2 WHEEL DRIVE.

[Dezzie]

Right then, my Freelander is making all the wrong clunks and bangs, so I guess it's time.

From what I've read on here, it certainly sounds as though the VCU needs replacing (again) and the IRD is going faulty. The Diff has a leak and is now humming as it has probably run dry. (I do periodically refill it).

My year 2000 L series Diesel isn't worth spending loads of money on, and at best, although a tidy specimen, would probably only fetch £1200.

So, I'm going to turn it into a 2 wheel drive for a while, until such time as I can find a good Freelander at a breakers, or take it to Bell engineering and throw some money at them.

My questions are as follows.....

If the IRD is knackered, will it be needed on a 2 wheel drive Freelander? Or is it redundant.? If I take the prop-shaft / VCU off, will the Freelander still run fine with an IRD that's a gonner?

Also ;- With the Prop-shaft missing, does the rear Diff actually do anything? Or again, is it redundant? Would it need oil in?

Thanks guys.

[FridgeFreezer]

The IRD drives the front wheels as well, although if you're lucky and it's not too far gone then it'll only be the rear output gear & pinion that's suffering, so taking the load off them might keep them from getting any worse.

The rear diff still turns with the prop removed, but it's not taking any load so again should live much longer - but it will want oil in it or it's going to have a bad time. You can remove the driveshafts and rear diff but you've got to to leave the ends of the driveshafts behind to hold the wheel hubs together - so that kinda means sacrificing two driveshafts by pulling the CV joint apart.

I guess it depends if you want to keep it going or you'd just as well break it and buy another one. I've spent loads keeping my beater TD4 going but it keeps on being more practical than anything else I could buy for the money, so I stick with it.