Threw a front something

Vinlander said:

That's what I'm hoping. Had a bit of trouble getting a 16m socket off one of the top pin bolts earlier

Bottom pin well and truly shagged, by the way, poss cause of failure.
Top pin spacer also disintegrated, prob cowboy installation.

Click to expand...

you never need undo a bottom pin bolt

But what's the weird bar thing for?

So I've got the os drive flange off for the trip home, but am I best off removing ns and prop as well, given location of damage (prob halfshaft)?
Everything's soaked now, so I'm not trying again with getting the wheel carrier off.

It might be worth it to save any potential damage to the diff (if you are planning on keeping it as a spare).

Hoping to, yes.
Better get on that pronto then.
Wish me luck with my uj nuts.

Some tool has sealed this side on

Seems to drive ok in 2wd.
Any thoughts on ****part seals/bearings?
May be all I can get on short notice. End of the world or not?

Vinlander said:

Seems to drive ok in 2wd.
Any thoughts on ****part seals/bearings?
May be all I can get on short notice. End of the world or not?

Click to expand...

Timkin bearings, crap seals might leak but at least yer wheel won't fall off.

I think they do those at island4x4, I'd better give them a call, only place I've got to go to for bits.

Felt OK driving it home, but still got a clunk somewhere up front on take up? Maybe just a knackered swivel pin or something?

Got a question .. how dangerous is it to drive this without front drive components (prop and drive flanges)?
I've heard of people doing this as a "mod" to improve fuel consumption or some such, so surely no big deal?
No intention of leaving it this way, but if I can't get parts till after new year, am I OK to drive it around?
It didn't seem bothered at all, even when I had to stop/start in mud etc on back roads.

So far as I'm aware with drive removed (from prop and wheels) the only issue is no lubrication to swivel pins.

I'm not happy saying it'll be fine because you still don't seem to know for sure what the problem is.

Have you checked wheel bearings with the wheel up? The fact that it goes round isn't a good enough indication.

You may get away with it but if you don't know what the issue is then you cant be 100% sure. Worst case scenario is that the CV is breaking up and bits could potentially lock the wheel solid while driving or jam the steering while turning if it got between the swivel and hub. If you can get the stub axle off and pull the CV and shafts you might see what the issue is. As a temp fix if it is the CV leave it and the shafts out and clean out the swivel if needed.

Thanks fellas .. I'm not normally a wet lettuce, but working outdoors under current meteorological conditions (****ing cats and dogs) it's good to know I'm not alone.
Got the replacement axle stripped down to housing and drive unit with a stubborn steering damper on. Still too heavy/awkward to lift alone, but may have to brute force it a bit at a time since I won't be dismantling the final drive in this weather. Have to draw a line somewhere. Might have a luggage trolley or something somewhere, wish I'd thought to bring a sack barrow from work.
Aim is to get it all in the back of the disco in bits and limp back to MIL's for some level driveway space. She is an understanding and tolerant and gracious and beautiful and sagacious woman, and any more compliments anyone can think of.

Couldn't get the hub off last time, but outer bearing came out and had maybe 1-2mm play within the bearing. Not wonderful, but not too bad. Poked around at the inner, and it seemed similar. Packed it with grease before reassembling.
Far as I could see through the swivel housing fill hole (not much, but turned it all the way round and felt with a finger), outer cv looks good all the way round, no sign of swarf or loose bits.
Turning the final drive flange, there's a bit of scraping and a clunk toward the outboard end, but sounds like inboard of halfshaft seal, and no difference in sound with swivel fill plug out, which I would expect to reveal some clearer crunching or grinding if cv shot.
All seems consistent with broken shaft, but as you say, can't be sure until it's been fully stripped, so will be taking it easy and only driving if absolutely unavoidable, home - parts - driveway. If the weather clears I'll pull the top pin and grease it, and have another go at that hub.

While we're here, I heard somewhere that the diff can go into neutral. Is that right? I understand the transfer box has L, N, and H, and if it wasn't for my knocking when turning the diff, I'd suspect it'd got knocked out of drive and somehow not wanting to go back in? I did check when it happened since not a lot of confidence what with diff lock sometimes not disengaging properly, and having just found low range the other day. Thought it'd been locked out, but turned out it's in the middle.

The diff in the axle doesn't have a 'neutral' it will always drive both wheels when the input shaft is turned unless one wheel is off the ground (or shaft/cv/drive member has failed) in which case it will spin the shaft with the least resistance (i.e the broken one or lifted wheel). Because of the way the transfer box diff works you need to have it in diff lock to move the vehicle if the drivetrain has any 'breaks' in it.

Makes sense. Just mixed up terminology somewhere

Ere ya go then ..

All manner of **** and rollers in the bottom of the swivel housing, sheared off halfshaft.

And look what rolled up


Well, not sure what to do about my os axle. Don't want to go far without that lower swivel bearing, don;t want to pull one out of the "new axle", can't put the "new" axle on without driving it 30 miles or so.
Island 4x4 closed until new year, LR dealer unrealistic.

Do you have the type of hub with a taper bearing on both the upper and lower swivel pins? If so, as a temp fix, consider use the upper bearing on the lower pin (as that is the heavily loaded bearing and 'borrow' the upper bearing from your spare axle. Doing it that way round means that you are not bothered about he 'old' lower bearing getting damaged on the drive home and the 'borrowed' upper could be reinstalled in your spare when you get back home. Leave the CV remnants out but be aware that you may want to pack the splines in the drive member with something to stop too much oil escaping down the side of your car. Good luck!

Second thoughts could you not bung the trailer driver a few quid to collect it?

Vinlander said:

Ere ya go then ..
View attachment 94114 View attachment 94115
All manner of **** and rollers in the bottom of the swivel housing, sheared off halfshaft.

Well, not sure what to do about my os axle. Don't want to go far without that lower swivel bearing, don;t want to pull one out of the "new axle", can't put the "new" axle on without driving it 30 miles or so.
Island 4x4 closed until new year, LR dealer unrealistic.

Click to expand...

Looking at the wear marks on the shaft that lower bearing may have been gone for a little while?

yeah, I reckon so. I had my clunk down to backlash, but could be looking at the cause, or part of, here.
Will have a look see if the driver is about. Good idea