Freelander 1 IRD Checking

Hi all, finally got my rear prop rebuilt with new bearings, new VCU etc so over the next week I am going to start putting it all back together. I am going to replace the oil in the IRD first so I can check the colour of the oil to make sure that the IRD is sound. Are there any other checks I can do on the IRD though? Would I notice any noises or anything in 2wd mode if the IRD was bust? Is there any way to visually inspect?

Just dont want to spend time sticking it all back together only to find the IRD is bust and having to take it all apart again. I did have some knocking under the car before I took the IRD off, but the VCU bearings and rear mounts were shot - so have replaced all of them, along with new UJs

Cheers all

You'll get a fair gauge of the IRD's condition just by dropping and inspecting the oil. Any metallic sheen or a grey/opaque colour will indicate bearing failure. This means a recon IRD or strip down and rebuild with a service kit is the order of the day. I gave mine the thumbs up after my oil looked like this (dark but no metal and still smelled like oil)...




Before you drop the oil, turn the rear drive pinion back and forth. You'll get some 'play' as you hear/feel the gears meshing together with little clanks. Anything excessive indicates a problem. Then give it a good wobble from side-to-side and up and down. It should be tight. Any movement indicates bearing wear and a scrap IRD.

You can also pull the rear drive pinion and get a view of the insides. Not all the insides, mind. Just enough to get a sense of any damage a failing VCU might have caused. If the pinion and crown wheel/gear look clean (i.e. no chips, cracks or obvious wear) it's probably fine. Don't just take my word for it, though

When my IRD was totally trashed, I removed the props (left rear pinion on IRD) and took it for a once round the block. It had background knocking sounds that you can hear in this video...



The above is good sound advice. I'd say it is a little over enthusiastic to write off the IRD. Certainly, if there is bearing wear, the IRD needs attention - how much though depends on the condition of the gears mainly, then bearings. If the gears are damaged, then a recon is the most economical fix. If the gears are OK, then the appropriate fix may not be so costly. If there is only light wear, you may get away with simply replacing the bearings in the rear pinion. This can easily be removed without needing to even remove the IRD from the car, so is a quite a "cheap" fix. Knowing whether the other bearings are damaged is the difficult question. hopefully, of course, its OK

Cheers both, will be sticking it up on the ramps on Saturday and giving it a once over. Hopefully all will be well old VCU was still coming down in less than 50 seconds OWU, so hopefully the IRD will still be ok. Only stuck a new one on as I had everything off to replace the VCU bearings and UJs - even stuck a new tripod bearing thing on the end as well

Geodark said:

Cheers both, will be sticking it up on the ramps on Saturday and giving it a once over. Hopefully all will be well old VCU was still coming down in less than 50 seconds OWU, so hopefully the IRD will still be ok. Only stuck a new one on as I had everything off to replace the VCU bearings and UJs - even stuck a new tripod bearing thing on the end as well

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Make sure you have 4 identical tyres fitted with the least worn on the rear. Not doing so will potentially overload the IRD, and speed up it's failure.

yeah first thing I did when I bought her was to fit 4 new tyres all round

Little bit of play when I rotate it - not much though. Nothing when I pull or push and tiniest bit of movement when I move up and down or left and right - so little that you can hardly tell. Going to finish my cuppa, take the under body tray thing off and get the oil dropped in it. I take it these trays aren't structural? No problem with leaving it off for a week or so as I plan on doing a service next weekend (After I get back from fishing )

Geodark said:

No problem with leaving it off for a week or so as I plan on doing a service next weekend

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They would add some strength in an impact, but not much in normal use. I've been driving mine for 3 months without the guard in place.

I have been driving mine for two years without it in place and had no issues

This is the oil I have taken out - so feeling farily happy. Mind you, I did remove the filler one and get covered in oil, forgot that the bloody car was on an angle so ended up with oil all over me haha. Will lower it down slowly to refil.

Well thats the new oil in - I take it once it starts coming out of the filler hole its full? was more or less 1L that went in.

Geodark said:

Well thats the new oil in - I take it once it starts coming out of the filler hole its full? was more or less 1L that went in.

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On a level grade yes 1.1lt I believe

Geodark said:

This is the oil I have taken out - so feeling farily happy. Mind you, I did remove the filler one and get covered in oil, forgot that the bloody car was on an angle so ended up with oil all over me haha. Will lower it down slowly to refil.

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Oil looks OK to me. As you describe no real play in the rear drive pinion either, I'd be happy that the IRD lives to drive another day.

Bottom guard can stay off for a bit unless you're travelling rutted and rocky tracks. I took mine off because it had a massive hole in it where someone had obviously grounded it. Better that it took the hit rather than the sump. Kept it off for some months. They do keep most of the road spray away from the drive shaft inputs on the IRD and gearbox, though. And offer some protection to the aux belt and pullies. Things you want to keep as dry as possible.

Good work