Still vibrating...

My 90 TD5 is again vibrating under load after I though I had solved the issue by replacing the rear prop.
Since then I have had the flywheel and clutch replaced again with no difference in vibration. On both occasions after repair the vibration had gone for the first 10 miles or so. I´m inclined to think it may be the transfer box, gear box or front diff. It is never quite the same vibration, sometimes it vibrates more, sometimes less, sometimes at 40kph, sometimes all the way up to 130kph.

There is also a hum/low volume vibration at constant speed and the gearstick has a very high frequency vibration at high speed...

I´m very tempted to replace the gearbox, transfer box and front diff with ashcroft units. Just to finally have peace of mind and a car I can enjoy.

mikerajjers said:

My 90 TD5 is again vibrating under load after I though I had solved the issue by replacing the rear prop.
Since then I have had the flywheel and clutch replaced again with no difference in vibration. On both occasions after repair the vibration had gone for the first 10 miles or so. I´m inclined to think it may be the transfer box, gear box or front diff. It is never quite the same vibration, sometimes it vibrates more, sometimes less, sometimes at 40kph, sometimes all the way up to 130kph.

There is also a hum/low volume vibration at constant speed and the gearstick has a very high frequency vibration at high speed...

I´m very tempted to replace the gearbox, transfer box and front diff with ashcroft units. Just to finally have peace of mind and a car I can enjoy.

Click to expand...

Presume you've checked engine and gearbox mounts? That's a big spend you have in mind there. I can appreciate you are probably getting sick of it, we've all been there once or twice I take it the vibration is coming through the floor and body work, not the steering. I've got a vague recollection of a previous post, but can't remember exactly.

Al2O3 said:

Presume you've checked engine and gearbox mounts? That's a big spend you have in mind there. I can appreciate you are probably getting sick of it, we've all been there once or twice I take it the vibration is coming through the floor and body work, not the steering. I've got a vague recollection of a previous post, but can't remember exactly.

Click to expand...

Hi, I´ve checked everything I could think of and replaced lots and lots of ´cheap´parts (I mean cheap compared to a gearbox) like bushes, steering rods, etc. I did a full rebuild of the rear axle and fitted a new ashcroft diff. The steering has had a new drop arm, drag link, damper, etc. The car feels much sharper, quieter and nicer to drive than when I bought it over a 15 months ago. Engine and gearbox mounts are ok. The vibrations are very high frequency, as if gears are grinding or some kind of bearing somewhere is shot.

I am a bit frustrated with it now, fixed lots of stuff and had a number of mechanics look at it. Each one was ´dead certain´ it was this or that but in hindsight they didn´t really have a clue. I later resorted to youtube and this forum to do lots of the things myself as I was getting nowhere with mechanics. In fact I rebuilt the rear axle myself, rebuilt the steering myself, changed wheel bearings, fuel pump and I thoroughly enjoyed doing it. However, fault finding a gearbox or transfer box fault is far beyond my capability or understanding (I work in product design and sales).

So i´m very tempted to bite the bullet and turn to ashcroft. I thought about selling the defender, but in its current state i wouldn´t get much. Also thought about mothballing it and returning to it sometime in the future. The new Suzuki Jimny looks more and more appealing every day!!! I may eventually decide to cut my losses and get one of those

mikerajjers said:

new Suzuki Jimny looks more and more appealing every day!!! I may eventually decide to cut my losses and get one of those

Click to expand...

What blasphemy!!

On a more serious note, and I understand this is an increasingly basic suggestion and do not want to offend, but have you tried simply changing the gearbox and transferbox oil? You haven’t mentioned in in all the other work you have done. If new oil
To the correct level quietens things down it is likely to be a bearing on the way out in one of the boxes.
Also I would not worry about the gearstick vibrating. I believe they all do that and are supposed to. Certainly everyone I have ever driventhe gear stick vibrated.
Where can the vibration be felt from or can it only be heard? If there is no feel and only the noise it could be tyre noise if you are running an off-road tread pattern. My friends series 1 runs deestone xtra’s and they absolutely howl driving along. But there is nothing wrong with the vehicle.

There is a spring on the gearstick that dampens it,needs to be adjusted right. Try driving with diff lock in for a bit [ on a straight bit of smooth road. If rattle goes away it points to a center diff problem.
I have say though that chasing every little vibration and rattle on an older landy is very time consuming and not much point as when you find it another will replace it.

I changed all the oils and fluids a couple of months ago but didn't feel a difference. Tyres won't be the cause either as I've had them before the vibrations. If anything the vibration is getting worse each time. It is a very very high frequency vibration as though teeth are grinding and it isn't constant...its not loud either, more like a drone in the background but I feel it through the seat, steering wheel, gear leaver. I first noticed it after doing some offroading earlier this year on which occasion I broke my rear diff. Probably damaged something else at the time.

When out of gear there is no vibration so I presume the cause isn't front diff or prop related.

I am currently trying to 'rag it' in the hope that whatever it is will break so I can diagnose it

mikerajjers said:

I am currently trying to 'rag it' in the hope that whatever it is will break so I can diagnose it

Click to expand...

I like your style!!