HELP! think I may have a major prob on my hands

I have a LR Defender 90, L reg so about 18 years old. Recently, since it has been in to the garage for a wheel bearing to be looked at, it has not been running smooth since!! I ended up replacing the bearing myself. As prior to this problem it seemed to run fine, but recently this is my problem. basically, i cannot seem to get above 40-50 mph without the whole car shaking to bits!! If i push it to just under 60 (this was to test out the new wheel bearing) it shakes very violently! but when taking it out of gear and coasting, it stops! :S so i dont think this could be the wheel bearing, but maybe the drive shaft or somethins more serious. Im worried that if i drive it, i will be doing more damage to it. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!! cheers

my suggestion is do a search. It's a very common problem and usually bushes or bearings propshafts or Aframe balljoint

thats great mate, il have to get under is during the week. is it worth putting it back into a reputable garage this time?? cheers

check your wheel balancing and cv joints too
harry

bolloks, dont think they have been done for a long time! surely that would have come up on the MOT? will do, cheers

I had similar prob recently - My issue was that pan hard rod had become separated from chassis due to some naughty off roading. May be worth just checking the status of yours

Chock the wheels. Handbrake off. Stick her in neutral. Get under the car - safely of course. Grab the front prop on the bar at the axle end, then the middle, then the T box end. Shake each section hard and see if it wobbles or clicks. It should only rotate smoothly, not wobble or click. If it does, you have a prop problem which can be the bearings gone at the front diff or T box flanges, or the UJ's worn, or the prop middle flange worn.

So the same with the rear prop.

As this happened suddenly when you changed your bearing, perhaps something else in your vehicle compensated to adjust to the old worn bearing and when you fixed it - the problem showed up in the adjusting area. Vibration at a praticular speed is a notorious drivetrain/prop symptom - especially when running in neutral removes the problem.

massive help guys! thanks alot, very greatfull. cheers

hand brake stuck on? Or over tight wheel bearing? Did you do the wheel bearing up tight? Did you pack it with grease. What concerns me is the fact that somthing is binding slowing you down. Sounds like the hand brake is on to me, when you drive it it gets hot expands and geths hotter do you get any funny clutch kinda smell?
Shaking well could be hand brake ish more likley to be panhard bushes although what you describe sounds like the plunger in the hand brake assy has crap in it and has been pulled on hard jamming it so it will not fully release allowing the shoes to retract even though the handle is going down. IF it is this get under the car after a short drive and touch the hand brake drum if its hot then its on. Leave your car in gear get under it with the hand brake off and with some pliers push the rod that goes in the back of the hand brake backplate inwards. Might not go it may need to cool
And possibly a couple of LIGHT taps with a hammer to shock it undone. Check for the hot drum first if nothing found then feel wheel hubs, then check all the bushes and prop UJ's. Lots to do but 15 minutes of checking could save you guessing and forking out for new everything only to find somthing silly Steering damper is always a good one, drop arm and Every ball joint is worth a look but my money would be on H brake.
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hang on i got the wrong end of the stick when you say it stops you mean the vibration not the car! Its been a long day ignore previous post!

Propshaft UJ's, Drop arm panard rod bushes, wheel brearing play, steering damper, and alll ball joints. As previous posts im having a blonde day today sorry!

transfer box output bearings etc

try your steering damper

jack up the front, check that the wheels spin freely and that there is no freeplay in the hubs ie hold the wheel at top and bottom and wiggle it to see if there is play. Same at the rear.If all is ok there, you can remove the front prop shaft, engage the central diff lock and go for a drive. if the vibration is gone then you have isolated the problem to the front. If the vibe is still there, refit the front prop shaft and remove the rear and go for a drive again. If the vibe is there regardless of whichever propshaft is removed then it is probably the gear or transfer box. Remember you must have the central diff lock engaged when you go for a drive, (otherwise it won't go anywhere). Whilst you have the propshafts off, check the universal joints to make sure that they move easily and are not lumpy, also check the diff and t/box flanges for play. Good luck