I'm stumped - what on earth is this?

Hi,

Don't get me wrong - I love my Freelander, but every 9 months it does something to break my heart. After the engine went at 34000 miles I view everything else as small fry. Anyway, this is the latest.

I spotted a drip of oil under the car today and on investigation found this set up where the front prop joins the CV joint. Note the plastic ring which is spinning loosely up and down the rubber gaiter - I marked it with a green cross.

The gaiter seems fine - the fluid comes from inside the CV joint.

I haven't lost much fluid, but I suspect this is a seal which should be inside the flange on the Cv joint? You can see where fluid has been spun onto the underside of the propshaft tunnel. The gaiter seems fine. Inside the flange I can feel a fine ridge which runs around and suggests it's there for something to be pushed into place inside it?

If so - can I just tap it back in, if not - what on earth is it?

I bet - I just bet, I need a whole new front prop :doh:

Knowing Landrovers - I know this wont be cheap.

Liam

Hi mate, your gaitor has split. the rubber part and the metal part that is fixed to the cv joint should be in one piece.
You have 3 options,
1, remove prop and run as a 2wd .
2, buy a new front prop at around 250 quid.
3, buy a new gaitor for 22.95 including postage.
these gaitors are not available in the retail world, however i can supply you with one.
Let me know if you want one, it is a genuine part as supplied to land rover. I will include instructions on how to replace the gaitor.
Lee.

When mine went my mate who owns a garage tried to fit a universal over the outside but it wouldn't stay on.
In the end I didn't bother. I put a bit of grease in every service and kept running it. When I sold it 35k later it was still going strong. The theory was if ever it got noisy or started to break down I would replace front prop complete. That day never arrived.

Tony

Hi Tony, How did you get the grease into the CV joint - just pull the gaiter out of the joint, grease in, then slide it back in?

Balls to the above, just buy a seconhand propshaft. Shockhorror on here, you dont have to buy new.

Just use a universal gaitor that look like it will fit. All its doing is holding grease in.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SERIES-DI...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4ce64b6215

- we talking Drive shaft or prop shaft gaiter here?

Prop shaft unfortunately.

Is a split gaiter an MOT fail please ?

yes

my local MOT place say a split gaiter aint, but it means the joint inside will fail quicker, and then it will fail.

Well it's off anyway for the mot tomorrow and i want it fixed just that Tony having done 35k on his made me think he must have put it through an MOT Cheers Bill

You can uncross your fingers she passed