Diff Swap

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Vertuas

Active Member
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How hard is it to swap the diff at home?

After getting fed up of the noise on the rear end, I have removed the prop shaft (bearing are shot any hoo) and still have a bearing noise on the rear end.

By the looks of it the diff oil has been leaking out of the off side half shaft seal. Probably all the bearing are screwed due to lack of oil. You would have though that the garage migth have though to mention the oil leak when they did the MOT 2 months ago.......

SO.....do I get the day off work and have a 2 hour to Ashcrofts?
 
Vertuas said:
How hard is it to swap the diff at home?

After getting fed up of the noise on the rear end, I have removed the prop shaft (bearing are shot any hoo) and still have a bearing noise on the rear end.

By the looks of it the diff oil has been leaking out of the off side half shaft seal. Probably all the bearing are screwed due to lack of oil. You would have though that the garage migth have though to mention the oil leak when they did the MOT 2 months ago.......

SO.....do I get the day off work and have a 2 hour to Ashcrofts?
Click to expand...

just make sure you clean everything up well, pull a rag through the axle tubes like you clean a shotgun barrel
 
It's more than likley the driveshaft carrier bearing that is shot on the side that's leaking.
Normally starts with an odd rumble or clunk before finally screeching like a banshee.
Just check how much oil it takes to top up the diff......normally it looks a lot worse than it is.
Replacing the bearing is a simple enough job.
 
mjrimmer said:
It's more than likley the driveshaft carrier bearing that is shot on the side that's leaking.
Normally starts with an odd rumble or clunk before finally screeching like a banshee.
quote]

Theres been a noise on the back end for about 3 years. Garages round here keep telling me that its tyre noise. One even claimed to have fixed it. Since i can;t trust them (and the prop bearing are shot), i took the prop off myself. Still have the noise on the rear. thing it rear right. that side has the knackered bearing.
Click to expand...
 
I had the same fault...strange occasional knocking for a couple of years until the bearing finally started to give up the ghost and I could pin point it.
Mine started shortly after my dad thought he was doing me a favour changing the nose bush on the diff and instead of loosening everything off properly to get the clearance he had just levered the diff over.:mad:
Chances are it will be that assuming you have ruled out wheel bearings.
 
You can do it your garage. Fairly simple, you can just about get the driveshafts out if you remove lower wishbone bolts and handbrake cable clip and pull wheel out board, do that one side then you can slide diff across to get driveshaft out from other side without removing the other wishbone
 
hi, im thrown in the deep end with my first post! bought car last week, need a diff..... Do you have to take off both side wish bones or just one to get drive shafts out ? ? Heard a big bang and had a large judder, stopped van as quick as could in safe place, looked underneath and found big pool of oil and 9 inch crack around diff case....basically its split in half...

so hoping to change whole diff,bolt out ... bolt in, never worked on a landy before? all useful tips helpful.

ordered one, so should be hear by friday... need quickest short cut way to change. if anyone can help, many thanks for your input.. best bob
 
cheers, its actually all helping, with all going well what would be the sort of time to allow as a novice for this job on this car ! any nasty snags to expect ! ??
 
cheers, its actually all helping, with all going well what would be the sort of time to allow as a novice for this job on this car ! any nasty snags to expect ! ??
 
My worry would be why the diff went in the first place?
What mileage has your vcu done?, are you running the same tyres on all 4wheels?, have you had any new tyres put on.....and did you make sure they went on the rear axle and not on the front?.
 
jedi said:
Yes check your vcu has not siezed up....also check your ird this may explode next.........Boooooommmmmm!
Click to expand...

This^^^^
The only reason a rear diff fails is because the VCU has stiffened up. Mileage and incorrect tyre fitment stiffens the VCU.This will destroy the IRD and or diff. Normally the IRD fails first.
 
Last edited:
austen said:
You can do it your garage. Fairly simple, you can just about get the driveshafts out if you remove lower wishbone bolts and handbrake cable clip and pull wheel out board, do that one side then you can slide diff across to get driveshaft out from other side without removing the other wishbone
Click to expand...
Thanks for this info :)

Rave says you need to remove the drive shafts completely to remove the diff. However, to change the oil seals, it describes what you say in undoing the suspension arms and brake clip which allows the hub to be moved back far enough to remove the drive shafts from the diff.

I've undone the suspension (and trailing) arms but still can't manage to get the shafts out. I had considered removing the diff mounts and sliding it across but was a bit unsure of the 'unknown'. As you've confirmed its an option, I'll give it a go.

To be honest, the bolts on the suspension came out so easy (on this car anyway!) its no great hassle to loosen both sides.

Thought I'd just add this by way of thanks and to give more info if anyone stumbles across it when they come to do the job.
 
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As a follow up to this. I got my diff out today. I hadn't undone the clips on the hand brake cables which was probably what was stopping the shafts coming out of the diff.

Its actually a fairly easy job... if you don't makes mistakes! All the suspension and mount bolts have good access and came out easy. The diff lowers down on a trolley jack easily and is light enough to lift off the jack once down but not quite free yet. All the suspension bolts go back in nice and easy as well. I haven't installed the diff yet, so not sure how easy aligning it will be.

One other mistake I made was trying to remove the mounts by removing the nuts. They're captive/welded to the brackets, which i found out only after an almighty struggle with the first one - with the others I correctly put the socket on the bolt and out they came!
 
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