Series 3 issues

Hi there, i'm a new member to this forum. i am also new to land rovers. i got my 1st last month. i got it cheap so i didnt expect much of it but i am sorting things out one by one. curently i got two main problems with it.
These are:
when i jack the front wheels, and shake the wheel from the upper part( i mean not fromt he side to check if there is any trouble with the steering) it seems to be a bit loose( there is a small ammount of travel) i am wondering if it is a wheel bearing failure that needs to be replaced, something else, or it's normal?

now for the second question
I have a bit of trouble in my gearbox, (apart from the fallen syncromesh). The trouble is with the 4wd. to activate 4wd qall i have to do is turn the freewheeling hub on the front. i do not have to press the yellow knob or something else. when i push the red lever into low the yellow knob releases itself but to put the red knob back in high i have to press again the yellow knob which will remain stuck in that position. i have no clue whats going on.. also not mentioned before. when the landy is on 2 wheel drive(disengaged from the freewheeling hub) the propshaft rattles (the rattlign comes from inside the transfer box)when the vehicle start moving or moving on a high gear at low speed, while on 4wd no rattling is heard at no time.
Any clue guys?

Thanks a lot for reading and sorry for such a long first thread.

Welcome to Looneyzone, Chris - hope yu have a thick skin and a thicker wallet.

It sounds like the front swivel shims need re-shimming.
it sounds like you dont understand fully the 2wd/4wd system on yo series. You dont only use the free wheeling hubs to engage/disengage 4wd.
Others better than me will explain - or do a search on here - its been covered many times.

yu might want to read this.

Do you mean the red leaver actually moves forward on its own when you press the yellow knob in low range? All the way to high? Bizarre

Davec said:

Do you mean the red leaver actually moves forward on its own when you press the yellow knob in low range? All the way to high? Bizarre

Click to expand...

it doesn't go in high, it goes in neutral, then i can but the knob in high but doing so the yellow knob remains depressed down.

Ok, just to clarify, pressing the yellow knob down engages 4x4 high range. To take it out of 4x4 high range, pull red knob towards you, this engages low range 4x4 and the yellow knob goes back up on a spring. Push red knob forwards to go back to 2x4 high range.

Just leave the free wheeling hubs engaged unless you want to save stupidly small amounts of fuel.

jmattley said:

Ok, just to clarify, pressing the yellow knob down engages 4x4 high range. To take it out of 4x4 high range, pull red knob towards you, this engages low range 4x4.

Click to expand...

Till here all is well, then when i try to push the red knob up again, it won't move and to move i have to press the yellow knob. which will make the high range to work in 4wd again. thus i have to free the freewheeling hub to disengage the 4wd. (and the rattling from the shaft in the transferbox starts again).
a bit complex and puzziling isn't it.

Hmm, how perplexing, perhaps a wound up transfer box? Anyone else know how to unwind a transfer box?

I Had The Same Problem With My Series 2 Your Levers Are Having To See Saw Because You Dog Is Stuck In 4wd, I Used It Like That For Ages And Like You I Released The Free Wheel Hubs To Stop Wind Up Whilst On The Tarmac, The Problem Is In Your Transfer Box, Fix Other Stuff Your Transfer Box Can Wait, Good Luck. Pj