Where to get a new/recon VCU?

[FridgeFreezer]

My VCU (previously recon from Bell Engineering) has reached the end of its service life (80k) so needs recon or replacing, however Bell have a month's waiting list.

Has anyone had a new/recon VCU from anywhere else for sensible money?

[tim_roberts]

I was told by Bell they can only recon a VCU once. So you need to buy a scrap one, then get it reconditioned.

I'm not aware of anyone else who does this, but I am aware of people on eBay who claim to sell reconditioned VCU's but all they do is clean up your old one and give it a coat of paint!

I would get my name on the waiting list, and wait!

[MrC]

I'm in the same boat with Bell engineering snowed under with work until after the New Year so I've been looking at a new one from either:

Island 4x4 @ £289.99 +VAT for a genuine GKN one.

Ashcroft Transmissions @ £370 +VAT

Rimmer Bros @ £445 inc. VAT OEM

Hope this helps.

[FridgeFreezer]

Good find from Island.

I never know how much to trust some of those descriptions, there's Britpart ones claiming to be GKN and Allmakes claiming to be Hardy Spicer, I didn't realise so many people manufactured what you'd think would be a pretty specialised part:

http://www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php/408520/6563/viscous_coupling_prop_wa_ya_f_l

Bit of a shame that Ashcroft don't say who makes theirs as I'd be more inclined to believe them.

Currently got my name on the list with Bell, but if the snow comes down I might bite the bullet and buy a new one.

[Litch]

I think you will find they are all made by GKN but like just about every other OE part available, distributed under different brand names.

I had one from Island 4X4 earlier in the year.

After fitting it (along with new hardy Spicer bearings) I found it was actually tighter the the original one I had just removed and made the rear wheel lock up on a tight turn (which was somethiong the old one never did). Took me months to get my money back (I was about to go through my CC company as Island were taking so long) when the refund suddenly appeared in my account. I questioned Island and they said that GKN had suffered so many faults and had a massive backlog so they were authorising a blanket refund to everyone who returned a unit.

I re-fitted the old one and am looking to get a recon unit from Bell next spring.

[FridgeFreezer]

I think you will find they are all made by GKN but like just about every other OE part available, distributed under different brand names.

Yeah, I didn't believe that all the different parts co's all made their own - but equally I really don't trust "Britpart GKN" to really be any sort of quality - I'm sure if Britpart phone GKN and wave money at them they'll make something VCU-shaped with GKN stamped on it for a price, but how much that resembles the VCU's they supply to Land Rover would be anyone's guess. We know the same applies to bearings, UJ's, starters, alternators, etc. made by big names - they can make stuff to very different specs when they want to.

[ashtrans]

Bit of a shame that Ashcroft don't say who makes theirs as I'd be more inclined to believe them.

we buy direct from GKN,

Currently got my name on the list with Bell, but if the snow comes down I might bite the bullet and buy a new one.

[FridgeFreezer]

we buy direct from GKN,

Cheers Dave. If it starts to snow in Basingstoke you might get a call!

[MrC]

In the end I ordered one from Island 4x4 @ £347 free next day delivery. Yes the VCU was in a Britpart box, but it does have GKN stamped on it as well as some other numbers, also the damper is a GKN part. I was hoping to have had it fitted by now, but have been waiting for my mate to have some spare to time to give us a hand at his garage.