What broke: VCU, IRD or CV Joint

[Tigger_na]

Dear Forumites

The car is a Freelander 2l TD4.
• When you pull away hard, only the rear wheels spin
• When you jack one wheel up in the front, you can turn it freely while the gearbox is engaged
• When you jack one wheel up in the rear, you cannot turn it freely while the gearbox is engaged
• With one rear wheel jacked up, the jacked wheel spins and the car doesn't drive.
• With one front wheel jacked up, the jacked wheel doesn't spin and the car doesn't drive.

So a broken VCU is possible but cannot be tested before drive to the front wheels is restored. A mechanic here says a completely stripped CV joint would have the same symptoms, but I would expect it to make some grinding noise, at least, but there is absolute silence from the front drive. So I strongly suspect the IRD. Am I right? How am I going to be certain?

Best regards

Arthur

[tacr2man]

Its not the VCU , It may be ird ,

1. have you jacked up both front wheels individually?

2. when you turn front wheel does the wheel , and drive shaft and both CV joints turn?

If answer to 2 is both do same . then most likely answer is ird (either diff unit or hypoid) JMHO

[Tigger_na]

Tacr2Man, thank you for the reply. Yes, I jacked up either front wheel individually. They all turn freely, even if the car is in gear. Yes, the wheel, outer and inner CV joints and drive shaft all turn together, it "slips" inside the IRD.

[EggNChips]

The diff for the front is inside the IRD, but never heard of that breaking without the crown wheel for the rear breaking. Unusual failure mode.....