New VCU, but is it any good?

Hi All,

Finally finished (and I use that term lightly) My Freelander 1 project.

As part of the works I fitted a recon VCU from Bell Engineering, Just taken it for its fist drive and she feels a little tight when doing a slow speed full lock manovers. So my question is that normal? I don't won't to knaker the IRD.

Before replacing the VCU it was like having the brake on hard in low speed turns, so it no where near as bad as it was but can definitely feel the difference from running her in 2wd for a bit.

It is impossible to judge stuff like that without being with the car.

The only way anyone can judge is with an 'actual'. The 1 wheel up test will give an actual. There are other links, but its in here...

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/tests-new-freelander-1-owners-should-do-on-their-car.312863/

Thank you GrumpyGel, I will give this a try.

Angus-32 said:

Just taken it for its fist drive and she feels a little tight when doing a slow speed full lock manovers.

Click to expand...

It normal for there to feel like there's some drag when turning at full lock. Bell Engineering will test a reconditioned VCU, so I'd say what you are feeling is normal.

You could always do the One Wheel Up Test to prove its ok.

Thank you Nodge68 that is reassuring to know, will try the one wheel test after running it over the weekend.

When I fitted a new one to mine it too felt stiff on lock. But it would still idle around on either lock, forward and reverse, with out stalling...

I had the same on my old fl1. When reversing on full lock it felt like the brakes where on and one of the rear wheels would skip. I had a recon vcu and bearings fitted by Bell and I could still feel the stiffness especially reversing on lock. I did the one wheel up test and it was fine, I think it is just the vcu doing what it's supposed to. Incidentally, before I had the new vcu, I got my local 4x4 Indy to check it and he said it was fine but after reading these pages I was a bit paranoid. I bought the care with different makes of tyres so I changed them too.

Col