Freelander 1 Any "how-tos" for changing gearbox / transfer box / diff oil?

Having just acquired a much-neglected FL1 TD4, I'm keen to "show it a bit of love". I've done a variety of jobs so far, but I'm guessing that the various transmission oils have never been changed, and it's coming up to 150,000 miles now. Are there any "how-tos" or videos that anyone could recommend please?

I don't know about how too videos, but changing the fluids is pretty straightforward. Make sure you always remove the filler plugs, before removing the drain plug.
It's well known that the fill and drain plugs for the IRD are made of soft cheese. This means 6 sided socket for them, and with care too. I actually keep new spare IRD plugs, just in case I have to butcher one out.
Make sure you use the correct oils for the components too.
The IRD needs a full synthetic 75w90 for long oil life, or a semi-synthetic will do, if you don't mind changing the oil every couple of years.

Thanks for that - useful information! Forgive my ignorance (I'm a newbie when it comes to Freelanders!) but what's an "IRD"? Is that the thing I've been calling a "transfer box"? Presumably it has something to take the drive from the transverse gearbox at the front, and send it to the rear diff?

Avocet1 said:

Thanks for that - useful information! Forgive my ignorance (I'm a newbie when it comes to Freelanders!) but what's an "IRD"? Is that the thing I've been calling a "transfer box"? Presumably it has something to take the drive from the transverse gearbox at the front, and send it to the rear diff?

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Yes, the IRD (Intermediate Reduction Drive) is essentially doing the same job as a transfer box - taking drive from the gearbox and sending that to the rear wheels

And on that note do the
One Wheel Up Test

Avocet1 said:

Forgive my ignorance (I'm a newbie when it comes to Freelanders!) but what's an "IRD"? Is that the thing I've been calling a "transfer box"?

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As Rob said. The IRD also contains the front differential, so it's not a true transfer box like traditional 4X4s, hence the name Intermediate Reduction Drive.

Thanks both. Well, I got a bit of a shock when I changed the oil this evening! It came out almost "golden" but not in a good way. A sort of dark golden-brown treacle-like substance with lots of "glitter" in it. There was quite a "Christmas tree" growing on the magnetic drain plug too...

I'm guessing neither of those things are good...?

Even on a good IRD there can be a lot of build up on the magnetic drain plug - although if there's any big chunks that's a worry.

Do you have any pics?

'Glitter' in the oil is definitely not a good sign - but the oil in a knackered IRD is usually grey because of the immersed particles of word down bearings (and gears). 'Dark golden-brown' doesn't sound to bad - but I'm (RG) colour blind so I'll leave it to others.

The IRD is in need of a rebuild, now!!
If you delay, the bearings will collapse enough for the gears to strip, which then means it's effectively scrap. Remove the propshafts now, and rebuild the IRD ASAP.
Catch it early and it's just a bearing change. Delay and it's a replacement IRD, which will cost much more.

Thanks again. Is that a job that can be done with it in the car?

Avocet1 said:

Thanks again. Is that a job that can be done with it in the car?

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That I do know!

No it can't, the IRD must be removed and the case split (unbolted) to get the shafts out for the bearings to be fitted.

Nodge's advice is sound - its not the bearings going that makes an IRD recon expensive, its if the gears are damaged. You can get rebuild kits for under £200 with the bearings, seals and oil cooler. It will cost more to get them fitted if you can't do it yourself. When I did mine, I removed the IRD and gave it to a workshop to fit the bearings, then I reinstalled it.

However, there are 8 bearings in an IRD - I've often wondered if all of them need replacing in these situations. Specifically whether its just the rear pinion that needs new bearings - I think probably not, but if it is, that's a lot easier to get off the car than the whole IRD.

Hmmmmm..... That doesn't sound appealing! I need to be careful not to spend more than it's worth on the car, as it's a stop-gap that was given to me after my wife's X-Trail got written off. Once she can drive again, we'll be looking for a newer car, so I need to be careful not to spend more on this thing than it's going to be worth. I've already thrown £350 at it!

If you remove the propshafts, then that removes the thrust loads in the IRD. This will make it last much longer than if the propshafts are in place.
Just tell your insurance company, as removing the propshafts is a chargeable modification. I've had some insurance companies quote more for the extra premium, then rebuilding the IRD.

Now then.... A bit of background.

This was my sister and her husband's car for 6 years. They'd had trouble with the VCU and eventually, spent £300 in 2017 on a new one. It's only done about 15,000 miles since. However, when I go on full lock, I can feel a slight drag. When I reverse on full lock, the drag is greater, but I can still move the car without touching the throttle, just at idle. I've felt the VCU after a run and it's stone cold. Should I be worried?

Also, I've been doing some "forensic" investigation. When I first got it home, one of the first things I noticed was a loose steel pipe. It was hanging down the back of the engine. From the shape, it looked like a breather pipe but I couldn't for the life of me find where it was supposed to have gone! In the course of looking into this IRD unit, I noticed a spout on it and thought "Aha!" That'll be it"! My brother-in-law got caught in some floods a few years ago and I've seen the video - so I know they exceeded the wade depth - by some margin! And of course, depending on when it came off, if it was before the "swim" that would have let water into the IRD which wouldn't have helped, I guess? The questions is - WHY had it come off? Careless maintenance? Had I disturbed it when I was doing the thermostat? I was about to shove it back on and just thought I'd best blow through it with the air line in case there was any muck in it, only to find it was totally blocked! Trying to poke a cable tie up it, I could see it was very blocked. In the end, I hacksawed about 6" off it and it was STILL blocked (rust and muck). Eventually, I drilled through it all (it was blocked for about another 3" of its length) and cleared the blockage, then stuck a longer piece of rubber hose on it to make it the right length again and refitted it. All good now.

So what I'm wondering might have happened was that it was in place but at some point, got water down it which sat there and rusted it, blocking it. At that point, it wouldn't have worked as a breather pipe and on the next long run when the IRD got hot, the pressure would probably have blown it off. If Landrover had used a plastic pipe, none of this would have happened! Just poor detail design. (Well, and maybe a bit of abuse)!

I've never come across a blocked breather on the IRD, however anything is possible. It's been reported that the IRD cooler disc can rust though, but normally only is incorrect coolant (water) has been used. It sounds like you need to pop the rear prop pinion off, so you can get a better look at the condition of the gears, and also try moving the crown wheel laterally to gauge bearing wear.
If the bearings are worn, but the gears are ok, then a bearing replacement will see it right again.

Also make sure you have 4 identical tyres fitted with least worn on the rear.

Just come to say my goodbyes and thank those who have helped me with sound advice - particularly Nodge 68.

Sadly, just taking the wee lad to an after-school event this evening, a big artic that had got lost on the winding narrow roads round here, carrying a very large steel fabrication that overhung its extended trailer by a few feet either side, managed to rip the side out of it whilst trying to squeeze past. It's not a valuable car. Once he'd burst the driver's front wing, it was pretty obvious it was going to be a write-off. As it was, he then carried on past and took out the driver's door, rear offside passenger door and the offside quarter panel and rear bumper. Nobody hurt though, all this happened at less than walking pace. Car still drives and if it had just been doors and a front wing, I might have trawled the scrappers for replacements, but the complex area around the offside extractor vent behind the bumper, where it meets the inner wing and boot floor is quite badly mangled and I now need to cut my losses and move on...

So long guys!

Sad to hear that @Avocet1 - it definitely sounds like a right off.

Hopefully the insurance will pay out quickly and a decent value.

You may not have had it long, but you should definitely consider getting another Freelander. They are relatively cheap to buy and pretty reliable motors (mine's boringly reliable). Parts are easy to come by from lots of suppliers at very good prices (in the UK!).

The TD4 option is usually the most sensible option - but the 1.8's, even with their trait of going through head gaskets, are probably more reliable and cheaper to run. They are though not available in auto. Mine's the Rover L Series diesel which is probably the "best" engine in terms of reliability and ease of maintenance (although it is belt driven) - but once again, only available with the manual PG1 gearbox and was only available on earlier cars before LR started 'pimping' the Freelander a bit with upgraded interiors etc.

My brother has worked for JLR for 25+ years and he advised against getting a Freelander! That was based on his experience of driving the ones at work. He advised a D2 TD5, I'm sure the D2 would have been a good car (I'd had D1s for 10 years prior to this), but I'm really glad we went for the Freelander. It did chew its transmission, due to me not understanding it, but that aside its been a fantastic car for 8 or 9 years that has cost very little to keep on the road and servicing our needs superbly.

I bought mine for A grand and didn't expect much from it but it has surpassed all my expectations, freelanders are great value for money and are surprisingly good on snow. I used mine to ferry some nurses about last winter when it snowed, they lived in rural areas that no ordinary cars could get in or out of. Don't be worried about getting another, just follow some of the advice on here about what to look out for.

Col

Avocet1 said:

Just come to say my goodbyes and thank those who have helped me with sound advice - particularly Nodge 68.

Sadly, just taking the wee lad to an after-school event this evening, a big artic that had got lost on the winding narrow roads round here, carrying a very large steel fabrication that overhung its extended trailer by a few feet either side, managed to rip the side out of it whilst trying to squeeze past. It's not a valuable car. Once he'd burst the driver's front wing, it was pretty obvious it was going to be a write-off. As it was, he then carried on past and took out the driver's door, rear offside passenger door and the offside quarter panel and rear bumper. Nobody hurt though, all this happened at less than walking pace. Car still drives and if it had just been doors and a front wing, I might have trawled the scrappers for replacements, but the complex area around the offside extractor vent behind the bumper, where it meets the inner wing and boot floor is quite badly mangled and I now need to cut my losses and move on...

So long guys!

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Sorry ter hear of yer loss. That's typical of a truck driver that don't care. He should be shot fer doing that to a Freelander.

Ended up feeling a bit sorry for him in the end. He'll probably lose his job over this (although in effect, it's also true to say that I've lost my Landy that I'd put a hell of a lot of work into and only had a month)! It's not completely dead. I'll patch it up and at least run it until the MOT expires, but there's no point in me trying to get it tidy now.