Rear Diff Issue?? please help :)

Hi,

Wondered if you can help with some advice.

Basically I bought my first 4x4, which was a 1999 plate freelander 2.0d. This is just to be used as a car for my wife at the stables, so only a farm/2nd car if needed.

I bought it private and the guy told me it was definitely 4 wheel drive, at the time I didnt know anything about 4x4 and with this being the first 2nd hand car bought I was stupid and didnt look into the usual points when picking it up.

Anyway after getting under the freelander when on the drive at home, I noticed the prop shaft was missing (Im currently taking legal action on the seller as he gave false information on the listing/and by text)

So I have bought a prop shaft complete with VCU and when fitting it I noticed something with the rear diff which I thought was a fault but not 100% sure. At this stage I didnt complete the installation.

Basically with the rear wheels lifted off the ground, if I spin them the rear diff collar moves as I guess it should. But If I hold the rear diff collar with one hand and spin the wheel with the other, the wheel moves but the collar doesn't.

I guess this is a fault? but I really dont know and wondered if anyone on here could let me know if this sounds like a knacked rear diff or if it is normal for you to be able to spin the rear wheels and with tension on the rear diff prop shaft collar that it stays stationary/doesnt rotate.

Any help/info would be much appreciated

If you hold the diff input and turn a wheel the other wheel should turn in the opposite direction.
You need to try and find out why it was removed in the first place. You may have brought a lemon.
Is the replacement VCU new or reconditioned?
You need to get the IRD checked out as well.

Welcome by the way.

Dunc

hope you sue the pants of him ,there are too many out there taking the props off the disguise something wrong.

Hi Dunc,

Thanks for the info, im going to lift the rear end tomorrow and run the tests. It was a used prop shaft a bought, I was told is fully working and condition does look ok.

the buyer said that he was selling this for his dad and his dad said it definitely was complete 4 wheel drive. I told him when I found out the next day I wanted to bring it back, but he told me he had already bought another car and didnt have the money (Even know it was 8pm the night before when I picked this up)

For weeks he was meant to be sorting a prop shaft for me, but then I ended up sorting it and told him to send me a cheque or transfer...... hes been lying for weeks with all sorts of excuses, now he has just gone quite.

After spending some time on google search I have found he sells many cars on gumtree, and has two different phone numbers. Hes making people believe hes a private seller and in the listings he does suggest that its his own car each time that hes selling. I have saved all these ads, and going to take this up with trading standards also as he will be dodging the system, due the volume of cars hes selling, he is a trader pretending to be private

Im not even bothered about getting any money from this guy now (as I know its not going to happen), but I just want to make sure I can stop him from screwing other people over.

Sorry if I have gone on a bit here, I will keep you and teddywood1 updated if your interested.

Thanks,

yes please keep us update what part of the country are you in

Morning, I'm in Manchester, but bought the Freelander from Nottingham

Report him to hmrc! Sounds like a tax dodger too

let us know how you go on with the diff

Ive just lifted the rear end of the car and held the diff input then spun one of the wheels as Dunc suggested and the other wheel did spin in the opposite direction. Looks like it might actually be working, so going to fit the prop shaft this weekend and see what happens

and a update regarding the dodgy seller, ive been in contact with both citizens advice and also trading standards, they also believe from the information I gave about him that he may be a trader and not private. They said they will investigate further into this guy. The citizens advice said I could take this to civil court without much legal costs to myself as most of the case can be dealt with by myself and no need to employ a solicitor.

I will keep you updated on the outcome of both of the above.

Tom