Transfer Box

2000 Model V8 Vogue (LPG)

A few weeks ago my front prop shaft came apart at the front diff end whilst driving at motorway speed.

I got the RAC chap to take the prop shaft off and then was able to get home and fit a new prop shaft.

But when I was pulling away with some force, there was a grinding noise which gradually got worse but it was very difficult to pinpoint the location.

A couple of weeks ago I was driving round a roundabout in heavy snow and the back end started to slide out, this wasn't due to speed as I was going slowly.

It made me think that the viscous coupling in the transfer box was locked up or at least knackered.

Adding that to the strange grinding noise on take off, I ordered a second hand transfer box which came yesterday.

I replaced the box today and it took me 6 hours!

I started out by disconnecting the prop shafts at the transfer box end but soon realised that this wasn't enough to get the box out or to access the two long bolts on the top of the box.

I also had to unbolt the cross member that supports the gearbox and allow that to fall a couple of inches to help slide the transfer box off.

There are three electrical plugs that have to be disconnected and one banjo bolt, this was straight forward enough.

Also had to disconnect the handbrake inside the car.

I put the new transfer box in place and started bolting everything back together.

I replaced the transfer box oil and went for a run - everything ran smoothly and all appears well.

So six hours of spannering and I am a happy man!

I think that when the prop shaft let go, it smashed the viscous coupling in some way.

The moral of the story - check your universal joints on the prop shafts and replace them at the slightest sign of wear.

This will save you having to replace the transfer box and spend all that time doing it.

Just thought I would share that with you.

More likely the UJ failed because the VCU had seized. It's easier to replace the VCU than the whole transfer box. Have you checked the VCU on your replacement box is OK?

Had the very same happen to my thor p38
lost the whole front prop on a dual carriage way so no need for the aa to remove it lol
I recovered my prop from the road and drove steadily back
fortunately I was not far from my workshop
ended up having to replace the front transfer box case (cracked) bearing and seal, the xyz switch (the later type expensive one )
investigation showed prop UJ issues not centre viscous

Yes, checked the viscous coupling, it is fine.

At the time this happened, I had noticed a vibration a few days before and had ordered a set of propshaft universal joints to do the job the following weekend.

I should have left the car at home and gone in another, expensive lesson learned.

But I do like my Range Rover.

I had the same thing with a strange vibration developing and a strange squeak
I had it on my list to check but it fell of first
I think it is a miss conception that a seized centre lsd causes prop failure
IMO the front prop failure is due to a few things
heat from the exhaust/ cat causing the grease to dry up
the length of the prop and the large amount of axle articulation, it therefore has to travel a work through large angles
and of course old age, poor maintenance and wear and tear