3rd new front diff reqd in 5 years

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Blackfibreman

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Hi all, new member here, please be gentle.

Had my 90 for 5 years, I’ve done nearly 40k miles. 98% on the road with a little off roading.

I’ve had two new front diffs fitted in my ownership and just had a front wheel bearing done (first one in my ownership) and my garage has advised that the front diff will probably need replacing again next year.

Cars on 265’s x18’s with a small lift kit.

The garage says it’s probably the tyres causing the wear but is there a solution? I’d planned todo the back diff next year for the first time as this is grumbling a bit but want to make sure next time I do it right.

Any advice help, greatly appreciated.
 
Only replacing the diff ?? where are you buying your replacements, what about halfshafts, end caps, cv joints ect ect
You have other issues elsewhere either with worn prop/transfer box output shaft or castor camber angles or parts above.
How are the tyres wearing, when was the alignment properly set up. Correct offset wheels ??
A little wear in all parts adds up to a lot further down the drivetrain.

Or the diff bearings are cheapo quality, What oils are you using.

I have a 5" lift on one landy & a 4" on the other, both have castor corrected bushes & cranked/arms.
Both diffs uprated from ashcroft & are pegged (which stops the crown wheel movement under load) if you didnt know. ??
Tyres are 35" & I dont have the issues your having. I did have 40" tyres on the defender but it shredded halfshafts for fun.

Welcome to Lz pal.
 
Thanks for the reply Kevstar, blimey a lot to think about, I’m based in North Devon and don’t work on the vehicle, are there any recommended garages that people have used, near me?
I have Devon 4x4 and Tamar Landrover’s. Tamar went through my 90 when I bought it and did a fair bit of work but I’ve been using a local guy who is great and has an interest in 90’s (used to have one) but maybe he’s not an expert.
 
Blackfibreman said:
Thanks for the reply Kevstar, blimey a lot to think about, I’m based in North Devon and don’t work on the vehicle, are there any recommended garages that people have used, near me?
I have Devon 4x4 and Tamar Landrover’s. Tamar went through my 90 when I bought it and did a fair bit of work but I’ve been using a local guy who is great and has an interest in 90’s (used to have one) but maybe he’s not an expert.
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Oooft your at the other side of the uk from me im in Scotchland...Maybe @DevonGuy might know.?? :):)

Ive heard of both & they seam to be decent.
 
kevstar said:
Oooft your at the other side of the uk from me im in Scotchland...Maybe @DevonGuy might know.?? :):)

Ive heard of both & they seam to be decent.
Click to expand...
I haven’t used North Devon 4x4 for about 20 years but they still seem to have a good rep. My Freelander was always looked after by CPM Repairs near me. I also used Bell Engineering for transmissions - a superb small business. @andyfreelandy may be able to help further.
 
DevonGuy said:
I haven’t used North Devon 4x4 for about 20 years but they still seem to have a good rep. My Freelander was always looked after by CPM Repairs near me. I also used Bell Engineering for transmissions - a superb small business. @andyfreelandy may be able to help further.
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Hi DevonGuy, thank you for your reply, I’ve not heard of CPM but they are very close to me, in light of kevstars comments would you recommend them to have a look at my Diff problem? I only ask because my truck is modified and not standard, is this the sort of thing they are used to dealing with?
I’m beginning to think that this might be the snag with my current garage, great guy, great reputation, has a lot of high end stuff going through his shop but is not a LR specialist and so may not have taken into account all of the variables with my specific truck and fixed as if standard.
 
Blackfibreman said:
Hi DevonGuy, thank you for your reply, I’ve not heard of CPM but they are very close to me, in light of kevstars comments would you recommend them to have a look at my Diff problem? I only ask because my truck is modified and not standard, is this the sort of thing they are used to dealing with?
I’m beginning to think that this might be the snag with my current garage, great guy, great reputation, has a lot of high end stuff going through his shop but is not a LR specialist and so may not have taken into account all of the variables with my specific truck and fixed as if standard.
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CPM is an excellent indie. If you ring them they’ll be honest about their competence to do the work. If you want an instant “yes” then try ND 4x4. If you want some other options then perhaps another 90 owner here can help with a local specialist.
 
As ^^^ what fails, or what are you told fails, could be different.
Its always nice to see pics of the 90.
Ours is lifted (40/50mm?) and owned it longer than you have and not had a diff problem, and by the sounds of it ours sees dirt more than yours.
It has many clunks and bangs in the driveline but as said its a comulitive effect of wear in many parts.

The problem with taking somebody elses word for its Knackered is, do they really know and do you trust?

So really what I am saying is you need more details of failures and then folks here could advise better.

J
 
Blackfibreman said:
Hi all, new member here, please be gentle.

Had my 90 for 5 years, I’ve done nearly 40k miles. 98% on the road with a little off roading.

I’ve had two new front diffs fitted in my ownership and just had a front wheel bearing done (first one in my ownership) and my garage has advised that the front diff will probably need replacing again next year.

Cars on 265’s x18’s with a small lift kit.

The garage says it’s probably the tyres causing the wear but is there a solution? I’d planned todo the back diff next year for the first time as this is grumbling a bit but want to make sure next time I do it right.

Any advice help, greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Do you know what the exact failure was of the previous two diffs and what bits where actually replaced?

The front axle has many components, the diff is not normally a wear item and only really fails or breaks under duress of extreme off roading (usually with massive tyres) or if you are running something like 300-400bhp on road and wheel spinning.

Multiple diff replacement might suggest someone has been having you over a barrel.
 
300bhp/ton said:
Do you know what the exact failure was of the previous two diffs and what bits where actually replaced?

The front axle has many components, the diff is not normally a wear item and only really fails or breaks under duress of extreme off roading (usually with massive tyres) or if you are running something like 300-400bhp on road and wheel spinning.

Multiple diff replacement might suggest someone has been having you over a barrel.
Click to expand...


Or running with no oil or the wrong oil ?
 
Thanks everyone for their replies, my garage I standby interms of being straight, he has a great reputation in the area and I’ve used him for many years on my other vehicles and know many other people that remain extremely satisfied with his work, however, on the defender with this issue I don’t see how this has been completed properly given everyone’s comments.

To try and answer some of the points I believe the replacements have been exchange diffs, from who I do not know, so casings and internals. I know there were discussions at the time around alignment etc.

The power is pretty std slight tune, as stated not much off road, I have a few acres that I use it on and go out on export but no real off roading.

Regarding failure mode, the first one, my youngest was on the land and he had a go, dumped the clutch, big bang, no drive. The diff was already noisy. The second one was replaced due to a noisy diff, not sure what the actual diagnosis was.

Yesterday I had the wheel bearing done and was told the diff has a lot of play and would probably need doing break next year.

I’ll speak to the suggested garages tomorrow and see what they say.
 
Bang sounds more like a half shaft. What sort of noise? When you say the diff was noisy?

There are like 100 rotating things between the drivers seat and the road. Very unlikely to be able to isolate and say a diff is noisy while driving.

Not saying it wasn’t an issue. But replacing one would be on the odd side. Replacing 3 however….
 
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