. Money is tight and those vcu are expensive, everyone stays steer clear of recon units as they will fail again, is thus true as a new one is £700
 
Thanks so much guys for your help, really appreciate your help, I'm gutted, I've not long bought it and only done 600 miles, it's on 75,000 now. Money is tight and those vcu are expensive, everyone stays steer clear of recon units as they will fail again, is thus true as a new one is £700

Define "everyone".
A Bell Engineering reconditioned VCU will last as long as a new VCU, for less than half the price.
However if tyres aren't kept up to scratch, as per LRs instructions. Then the VCU will have a short life, and the IRD won't be far behind it.
My own VCU is the original 2005 item, which has done 120K miles now. It's all about tyre maintenance with them. Fit mismatched tyres or new tyres to the front, and the VCU will be toast in no time.
Make tyre maintenance a priority, and the VCU will last a very long time.
 
Thanks so much guys for your help, really appreciate your help, I'm gutted, I've not long bought it and only done 600 miles, it's on 75,000 now. Money is tight and those vcu are expensive, everyone stays steer clear of recon units as they will fail again, is thus true as a new one is £700
Listen to Nodge cause he knows what he's talking about but 75k miles is very early for it to fail so before writing it off check it as described. If it's OK then the problem is elsewhere.
 
Read what was said again. You probably don't need to spend anything on the car to be able to drive it again - but it will be 2WD not 4WD. Lots of people drive their Freelander's quite happily in 2WD, myself included.

All you need do is tell your insurance company that you have made the change and then you can reinstate 4WD when you have the cash.

Once again read again for recommendations on a good recon VCU.
 
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