Prop-erly Shafted (in the right place hopefully)

Stresshead74 · Sep 28, 2019

Hi, I’m new to this posting lark, so if someone could help please? I have a freelander 1 TD4 without the propshaft fitted. It looks like it’s just been removed. Does anyone know if the propshafts are difficult between manual and automatic on the same year of car please? Any help gratefully received!

GrumpyGel · Sep 28, 2019

It is difficult to have both manual and automatic on the same car - I'll grant you that!

If you're asking whether propshafts are interchangeable between manual and automatic, they are. I'm pretty sure the prop shafts are identical between different engines as well - ie diesel, 4 & 6 cylinder petrols. However, the prop shaft is split into 2 pieces with a viscous coupling unit (VCU) splitting them. The diesel & 4 cyl are interchangeable, the V6 is supposedly different - but I don't know by how much and whether they are actually interchangeable - I hazard a guess to say they are.

However, you're biggest question is whether your car is in a condition to allow the props to be reinstalled. The props were removed for a reason! It may just have been noisy support bearings or the owner noticed the VCU beginning to go tight, or the owner wanted to use mismatching tyres - in which case you are fine to reinstall props assuming you have 4 matching (make & model) tyres and the VCU being used is servicable (I would not trust a 2nd hand VCU).

If the owner ran mismatched tyres or an overly tight VCU and then noticed problems - you may just blow your transmission by reinstalling props.

There are some threads on here that discuss reinstalling props and what to look for and test - a search should find them.

GrumpyGel · Sep 28, 2019

Right, I see the previous owner said they were removed to improve fuel consumption - that's a red flag!

If the car was in good condition, there is no noticable improvement in fuel consumption.

I see its had new gearbox and IRD - I think that tells you the fuel consumption thing is not right - they are the bits that go.

It won't have new(ish) units either - if they were reconditioned, the seller would have said - so they probably aren't, they are probably from a breakers - so the history of them is unknown.

You really need to examine the condition of the IRD before you reinstall props - as I say, it won't just be your money and time that is wasted, the IRD may not be in a good enough condition to take the added stresses of 4WD. It may be, it may not.

Nodge68 · Sep 28, 2019

Stresshead74 said:
Does anyone know if the propshafts are difficult between manual and automatic on the same year of car please?

I assume you mean different between manual and auto? The answer is no. The propshafts are the same, as is the IRD.

GrumpyGel said:
Right, I see the previous owner said they were removed to improve fuel consumption - that's a red flag!

Most likely, although not always. I know of a couple of occasions where the owners removed them, genuinely thinking it would improve the MPG, which it does, albeit by about 0.05%.

Stresshead74 · Sep 28, 2019

GrumpyGel said:
It is difficult to have both manual and automatic on the same car - I'll grant you that!

If you're asking whether propshafts are interchangeable between manual and automatic, they are. I'm pretty sure the prop shafts are identical between different engines as well - ie diesel, 4 & 6 cylinder petrols. However, the prop shaft is split into 2 pieces with a viscous coupling unit (VCU) splitting them. The diesel & 4 cyl are interchangeable, the V6 is supposedly different - but I don't know by how much and whether they are actually interchangeable - I hazard a guess to say they are.

However, you're biggest question is whether your car is in a condition to allow the props to be reinstalled. The props were removed for a reason! It may just have been noisy support bearings or the owner noticed the VCU beginning to go tight, or the owner wanted to use mismatching tyres - in which case you are fine to reinstall props assuming you have 4 matching (make & model) tyres and the VCU being used is servicable (I would not trust a 2nd hand VCU).

If the owner ran mismatched tyres or an overly tight VCU and then noticed problems - you may just blow your transmission by reinstalling props.

There are some threads on here that discuss reinstalling props and what to look for and test - a search should find them.

That’s a great help thanks very much. The units on my car are all well tested and have done a few thousand miles since installing them. The donor prop is a complete unit and has come off a running vehicle. I’ll let you know how I get on.

Stresshead74 · Sep 28, 2019

GrumpyGel said:
It is difficult to have both manual and automatic on the same car - I'll grant you that!

If you're asking whether propshafts are interchangeable between manual and automatic, they are. I'm pretty sure the prop shafts are identical between different engines as well - ie diesel, 4 & 6 cylinder petrols. However, the prop shaft is split into 2 pieces with a viscous coupling unit (VCU) splitting them. The diesel & 4 cyl are interchangeable, the V6 is supposedly different - but I don't know by how much and whether they are actually interchangeable - I hazard a guess to say they are.

However, you're biggest question is whether your car is in a condition to allow the props to be reinstalled. The props were removed for a reason! It may just have been noisy support bearings or the owner noticed the VCU beginning to go tight, or the owner wanted to use mismatching tyres - in which case you are fine to reinstall props assuming you have 4 matching (make & model) tyres and the VCU being used is servicable (I would not trust a 2nd hand VCU).

If the owner ran mismatched tyres or an overly tight VCU and then noticed problems - you may just blow your transmission by reinstalling props.

There are some threads on here that discuss reinstalling props and what to look for and test - a search should find them.

I’ll have a look for those threads thanks.
That’s a great help thanks very much. The units on my car are all well tested and have done a few thousand miles since installing them. The donor prop is a complete unit and has come off a running vehicle. I’ll let you know how I get on.

anitarrc · Sep 28, 2019

They are definitely the same prop shafts . If the prop shaft was bad and the IRD was replaced by bet would be that the vicious coupler was bad. You don't mention how many Kms it has done, I have seen them go between 110 and 180 thousand. If it has more that would be nº1 suspicion.
Get a new one. No bovine manure.

GrumpyGel · Sep 28, 2019

Stresshead74 said:
That’s a great help thanks very much. The units on my car are all well tested and have done a few thousand miles since installing them. The donor prop is a complete unit and has come off a running vehicle. I’ll let you know how I get on.

When you install it, do a one wheel up test to determine if its safe to run with the VCU or you need a new/recon one...

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

Alibro · Sep 29, 2019

Stresshead74 said:
That’s a great help thanks very much. The units on my car are all well tested and have done a few thousand miles since installing them. The donor prop is a complete unit and has come off a running vehicle. I’ll let you know how I get on.

Most people think the propshaft (and therefore the VCU) is good if the car has 4WD after it is fitted, They don't realise the purpose of the VCU is to allow the front and rear wheels to turn at slightly different speed so it has to allow a certain amount of slippage. If it has stiffened over the years it no longer allows this slippage so something else has to give and it's usually either the rear diff or the IRD or both.
That's why Grumpy is suggesting you test it by doing the one wheel up test.

Stresshead74 · Oct 5, 2019

Thanks for everyone who have offered me help and advice with this, I have checked and and double checked everything, and today was the big day. And success! It’s all fitted and running well. So a huge thank you once again to everyone. Happy Landying to you all!

potus · Oct 5, 2019

God news but be sure to do the IRD / VCU checks.

Prop-erly Shafted (in the right place hopefully)

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