lost drive power to the wheels

My favourite LR (my only) is giving some trouble. It’s a 96 Tdi 110. After a loud thud (sounded left front) on a flat tar road in town, I lost drive power to the wheels. I engage the central diff lock and could move again.

My initial thought was that I broke my left front hub (I broke the right front hub before) but subsequent to this found that only my front wheels drive – no power on the rear.

I think it is one of two components in the rear axle – either the rear diff or a side shaft. What is the easiest way to determine which of these two failed? Other than that, what else could have failed –something in the transfer case – somehow don’t think so. It’s not the rear prop shaft as it is all intact.

I need some advice on this one.

pop off rear caps and check half shafts while somebody rocks truck on clutch,drive members would be my first idea

Hi

Had a quick look.. jacked up the font one at a time with both fronts driving. Lifted the rear with neither of the rears driving. In hind sight this makes sense as the diff will probably turn the broken one easiest.

I will guess the rh shaft is broken and will start with it as the rh wheel bearing seems to be shot as well. It is spinning out grease from the hub centre.

Thanks for the feedback so far

OK. Looks like I found the culprit. The LH spline seems to be stripped with the shaft turning in the hub.

I have not removed anything yet but assume this means I need to pull and replace the side shaft.

Thanks

yes job done ,check other side splines as well ,its common for people to bring me salisbury axle for rebuild for it to be drive member shaft spline wear causing the backlash ,drive member ftc859 shaft ftc1725 for passenger side lh

I’ll have a look on both sides. Both wheels are spinning out grease on both the inner and outer seals so I need to disassemble both in any case.
Thanks

Ah man i wish mine as the rear axle!

i thought it was but just harder to get at

mine (same year but 90) did exactly the same thing a week or so back think i got water it it somehow splines rounded off and bearing needed replacing. fitted HD flanges in hope of preventing it happening again.

Picked up all the parts today and will be reconditioning both rear wheels. Obviously new ss and drive-member for the left and new bearings and seals for both rears. Along with this I’ll replace all the oil in both diffs, front hubs, transfer case and gearbox.
Some TLC is long overdue…

The next project will be to replace the suspension system (shocks and coils) along with the relevant bushes as required.

Mmm… I see that the splines on the other side are quite damaged and will replace that shaft as well.

I am replacing the all the oil in the diffs and gearboxes. Question though… If I fill the front diff with the recommended quantity of oil it starts to run out the filler hole – this seems correct. However, It I fill the rear diff with the recommended quantity of oil it does not run out the filler hole. Even “over filling” the diff (+200 ml) there was nothing coming out the hole – is this correct?

About two weeks ago (before my last trip) I added oil in the rear diff until it ran out the filler hole. On the trip the wheels started to spin out oil on all the seals. Is this due to the potential over filling of the diff and does this mean I need to replace the oil seals on the two stub axles?

you cant over fill with oil if you let it run out of filler plug ,its not that exact,seals in stub axles maybe need changing,but outer hub seals wont hold oil in just grease

check that your axle breather is clear.

thanks, havent done that yet.

One other thing… do I use the same rationale while filling the front universal chambers. I prefer oil and not grease as I’ve lost one of the universals as it ran dry and I could not check oil levels?

fill them to level plug a bit more wont hurt ,i often top up with oil even if grease has been used as it often ends up in diff and you cant be sure how much is left