IRD re-install

I've just experienced the dreaded IRD fault on my 55 Td4. I've managed to get hold of a replacement unit and have spent the day removing the old unit.

I have the new IRD in position 'kind of' but Im having a little trouble slotting the shaft into the gearbox.

Should the shaft just push in or do I need to wrestle with it a little to get it to push fully in ?

you will need to twist it to line up shaft splines,try turning rear drive flange at same time,check dowles are in and not doubled up or missing else it will start banging about a few days later

Thanks, I'll give that a try

tried moving the rear flange around, just cant seem to get the IRD box that last inch so its fully into the gearbox.

Does it require a little persuasion with a hammer or something, or should it slide in quite easily ?

Tried to get it central and tighten it in with the bolts but with the bolts going into aluminium, I dont want to force them too much.

DONT FORCE THEM !!!!


The IRD assembly takes no force to get it. Firstly grease up the splines before fitment , helps it slide in. Then lift it in until it rests inside the gearbox, with one hand on where the o/s driveshaft goes in and the other hand on the rear output flange, rotate the flange as you 'jiggle' the IRD unit in.

Sometimes this wont work, next try is to chuck the g/b into gear and spin the n/s wheel slowly until it lines up, as your wiggling the IRD in. Else you can just get a ratched (22socket) onto the crankpully and turn it over like that.

Never force it in , be patienct and wiggle

Thanks Vissie, I'll try again in the morning. Hopefully my next post will be to say its in !!!

It's in !!!!, took some jiggling but finally got the IRD box into position.

Initially I had the car in gear to get it in but still couldn't get it into place so I dropped it into neutral and started jiggling again ( as described by Vissie - Thanks again) and millimeter by millimeter it slotted into place.

Good luck anybody (amateurs like me that is) tackling this job, its a bit of a ball acher, but with a bit time and patients its do-able.