VCU or not VCU that is the question.

As you will able to tell from my number of posts I have only recently purchased a freelander 1, 2 litre XDI, 2000 with 98000 on the clock. I trauled the forums for common problems and found a culprit to a lot of porblems is the VCU. I did have a knocking to the rear and shuddering on slow turns or pulling away and it was hard to get into gear sometimes. Having inspected the underneath of the car, it looked to me like the front prop shaft and the VCU were new or at least new ish to the car. I thought I would test it and I followed the breaker bar test but I thought if a felt any shuddering it may be a clue, but this went absolutely perfectly no hint of problems. I also checked for saw tooth wear on the tyres but nothing but perfectly normal wear. I therefore inspected the rear mounting bushes ? for the rear diff and these were knackered. I replaced all three and the knocking was immediately cured, however the shuddering was still there and the difficulty in gettting it into gear sometimes, so I thought if its not the VCU it might be the VCU bearings allowig the prop too much movement. I bought some of these bearings off the internet and tried to fit them myself. I got the propshaft and the VCU off quite easily (all nuts and stuff where nice a tight so no loose bolt syndrome). I fully inspected the bearings and the rubber bushes were starting to perish and move more than usual, but the bearings themselves ran freely.While I couldnt trully identify these as the culprit for the shudder, I decided that since I had new ones I would replace them anyway and this is when I got in a right pickle. Ive basically cocked it up. I couldnt get the new bearings on and I think I may have screwed the old ones.

Pee'd off and disgruntled I went for a drive in my newly 2wd Freelander. I was very suprised to feel the car transformed, easier to get into gear, no shuddering on turning and seemed far more responsive. As this is my first 4x4 I have no frame of reference but should there really be that much difference. This also defenitely seems to point to the shaft, VCU bearings or the VCU? but its getting bloody expensive trying to track this one down.

Obviously my main concern was IRD problems but I thought this isnt that likely given its transformation in 2WD drive. I also dont suspect the rear diff as I woudl have thought the shuddering would have happened with or with out the prop.

I mean I could leave this as 2wd but I want 4wd godamn I know my rights

Any help or thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

I am in the same position i have just bought a 2001 TD4 Freelander with 88000 on the clock. It drives mint with no noises even at high speed or full lock turning, it does slow down on full lock in both forward and reverse. BUT Just gone through it from front to rear and on dropping the IRD oil we found metal bits on plug plus done the V/C test of jacking up rear wheel but cannot get it to move yet the V/C looks brand new. I have had it to three 4x4 specialists plus a gearbox specialist who repairs dealer 4x4 transmissions three say it drives mint and is OK one says V/C solid needs renewing.
Not being funny the problem is these vehicles are of such low market value to start getting new V/C fitted at £500 plus is it worth it. More so now i hear you can run them in two wheel drive with no problems. What do you need to do to put it to two wheel drive, do you need to take off prop from IRD then the prop off the diff then take off the V/C unit.On eBay they have a blanking plate made for the IRD BOX . Cheers f1bash

f1bash said:

What do you need to do to put it to two wheel drive, do you need to take off prop from IRD then the prop off the diff then the V/V unit. Cheers f1bash

Click to expand...

yes

as I said in my post I want to return mine to 4wd but as Mat Hat Man says its as simple as removing the propshaft. blanking plates for the IRD are about £20 but if you are leaving it like that then maybe its worth it. I personnally think the ride quality when in 4wd is far better, but i want to get my VCD checked ot properly before reinstalling with new bearings.

I have another dilemma at the moment with the gearbox. I've put it in another thread, but basically some gump has put the petrol engine gearbox in my diesel freelander so Ive got to swap them out, oh joy!!

Thanks for the info, the V/C & IRD problem's are a nightmare to new owners of Freelanders because if like myself others have experienced that some tests it passes 100% but on others it fails. I have had mine to four 4x4 specialists and 3 say it is OK and one says the V/C is stuck because he cannot move a jacked up rear wheel even with bar But i have just done the marks on the prop shafts test and they have moved loads after a run. And it does not jerk or skip doing hard lock figure of eights in both forwards or reverse. It does feel like the brakes are on a bit but again the specialists say this is normal,its the same with finding metal particles on the IRD oil removal plug they say if they replaced every unit they found metal particles on them they would be replacing every 8 out of 10 vehicles IRD boxes. So i am still in the same position do i take of the props or do i leave it as it is and drive it. Cheers f1bash

F1 how are you at mechanics? ig you are thinking of removing the propshaft and blanking the IRD, you must be fairly confident. Why dont you do the bar test yourself? are you sure you friend didnt have the handbrake on, it has been known.

People worry to much about their VCU's (me included!) if your not getting any symptons then dont worry to much and enjoy the motor. What did the other 3 do to think its ok ?

To cut a long story short I had worked on hippos before but not really experienced that much of them. I fixed my mates doozil then ended up keeping it, so I read up on the VCU, IRD, and about correct tyre rotation of putting newest on the rear.

My Mate had the post 2001 IRD and VCU fitted to the hippo 6 months before I had it, yet I felt tremendous windup when reversing or turning corners as well as horrible transmission noise. Overall it was horrible to drive, sketchy and unwilling.

All four tyres had various stages of wear, 1 had medium wear and a slow puncture, 1 was good and 2 were just legal (on different axles). The spare was knackered.

I kept the good one as a spare and put 4 new tyres on the others.
Avon Ranger AT's. only 58 squid each inc fitting.

What a difference it made.

Its now smooth as silk really enjoyable to drive, only very slight windup up on full lock (sometimes cant even notice it at all), transmission noise vastly reduced. The handling is now accurate, planted and very nimble, a hippo that can be driven enthusiastically!

If not 4 new tyres at the very least make sure your newest tyres are on the rear axle. Such a difference can be made.

RogNog many thanks for your reply, They did the normal figure of eight test both in reverse and forwards plus took it on a test run on both country roads and motorway. I have tried the bar test and cannot turn a raised rear wheel. My main concerns are the metal bits on the magnetic plug from the IRD and i will say when i do put full lock on to get into my drive in both forward and reverse i can feel the car slow down, but again the other three 4x4 mechanics said to them it felt normal for a freelander. On doing the figure of eight test it will do a figure of eight on tick-over with no jerking or skipping and the tyre tread is mint plus no noises or whines

. The mechanic who found the metal bits when changing the oils say the IRD must go bang soon as he thinks they are parts from the shims etc and the V/C unit also needs replacing. Again like many others do not know what to do. To replace both the V/C & the IRD units is just not viable on a car worth at most £2700, but if i remove the V/C & the props will that stop the IRD going bang !!!!!!. f1bash

Im no mechanic but I would guess that 2wd mode puts less strain on the IRD then in full 4wd mode. You said you have no symptons but waht this guy has found in your IRD oil. From what I read on here they whine and kick and **** alot before they go so apart from the metal in the IRD you have none on these.

what miles has it done ?

No noises or whines nothing drives mint and the V/C looks not new but not as old as the car which has only done 88000 miles. f1bash

Don't be fooled by folks saying it's normal to be tight on full lock....it's a load of bollox!

My freelander was tight on full lock from the day I bought it. I believed, and was told it was normal.
Five months later (and another 2000 miles on the clock) I heard the first knocking noise.
My garage man diagnosed a stiff VCU had knackered the IRD.
I needed the car for hospital visits with the missis, so used it for that and nothing else ( a total of 100 miles over 2 weeks)....and BANG!!!

It cost a Grand to replace the IRD and VCU with reconditioned units.

I understand the dilema...how much do you spend on an old car?
The alternative of scrapping a car I paid 2 Grand for, and starting again didn't appeal.
I spent the cash.

Oh...and it no longer feels tight on full lock.

I still have one problem to sort out (posted on another thread) and the car should be sound.