Leaking Rear Diff, 2wd conversion?

oddbob · Apr 11, 2011

Hello to you all,

brand new to the forum and I've recently bought a TD4 Freelander 3dr, as a second car to use when the wife gives me permission to go shooting, or even if we have bad weather again! I bought it cheap off ebay, expecting problems, and it looks like I've got them :doh:

Went for a drive and noticed a knocking noise from the rear-end, which I traced to loose diff-mountings, left it a few days and then noticed a pool of diff oil underneath

As a temporary measure, while I sort the diff out (and thinking while it's off, I may as well do the vcu and bearings just in case), is it possible to take the diff and all the rear driveshafts off and drive it as a front wheel drive only, ie, does the car rely on the rear diff for the rear stability?

2001ytd4 · Apr 11, 2011

Dont think you can mate. The drive shaft stub axles hold the rear hubs together with a nut tightened to 400n/m. If you remove them, there is nothing stopping the rear wheels falling off. You could however, leave the rear cv joints connected to the hubs. Remove the rubber boot from the hub end. This will then allow you to remove the drive shaft , leaving the cv joint inplace. Sounds like the movement caused by the loose mounts has wrecked a seal or 2. You also need to ask yourself, why has this happened. Could the VCU have been siezed this, in turn has wound the trans up causing the diff to twist. This may have also caused damage to the IRD. Drain the IRD of oil and see if there is metal in the old oil. Some shards of metal will be in there no matter what, you need to look for big pieces of bearing casing, gear teath.

oddbob · Apr 11, 2011

2001ytd4 said:
Dont think you can mate. The drive shaft stub axles hold the rear hubs together with a nut tightened to 400n/m. If you remove them, there is nothing stopping the rear wheels falling off. You could however, leave the rear cv joints connected to the hubs. Remove the rubber boot from the hub end. This will then allow you to remove the drive shaft , leaving the cv joint inplace. Sounds like the movement caused by the loose mounts has wrecked a seal or 2. You also need to ask yourself, why has this happened. Could the VCU have been siezed this, in turn has wound the trans up causing the diff to twist. This may have also caused damage to the IRD. Drain the IRD of oil and see if there is metal in the old oil. Some shards of metal will be in there no matter what, you need to look for big pieces of bearing casing, gear teath.

Thanks for the reply, see what you mean, it must be the cv joint itself holding the hub together, though I'm guessing it would have to be stripped down to stop it flaying about as the wheels turned........

2001ytd4 · Apr 11, 2011

oddbob said:
Thanks for the reply, see what you mean, it must be the cv joint itself holding the hub together, though I'm guessing it would have to be stripped down to stop it flaying about as the wheels turned........

Yeah. The only part you want to leave on is the big lump at the end that the drive shaft slots into. Might be an idea to cover the joint itslef up with something too, to stop to much crap getting inside. I know you would clean it out anyway when you put new grease in, but this will save you having to clean out more crap than you need too. Your rear ABS censors also work off of the rear CV joint.

Leaking Rear Diff, 2wd conversion?

oddbob

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2001ytd4

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oddbob

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2001ytd4

Banned

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