Despair finding a mechanic!

mikerajjers · Dec 25, 2018

Oldseadog said:
Have you checked that your brake drum is solid and centred?

Hmmm, I haven´t!!! Could a deformed drum cause vibration at 50 and above? I think the vibration problems only started after being bogged down in thick mud and winching myself out. Perhaps this caused some damage. Could I try running it without the drum and see what happens?

neilly · Dec 25, 2018

Have you checked to see if the brake drum or wheels themselves are full of dried mud?

Cheers

Western Slope Rover · Dec 25, 2018

neilly said:
Have you checked to see if the brake drum or wheels themselves are full of dried mud?

Cheers

+1 I have had that problem. Took off the wheels and hosed them off and all was well.

mikerajjers · Dec 25, 2018

Wheels are clean, inside of brake drum is clean as well.

It´s a vibration that appears at around 50kmh plus and really only when under load (though you can just feel it even when coasting at speed). It doesn´t ever appear when stationary and revving the engine.

mikerajjers · Dec 25, 2018

My mate thinks its the transfer box and I have been saving up for the last two or three months for a replacement.

The offroading episode was about 7 months ago.

lynall · Dec 25, 2018

Nothing silly like mud/water that has forced its way past the tyre rim seal and gotten inside the tyre?

mikerajjers · Dec 25, 2018

lynall said:
Nothing silly like mud/water that has forced its way past the tyre rim seal and gotten inside the tyre?

Ive tried with a different set of wheels and tyres and there was no difference

dag019 · Dec 25, 2018

I still think it sounds like a UJ problem don’t discount them just because the props are new. I had a UJ fail on a new prop in three months, it was a sealed for life one rather than greasable. Swapped it for a proper greasable gkn one. I can get them to last about 18mo the before they need changing!

mikerajjers · Dec 26, 2018

dag019 said:
I still think it sounds like a UJ problem don’t discount them just because the props are new. I had a UJ fail on a new prop in three months, it was a sealed for life one rather than greasable. Swapped it for a proper greasable gkn one. I can get them to last about 18mo the before they need changing!

I will investigate again today. It may well be a UJ but I get the same vibration when I remove the front prop and then remove the rear prop. Both were new and i've tried two different rears. I have given it some thought and am currently considering it may be the hand brake Drum being offcentre as I only started having this problem after getting stranded on the underside in mud and having to winch myself out.

Oldseadog · Dec 26, 2018

Are your propshafts in phase or out of phase?
@jamesmartin might be able to give you more reliable information regarding setting up.

jamesmartin · Dec 26, 2018

mikerajjers said:
I will investigate again today. It may well be a UJ but I get the same vibration when I remove the front prop and then remove the rear prop. Both were new and i've tried two different rears. I have given it some thought and am currently considering it may be the hand brake Drum being offcentre as I only started having this problem after getting stranded on the underside in mud and having to winch myself out.

try it with just one prop on front then rear or vice a versa, when rears of take hand brake drum off too as they can come off on there own, and as oldseadog says hows the prop phasing

mikerajjers · Dec 26, 2018

I´ve spent the day investigating and I think I have narrowed down the problem. Started off with front prop off and rear on. Vibration between approx. 50-80 km/h under load. Fine before and beyond this speed. Next I put the front prop back on and took the rear off. I took the handbrake drum off straight away and didn´t bother testing it with the rear prop off and with the drum on as this made no difference when I tried it before. With the rear prop off and the handbrake drum off I didn´t get any vibration at all between 50-80km/h. Well, perhaps a tiny tiny tiny bit but not the same vibration as before.

My conclusion is (please can I have your opinions) is that the damage likely occurred when I was offroading. Either I need to replace the rear output flange bearing or replace the brake drum (or both). I will probably fit the X-brake kit and replace the bearing as well. Will this be easy enough to do? I will probably get another prop whilst I am at it just in case. Where should I buy? Which is the best one?

I am so pleased I have managed to find a likely cause!

jamesmartin · Dec 26, 2018

mikerajjers said:
I´ve spent the day investigating and I think I have narrowed down the problem. Started off with front prop off and rear on. Vibration between approx. 50-80 km/h under load. Fine before and beyond this speed. Next I put the front prop back on and took the rear off. I took the handbrake drum off straight away and didn´t bother testing it with the rear prop off and with the drum on as this made no difference when I tried it before. With the rear prop off and the handbrake drum off I didn´t get any vibration at all between 50-80km/h. Well, perhaps a tiny tiny tiny bit but not the same vibration as before.

My conclusion is (please can I have your opinions) is that the damage likely occurred when I was offroading. Either I need to replace the rear output flange bearing or replace the brake drum (or both). I will probably fit the X-brake kit and replace the bearing as well. Will this be easy enough to do? I will probably get another prop whilst I am at it just in case. Where should I buy? Which is the best one?

I am so pleased I have managed to find a likely cause!

have you got a pic of the rear prop to check to see if its in phase

mikerajjers · Dec 26, 2018

jamesmartin said:
have you got a pic of the rear prop to check to see if its in phase

i will take a pic tomorrow and post

mikerajjers · Dec 26, 2018

is this likely to be a quality prop? https://www.jgs4x4.co.uk/land-rover-defender-90-rear-propshaft-wide-angle-hardy-spicer-frc8393

jamesmartin · Dec 26, 2018

mikerajjers said:
is this likely to be a quality prop? https://www.jgs4x4.co.uk/land-rover-defender-90-rear-propshaft-wide-angle-hardy-spicer-frc8393

are the 2 joints exactly inline like that prop in the pic

mikerajjers · Dec 26, 2018

jamesmartin said:
are the 2 joints exactly inline like that prop in the pic

I´m not sure. I will have to have a look when I take the pic. I´ve left my car at work where I have been working on it.

mick 1986 · Dec 26, 2018

jamesmartin said:
are the 2 joints exactly inline like that prop in the pic

Should the UJs be inline?

Should have checked the link first, I know what you mean now. The two “fixed” ends of the prop shaft should be in line like the photo.

jamesmartin · Dec 26, 2018

mick 1986 said:
Should the UJs be inline?

on the rear yes

mick 1986 · Dec 26, 2018

jamesmartin said:
on the rear yes

It’s been a while since I worked on mine, but what about the front? From memory they are 90deg to each other.

Despair finding a mechanic!

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