Vcu

Sorry to be dull but does anybody on the forum have first hand experience of how a new vcu feels on the vehicle? My F/L is usual ie brakes on feel in tight turns and now done 80k i'm prepared to believe that the vcu needs replacing - less inclined to shell out if it is going to feel the same. I am well used to issue but when missis drives she sometimes stalls and gets in a right flap. Any first hand knowledge of new vcu would be great. still lovin me F/L 1 and still wanting an F/L 2 - one day

do a search on here for the tippex test and check out if it seized, when i changed mine i didn't feel any difference but mine failed the right way instead of seizing

gegs88 said:

do a search on here for the tippex test and check out if it seized, when i changed mine i didn't feel any difference but mine failed the right way instead of seizing

Click to expand...

So with new VCU the binding when at full lock is gone??
Thanks.

A freelander will feel tight on full lock even with a new VCU

Some years ago I had a job at gaydon It was to drive freelanders around all day long
I had to clock up 1000 miles on each one ready for the press release
I drove every model there was and I can say I never felt as though the brakes were on when turning on full lock
I own a frelander 1.8 and mine feels as though the brakes are on when on full lock
my vcu does turn very tight my car has done 88k

My favourite freelander was the diesel auto good fuel economy and still fast
the v6 was good but not so good on fuel

gazza666 said:

Some years ago I had a job at gaydon It was to drive freelanders around all day long
I had to clock up 1000 miles on each one ready for the press release
I drove every model there was and I can say I never felt as though the brakes were on when turning on full lock
I own a frelander 1.8 and mine feels as though the brakes are on when on full lock
my vcu does turn very tight my car has done 88k

Click to expand...

That sounds like a good job to have had.

I remember reading somewhere that a vcu would get hot if it was working properly. So therefore if a vcu is still cold after a long drive then it would probably be knackered.

howardo said:

That sounds like a good job to have had.

I remember reading somewhere that a vcu would get hot if it was working properly. So therefore if a vcu is still cold after a long drive then it would probably be knackered.

Click to expand...

Still confused to be honest. Gazza you drove dozens of them and none tight on full lock yet your own one is?? unless i've missunderstood?

Howardo says they all tight old or new? We (the forum) dont seem to agree on this. I would still love to get to the bottom of this!!!

if in doubt - check, Better to check unnecessarily than not check and bugger yo IRD.

DD3 said:

Still confused to be honest. Gazza you drove dozens of them and none tight on full lock yet your own one is?? unless i've missunderstood?

Howardo says they all tight old or new? We (the forum) dont seem to agree on this. I would still love to get to the bottom of this!!!

Click to expand...

I was told that all freelanders feel tight on full lock by a mate who worked at a landrover dealership.

It might be that the vcu gets harder and harder to turn till it
Seizes
so the feeling as though the brakes are on gets worse and worse
but when it is new it is ok

So what can be done to officially test the VCU? I've done tippex and it indicates as working. However I've now done 78K and does feel sluggish when I reverse with lock, though never really felt that when going forwards. Surely turning on full lock will have some slowing effect as you are changing direction... think if race drivers warming tyres behind satey car.... and therefore rubbing the tarmac?

tell her indoors its normal, simply because it is normal.

give it some gas on the tight turns.

If the VCU aint seized stop worrying, if it is then change it.

There are self appointed experts out there who started the rumour mill of the VCU to be replaced periodically.

I don't recall LR mentioning this in their service bulletins???

Skynet said:

So what can be done to officially test the VCU? I've done tippex and it indicates as working. However I've now done 78K and does feel sluggish when I reverse with lock, though never really felt that when going forwards. Surely turning on full lock will have some slowing effect as you are changing direction... think if race drivers warming tyres behind satey car.... and therefore rubbing the tarmac?

Click to expand...

A Test rig, I'm due to take the prop off in the next few days, gonna rig something.

The tyre scrub thing precisely, if you ever drive aFord Ranger, in 2wd feels like a car, in 4wd drive it feels like the brakes are on (diff lock aside)

Hi there I found this company's web site and found it seems to know what its talking about( even tho' theyare trying to sell you the bits )

Symptoms - Bell Engineering

If you go on the web page and click on the " Faults" Icon and read down hope it helps
S. Scotland

Sorry the we address didn't hold on the forum page

Home - Bell Engineering

S.Scotland

it just shows what a crap system the freelander drive is, if thickening of the VCU fluid can completely bugger up the IRD. Hasnt anyone at Landrover heard of Fail-safe designing? ffs that is what a fuse is for!!!!!

Stevelander said:

Hi there I found this company's web site and found it seems to know what its talking about( even tho' theyare trying to sell you the bits )

Symptoms - Bell Engineering

If you go on the web page and click on the " Faults" Icon and read down hope it helps
S. Scotland

Click to expand...

Funny Bell-ends engineering are faulting the Ashcroft transmissions methodology of testing the VCU, and the willo method using the line test.

It would appear that they are quoting things from this forum!

Stevelander said:

Sorry the we address didn't hold on the forum page

Home - Bell Engineering

S.Scotland

Click to expand...

£200 for a vcu with warranty is not bad.
They don't explain why they think the tipp-ex test is a not a true test though.
They may be exploiting our paranioa about vcu's.

howardo said:

£200 for a vcu with warranty is not bad.
They don't explain why they think the tipp-ex test is a not a true test though.
They may be exploiting our paranioa about vcu's.

Click to expand...

Good point, they are using info posted on a public forum for their gain

Have just read the Bell advert. They seem to go in for scare-mongering! Some of their statements show that they do not fully understand the transmission and the VCU test. The purpose of the wheel jacking/rotation test is to prove that the VCU is not seized and determine the torque required to make it slip. The rear differential permits unjacked rear wheel to stay on the ground and not rotate. Chocking the front wheel s prevents these from rotating and slip occurs at the VCU, thus the vehicle will remain statioonary, not move as Bell say. They say that seizure never occurs?
In other sections they state that there is thrust along the prop shaft from the VCU which damges the IRD thrust bearing. There is a spline along the prop shaft to accommodate build tolerances which will move axially under any thrust loads so again not quite correct.