P38A What's that for then?

DanClarke · Mar 18, 2020

I was under the front of the car today on my back fitting a new ABS Sensor and I noticed a thing that looked like a fat barbell weight attached to a bracket and hanging off the back of the front axle.

I just looked in my workshop manual and it says it is a "mass damper", but I have no idea what it really does.
Clearly, it "damps mass", but I would like to know why/what/how and why does the axle need one?

kermit_rr · Mar 18, 2020

messes with the harmonics so you dont get vibration at certain speeds

Henry_b · Mar 18, 2020

Its a harmonic balance IIRC

DanClarke · Mar 18, 2020

Ahhhh... so its to stop oscillations/vibrations in the axle/drive-train. OK.

RangeRoller dt · Mar 19, 2020

Generally they look like meteorites at this age. Only prestige models like yours have one on front.
GoldRover found good link on why it works some time back

Grrrrrr · Mar 19, 2020

RangeRoller dt said:
Generally they look like meteorites at this age. Only prestige models like yours have one on front.
GoldRover found good link on why it works some time back

I think all the v8s have them, only the oil burner doesn't because there was no way to get it in there with the m51 engine that didn't foul somewhere. Besides, the diesel vibrates so much on its own it is a losing battle.

Datatek · Mar 19, 2020

Grrrrrr said:
I think all the v8s have them, only the oil burner doesn't because there was no way to get it in there with the m51 engine that didn't foul somewhere. Besides, the diesel vibrates so much on its own it is a losing battle.

M51 has one on the side of the bell housing

saxavordian · Mar 19, 2020

Landrover 110 had them at the rear boge

wammers · Mar 19, 2020

Grrrrrr said:
I think all the v8s have them, only the oil burner doesn't because there was no way to get it in there with the m51 engine that didn't foul somewhere. Besides, the diesel vibrates so much on its own it is a losing battle.

Correct. V8s have axle dampers front and rear. Diesels rear only.

saxavordian · Mar 19, 2020

wammers said:
Correct. V8s have axle dampers front and rear. Diesels rear only.

Do I get a biscuit

Strangely enough my old 110 v8 3.5 1988 had the boge at the rear only.

Grrrrrr · Mar 19, 2020

Datatek said:
M51 has one on the side of the bell housing

Don't remember seeing it. Auto only, maybe?

RangeRoller dt · Mar 20, 2020

DT manuals have rear only
Never seen a DT auto.

wammers · Mar 20, 2020

RangeRoller dt said:
DT manuals have rear only
Never seen a DT auto.

No diesel has front ones.

RangeRoller dt · Mar 20, 2020

They decided it was smooth enough

Datatek · Mar 20, 2020

RangeRoller dt said:
They decided it was smooth enough

More likely the engine is so rough that nothing would make any difference

RangeRoller dt · Mar 20, 2020

If you stand with the bonnet open on tickover you’d never believe they’d do 200,000+ miles
I agree with your earlier Lister statement

Henry_b · Mar 20, 2020

4 pot VM is smoother, and quieter..

Datatek · Mar 20, 2020

Henry_b said:
4 pot VM is smoother, and quieter..

So is the Transit Tddi of all things.

P38A What's that for then?

DanClarke

Well-Known Member

kermit_rr

Very

Henry_b

Think outside, no box required.

DanClarke

Well-Known Member

RangeRoller dt

Well-Sprung Member

Grrrrrr

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

Datatek

Well-Known Member

saxavordian

Well-Known Member

wammers

No longer with us, RIP

saxavordian

Well-Known Member

Grrrrrr

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

RangeRoller dt

Well-Sprung Member

wammers

No longer with us, RIP

RangeRoller dt

Well-Sprung Member

Datatek

Well-Known Member

RangeRoller dt

Well-Sprung Member

Henry_b

Think outside, no box required.

Datatek

Well-Known Member

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