VCU

Hi all, after some information on the VCU please. I have done the test and I can turn the wheel which suggests it’s fine but some forums say it should be changed every 70,000 miles? Welcome you knowledgeable replies

Some more info about your particular FL1 would be useful too - year, petrol / diesel / auto - manual .... Miles/km

Have a look at the one wheel up test [OWUT]. You're looking for a time of less than a minute and better still about 30 seconds to a minute. It gives an indication on the stiffness of the VCU.

Of particular importance is do the tyres match? That is, are they all the same brand, type, size AND inflation? Mismatched tyres or badly inflated tyre/s places undue stress on the driveline and can seriously damage the IRD or diff'.

htr said:

Some more info about your particular FL1 would be useful too - year, petrol / diesel / auto - manual .... Miles/km

Have a look at the one wheel up test [OWUT]. You're looking for a time of less than a minute and better still about 30 seconds to a minute. It gives an indication on the stiffness of the VCU.

Of particular importance is do the tyres match? That is, are they all the same brand, type, size AND inflation? Mismatched tyres or badly inflated tyre/s places undue stress on the driveline and can seriously damage the IRD or diff'.

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Apologies I have a FL1 2001 3dr 1.8. All the wheel tyres are different, this is something I am going to change when I have a few more pennies

I bought my fl1 with 69,000 miles on the clock and mismatched tyres which I changed immediately. I had read about the vcu problems on here so got my local 4x4 Indy garage to test it and give it a check over. They said the vcu was fine but I had a recon one and bearings fitted by bells engineering anyway, it cost a bit over £400 but the piece of mind was worth it. Before it was fitted, reversing on full lock made the car stall sometimes, that doesn't happen now. The life expectancy of a vcu is said to be about 70k but there are plenty still about with over a 100k. If I was you, I'd change the tyres for a matching set at the earliest opportunity, especially if you do a lot of miles

Col

Knocker1980 said:

Apologies I have a FL1 2001 3dr 1.8. All the wheel tyres are different, this is something I am going to change when I have a few more pennies

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If it's got a mish mash of odd tyres, then it's prudent to remove the propshafts, until this is corrected. If it's driven with odd tyres, then it's only a matter of time until the IRD lets go, which puts you in a whole world of hurt.

Colthebrummie said:

The life expectancy of a vcu is said to be about 70k but there are plenty still about with over a 100k.

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A VCU life of 70 K miles was a sales pitch from reconditioning companies, although with an element of truth. We do know that early Freelander's suffered more, due to the slightly different gearing on them, which was often compounded by bad tyre replacements. Tyre fitters didn't and still don't know how fussy the FL1 drive train is, so often put new tyres on the front. These new front tyres were normally different to the premium tyres that were removed.

We now know that the VCU will last huge distances, providing all tyres are identical, and when being replaced in pairs, the new ones MUST go on the back.

Follow these simple rules and the drive train has a huge service life, often well over 100,000K miles.

The VCU 70k mile thing is a myth. It was created as a rule of thumb by re-conners, then advertised with phrases like "in our vast eggsperience..."

Every re-conner condems the one wheel up test. They also prompt you not to measure and put figures up of the one they supply.

Those who have a reconditioned VCU will automatically feel a difference in the VCU as they recon them in such a way as to make them less stiff and therefore place less stress on the transmission. It also provides the buyer with the reasoning there was something wrong with their VCU as the recon one feels better.

Hippo said:

The VCU 70k mile thing is a myth. It was created as a rule of thumb by re-conners, then advertised with phrases like "in our vast eggsperience..."

Every re-conner condems the one wheel up test. They also prompt you not to measure and put figures up of the one they supply.

Those who have a reconditioned VCU will automatically feel a difference in the VCU as they recon them in such a way as to make them less stiff and therefore place less stress on the transmission. It also provides the buyer with the reasoning there was something wrong with their VCU as the recon one feels better.

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I wish you had told me that before I had a recon vcu fitted, I would have thought twice about it.

Col

Hippo said:

Every re-conner condems the one wheel up test.

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Even the re-conner that helped developed the OWUT tries to distance themselves from it, even though it's probably sent a pile if business there way.

Nodge68 said:

Even the re-conner that helped developed the OWUT tries to distance themselves from it, even though it's probably sent a pile if business there way.

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The free advertising on ere paid fer his private jet.