Vcu, gear box leak and sticking caliper? Help! Have done research now : )

celt · Jan 7, 2014

Ok guys so no replies to my other thread so I've spent the day investigating and also reading what feels like every post on here!

So!
Drove car twenty miles home- checked around wheels rear near side wheel is hotter than rest- but not red hot more like hot to touch but not burning- bearing in mind I live on a farm and have to drive through flood water to get to work each day could this be a sticking caliper? Or any ideas? Could this be linked to handbrake not working?

I also checked VCU temperature it was mildly warm- as in metal bit was warmer than cold metal but in no way hot- this is good right? It also looks quite shiny and new which hopefully is also a good thing!

Also I rang garage (well known multi site rip off merchants) as knew they serviced it for me last year and did something on the brakes. Turns out it had new brake drums and shoes on back so thinking it may need break pads on front (for brakes not working fab) although would have thought this would have been mentioned in the mot if they were close?
Which was October? Also apparently on the notes form garage that serviced it (also October) it had a gear box oil leak-this wasn't mentioned to me at any stage until today. This kind of triggered the VCU panic.
So it's going to have to go to the garage now to sort this- hoping its a minor fix firstly because I've been driving it round since October including forty mile round trip commute (gears seem fine!) and also due to post Christmas pennies!

So basically- any ideas about rear wheel? Does VCU sound ok? And any ideas on oil leak? Any north Wales garage recommendations?
All answers much appreciated I will send you cake!

Datatek · Jan 7, 2014

celt said:
Ok guys so no replies to my other thread so I've spent the day investigating and also reading what feels like every post on here!

So!
Drove car twenty miles home- checked around wheels rear near side wheel is hotter than rest- but not red hot more like hot to touch but not burning- bearing in mind I live on a farm and have to drive through flood water to get to work each day could this be a sticking caliper? Or any ideas? Could this be linked to handbrake not working?

I also checked VCU temperature it was mildly warm- as in metal bit was warmer than cold metal but in no way hot- this is good right? It also looks quite shiny and new which hopefully is also a good thing!

Also I rang garage (well known multi site rip off merchants) as knew they serviced it for me last year and did something on the brakes. Turns out it had new brake drums and shoes on back so thinking it may need break pads on front (for brakes not working fab) although would have thought this would have been mentioned in the mot if they were close?
Which was October? Also apparently on the notes form garage that serviced it (also October) it had a gear box oil leak-this wasn't mentioned to me at any stage until today. This kind of triggered the VCU panic.
So it's going to have to go to the garage now to sort this- hoping its a minor fix firstly because I've been driving it round since October including forty mile round trip commute (gears seem fine!) and also due to post Christmas pennies!

So basically- any ideas about rear wheel? Does VCU sound ok? And any ideas on oil leak? Any north Wales garage recommendations?
All answers much appreciated I will send you cake!

See your other thread.

jamesmartin · Jan 7, 2014

shoes rubbing in drum would cause heat if not adjusted correct or sticking,try vcu with a bar on jacked up rear wheel

celt · Jan 7, 2014

jamesmartin said:
shoes rubbing in drum would cause heat if not adjusted correct or sticking,try vcu with a bar on jacked up rear wheel

Ok how do I do bar on jacked up wheel? Sorry real novice here! I read the temp was best gauge of VCU as in if its neither hot or cold should be ok? Is that optimism?!!! I know the part is expensive but is the job difficult to replace?

jamesmartin · Jan 7, 2014

jack one rear wheel up release hand brake and using a bar and socket on wheel nut try and turn wheel it should turn slowly with some resistance but not over tight

musky81 · Jan 7, 2014

As jamesmartin said above, follow instructions for checking vcu with one rear wheel off the ground. If you want to be more accurate about it read threads on one wheel up test. Dont do it on the side thats suffering from hot wheel as possibility of sticking brake shoes will affect your results.
It sounds like your most immediate concern is your rear brakes, ive had the same problem twice over the time ive had td4. Your rear brakes probably sticking on hot side according to your symptoms. Whether you take to garage or kwik fit type place, you can always ask to see condition of brakes before and after work if you are willing to hang around.

celt · Jan 7, 2014

Thank you : ) the gearbox leak was the bit that concerned me most!

musky81 · Jan 7, 2014

celt said:
Thank you : ) the gearbox leak was the bit that concerned me most!

Sorry never registered that line on your original post. Would have been nice of garage to give you more detail on this. Whats leaking and how much to fix would be a start. Need to establish whether its gearbox or ird that appears to be leaking. Find a decent garage and tell them your concerns. Ask them to change gearbox and ird oils and actually measure how much oil they drain out to try and establish the extent of any leakage. As a lot of others on here might tell you, oil "weeps" on land rovers are not uncommon where it is literally a visible oil stain on a surface. I have a few of these areas on both my disco and freelander ( glutton for punishment). On carrying out recent servicing on both, all components contained the amount of oil I expected. Simplest thing is to cast an eye over the area where your vehicle has been parked each time you drive off, if theres oil on the road....then youve got a problem that needs looking at....becomes second nature to some land rover owners

celt · Jan 7, 2014

Thanks it's going into garage so will keep informed- only hope is that it's been driving fine and no obvious pools of oil that no damage done : /

Vcu, gear box leak and sticking caliper? Help! Have done research now : )

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