Rear Axle Off Centre?

Hello,

I own a Land Rover Defender TD5 manufactured in 2006.
Lately I noticed that my rear axle looks slightly off center with the right tyre sitting further to the driver's side sticking outside wheel arch. It seems that the van is leaning by an inch to the passenger's side. The land rover has not been lifted and has BF Goodrich size 285/75/16 tyres.
Can you please help me identify what the problem could be and what I need to look for please.

Landyaddict said:

Hello,

I own a Land Rover Defender TD5 manufactured in 2006.
Lately I noticed that my rear axle looks slightly off center with the right tyre sitting further to the driver's side sticking outside wheel arch. It seems that the van is leaning by an inch to the passenger's side. The land rover has not been lifted and has BF Goodrich size 285/75/16 tyres.
Can you please help me identify what the problem could be and what I need to look for please.

Click to expand...

Could be as simple as slight distortion of the body, or the rubber wheel arches.
If it drives alright, and all the suspension nuts are tight, I wouldn't worry about it.

Landyaddict said:

Hello,

I own a Land Rover Defender TD5 manufactured in 2006.
Lately I noticed that my rear axle looks slightly off center with the right tyre sitting further to the driver's side sticking outside wheel arch. It seems that the van is leaning by an inch to the passenger's side. The land rover has not been lifted and has BF Goodrich size 285/75/16 tyres.
Can you please help me identify what the problem could be and what I need to look for please.

Click to expand...

You could check your trailing arm bushes and your A frame condition.
It could be that a rear spring has snapped a coil or there's an issue with the spring seat. This might be causing the lean and the lean could be giving the impression that the axle is out of align.

I really appreciate your help guys.

Below please find related photos for ease of reference.

Photos have been taken from behind car.

I wouldn't worry too much about the position of the tyres in relation to the plastic mudguard extensions, as these can be a little approximate. The lateral position of the axle is defined by the so called A frame top link. It's attached to a chassis crossmember by rubber or urethane bushes at one and and the axle by a ball joint just to the nearside of the diff. So there isn't any adjustment. It's defined by where the bolt holes have been drilled and where the bracket has been welded on the axle. I think the factory tolerances with Land Rover suspension components are a little relaxed so there would always have been some slight variations. The main thing is to ensure that all the bushes and the ball joint are sound, by giving them a good strong wobble to see if there is any movement. Very occasionally you might find a nut or bolt loose too. But if it's all OK, then the best you can do is stop worrying because short of cutting brackets off and welding them on somewhere else, there isn't any end-user adjustment!

Brown said:

I wouldn't worry too much about the position of the tyres in relation to the plastic mudguard extensions, as these can be a little approximate. The lateral position of the axle is defined by the so called A frame top link. It's attached to a chassis crossmember by rubber or urethane bushes at one and and the axle by a ball joint just to the nearside of the diff. So there isn't any adjustment. It's defined by where the bolt holes have been drilled and where the bracket has been welded on the axle. I think the factory tolerances with Land Rover suspension components are a little relaxed so there would always have been some slight variations. The main thing is to ensure that all the bushes and the ball joint are sound, by em a good strong wobble to see if there is any movement. Very occasionally you might find a nut or bolt loose too. But if it's all OK, then the best you can do is stop worrying because short of cutting brackets off and welding them on somewhere else, there isn't any end-user adjustment!

Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply.

This does not explain the lean however. What is causing the lean?

Rear springs have been changed recently.

Landyaddict said:

Thank you for your reply.

This does not explain the lean however. What is causing the lean?

Rear springs have been changed recently.

Click to expand...

Do you know the part number that was fitted?

mick 1986 said:

Do you know the part number that was fitted?

Click to expand...

I do not know the part number. Surely, the problem is not the springs.

Landyaddict said:

I do not know the part number. Surely, the problem is not the springs.

Click to expand...

If you fitted two springs at the rear that are the same, that is quite likely. All four springs should be different.

As Turboman said, the springs are rated differently to compensate for uneven weight distribution across the vehicle eg. from fuel tank etc. The correct springs fitted at each corner help it sit straight.
Have you checked the condition of the trailing arm bushes yet? You could also check the trailing arm brackets on the side of the chassis rail for corrosion and/or being bent. If a bush has perished and collapsed or a bracket bent, this could explain the offset of your axle. Have you been off road in it or might a previous owner? As Brown explained the axle is fixed via the A frame and the two trailing arms, so they need checking out as well as their mounting bracket points (on the axle too). A visual inspection probably won't be enough, you'll need to get a pry bar in and even better if you can get the weight off the wheels while doing it. Safety first though, don't jack it up unless you know what you are doing, especially if it's on the slightest of slopes.

Landyaddict said:

I do not know the part number. Surely, the problem is not the springs.

Click to expand...

Which defender is it?
This table shows different springs on each side for a 90.


So back to my question, what part number was fitted?

mick 1986 said:

Which defender is it?
This table shows different springs on each side for a 90.
View attachment 249134

So back to my question, what part number was fitted?

Click to expand...

NRC9448
NRC9449

Landyaddict said:

NRC9448
NRC9449

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Have they been fitted the correct way round? RHS on RHS, and LHS on LHS?

mick 1986 said:

Have they been fitted the correct way round? RHS on RHS, and LHS on LHS?

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Yes of course, by a professional mechanic. The problem does not concern the springs.

Landyaddict said:

Thank you for your reply.

This does not explain the lean however. What is causing the lean?

Rear springs have been changed recently.

Click to expand...

Landyaddict said:

Yes of course, by a professional mechanic. The problem does not concern the springs.

Click to expand...

So what is causing the lean? Surely you must know if you know it’s not the springs as they were fitted by a “professional”?

Landyaddict said:

Yes of course, by a professional mechanic. The problem does not concern the springs.

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You've got people on here genuinely trying to help you out. mick 1986's questions about the springs are valid because it is a possible issue. They can be fitted on the wrong sides too. If your professional mechanic is so good, perhaps you should be paying him to resolve the lean and axle mis-alignment.

Landyaddict said:

Yes of course, by a professional mechanic. The problem does not concern the springs.

Click to expand...

Leaning to the passenger side by an inch is normal. When an average weight driver is in the drivers seat the car will sit level.

Al2O3 said:

As Turboman said, the springs are rated differently to compensate for uneven weight distribution across the vehicle eg. from fuel tank etc. The correct springs fitted at each corner help it sit straight.
Have you checked the condition of the trailing arm bushes yet? You could also check the trailing arm brackets on the side of the chassis rail for corrosion and/or being bent. If a bush has perished and collapsed or a bracket bent, this could explain the offset of your axle. Have you been off road in it or might a previous owner? As Brown explained the axle is fixed via the A frame and the two trailing arms, so they need checking out as well as their mounting bracket points (on the axle too). A visual inspection probably won't be enough, you'll need to get a pry bar in and even better if you can get the weight off the wheels while doing it. Safety first though, don't jack it up unless you know what you are doing, especially if it's on the slightest of slopes.

Click to expand...

Thank you.

Point taken. I will take your advice.

I will come back to you with feedback

mick 1986 said:

So what is causing the lean? Surely you must know if you know it’s not the springs as they were fitted by a “professional”?

Click to expand...

That's exactly what we are trying to find out.

Thank you.

Have a very good look down the chassis front to rear and rear to front and check to see if there is a bow in the chassis.
Met a chap with a nice CSW looked very nice, then I noticed something not quite right similar to yours and then the alarm rang when I saw the sticker of the seller [ long gone now ]
You guessed it a bow in the chassis that even pulled the body out/in some. Taken a hit in the side I think. Chap was a policeman and not amused.