Catastrophic lock-up/seizure (well nearly)

Noticed a funny noise this morning like a couple of nuts and bolts being rolled along in a can. First gear and reverse. Quick look nothing hanging down.

got to work, looked on Landyzone and ordered some grease from Amazon to put on the UJs tomorrow.

Home time, pulled out of parking space, noise still there. Pulled into line of traffic… First gear… Second gear… Third gear… Face flat against windscreen. All dead stop. Cars everywhere. Hadn't touched the brakes.

I thought it was the front offside wheel that had seized but no apparent skidmark, but there was smell of rubber from somewhere. No rubber behind the front nearside either. Didn’t get to hang around the back of the car to check there because that’s where the angry people were. Road was damp.

had applied handbrake after the seizure because had been going uphill. Got back in and thought should try to get it to the side of the road, but it moved off fine… No more noise. Gingerly crept home.

so: 2000 td5 defender 110csw, with an older disco transfer box (fitted by me, not professionally) 2+ years ago.

i’m just after pointers for where to start looking tomorrow, knowing land rovers it’s bound to have happened to someone else? A similar thread mentions a rear wheel locking out and then there being no trace of a problem, A diff failing, wheel bearing or brake seizing was mentioned, but my car was stone cold and I had the funny tinny rattling noise first.


i’m wondering if something has come adrift inside the handbrake drum so for me it would be rear prop shaft off and into that first?

Just looking for pointers – appreciate the knowledge folks thank you!

My money is on the handbrake.

Dibdab said:

Noticed a funny noise this morning like a couple of nuts and bolts being rolled along in a can. First gear and reverse. Quick look nothing hanging down.

got to work, looked on Landyzone and ordered some grease from Amazon to put on the UJs tomorrow.

Home time, pulled out of parking space, noise still there. Pulled into line of traffic… First gear… Second gear… Third gear… Face flat against windscreen. All dead stop. Cars everywhere. Hadn't touched the brakes.

I thought it was the front offside wheel that had seized but no apparent skidmark, but there was smell of rubber from somewhere. No rubber behind the front nearside either. Didn’t get to hang around the back of the car to check there because that’s where the angry people were. Road was damp.

had applied handbrake after the seizure because had been going uphill. Got back in and thought should try to get it to the side of the road, but it moved off fine… No more noise. Gingerly crept home.

so: 2000 td5 defender 110csw, with an older disco transfer box (fitted by me, not professionally) 2+ years ago.

i’m just after pointers for where to start looking tomorrow, knowing land rovers it’s bound to have happened to someone else? A similar thread mentions a rear wheel locking out and then there being no trace of a problem, A diff failing, wheel bearing or brake seizing was mentioned, but my car was stone cold and I had the funny tinny rattling noise first.


i’m wondering if something has come adrift inside the handbrake drum so for me it would be rear prop shaft off and into that first?

Just looking for pointers – appreciate the knowledge folks thank you!

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I would put my money on the transfer box or gearbox. My Tbox seized up a few weeks back. Had a few rattle noises, then out of nowhere it stopped as you describe, dead still from around 20-25mph in 3rd. I got a friend to tow me with his ranger. He said he had his foot flat to the floor as we crawled along around 20-25mph. It was solid.

They dont fix them selves, sounds like the hand brake to me, you could always drop the oil out of the boxes and have a look for any shrapnel, jack up each corner and look for a dragging wheel, what ever you do dont drive it until you locate the fault.

Could be a caliper bolt missing

Inside the handbrake clean as a whistle
On and off seems to be releasing fine
Drained the oil from the transfer box, plenty left and minimal filings on the plug.
Topped up the main box didn’t take too much.

jacked up the front offside wheel loads of Play, noise, resistance and grinding…

Front nearside for comparison was smooth and quiet.

so prime suspect is the wheel bearing?

thanks for the direction nobber!

Dibdab said:

jacked up the front offside wheel loads of Play, noise, resistance and grinding…

Click to expand...

Oh! - at least you've found the issue....

Dibdab said:

so prime suspect is the wheel bearing?

Click to expand...

More than likely - but the front hub is sort of complex - so it depends where the play is - have a nosy on the tube for the LR tool box videos on swivel pin problems / replacement...

IF it is the wheel bearing, then Timken ONLY - <- seriously, everything else is significantly poor quality in comparison...

Whereabouts are you ?

Happened to me, wheel bearing welded itself.

I’m thinking if it seized there will be some involvement of the hub too.
Its not a job I fancy, on my gravel drive and this time of year, and having used up my tinkering time allowance over the last few weeks fitting.... an electro mechanical cruise control (will do a post on it soon, old/early remapped ecu and disco box so pedal/cable/servo/speed sensor setup).
Last mot said I really needed new discs, and I’d like to upgrade those too so I’m going to book it into my local independent - fantastic trusted guys - no one I’d rather give money to.
I’m in North Wales

Well, if the hub is coming orft to "do" the wheel bearings, then doing the discs at the same time makes sense

IMHO, the only upgrade worth doing to your brakes will be a change to vented discs - which they might even be already - grooved and / or cross drilled just produce noise . OMO

It would be worth changing the caliper pistons for SS - they'll last essentially forever then ....

Glad you've got a good indy - reliable folk can be hard to find in this modern world

So got it up to garage okay and now its up on stands.

Calipers very corroded so they need changing as well as the disks, the other side is a bit wobbly so that all needs renewing and the swivels will need doing sooner or later… And the diff has always leaked a bit of oil…

looks like a pretty big time-consuming job for the garage. if I get it all done properly. It’s got 160k miles on it and its just 18 months onto a galvanised chassis and bulkhead.

what I think it would really like is a new/reconditioned front axle complete with all the bits ready attached, good for another 20 years. Quick google this morning and I can only find find Simmonites in Bradford so far who do one and that’s for around £1500. With the prices I’ve heard people quote for the swivels, and all the other stuff included/fitted, it still sounds a bit painful?

anyone any experience of any other reconditioned/ exchange axle suppliers who may not yet have mastered search engine optimisation

again, thanks guys

edit: just spoken with a nice lady on the phone at simmonites - it would be £1250 for mine, maybe an extra £40 for vented discs but it all includes discs, calipers and everything. Maybe not too bad? Only problem is a 6 to 8 week lead time!!

I wouldn't say time consuming, discs and callipers wont take long. Wheel bearing is fairly easy, Whats a bit wobbly about the other side?

Bearings also on other side, also sone ingress of water and splines worn/corroded. Swivels also and ‘play in the diff’. All the bolts corroded and seized… I know that doesn’t make it an impossible job but.. when I made a wish list of all the parts to replace the price for a re-furb axle all complete doesn’t actually look too bad. And I claim the VAT back on all my motoring so... I think I will give them a ring.
I know it’s a bit of a spend but it deserves it and I’m all it’s got