Freelander 1 VCU and Propshaft stuff

Hi,

I took the propshaft over the weekend as I need to replace the mounts.

Unfortunately when I took it off it slipped out of my hand and the front prop landed on the floor, in doing this it put a tear in the rubber boot at the front and oil started to leak out.

Does anyone know what the rubber boot is called and has anyone replaced 1 before? also, what sort of oil is in it?

also, I think my VCU is seized, is there an easy method to test it when it is not attached to the car?

Thanks

Neil

I have found the front boot is just called the Front Prop shaft Gaiter and they're about £30

They are cumbersome those prop shafts. Hope you didn't damage the prop itself when it dropped.
Is it oil in the gaiter or grease? You might find an answer in the Rave docs.

GrumpyGel said:

They are cumbersome those prop shafts. Hope you didn't damage the prop itself when it dropped.
Is it oil in the gaiter or grease? You might find an answer in the Rave docs.

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prop is fine, it's defo oil in the gaitor. I've had a look through the Rave docs but can't find anything :s

LR put grease in the gaiter on the front prop. Oil would come out too easily.

Yer can test a vcu when it's not on yer hippo. I've done this to mine but connecting the front/rear props, then clamp one prop whilst putting a long screw driver through the UJ of the other prop. Metal rod slid on the end of the screw driver with a weight on the end. Failing than just put 2 long screw drivers though the UJ's on either side of the vcu and see if it turns. Be careful not to damage the UJ's.

Hippo said:

LR put grease in the gaiter on the front prop. Oil would come out too easily.

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if it's grease then it's very very runny / watery

Hippo said:

Yer can test a vcu when it's not on yer hippo. I've done this to mine but connecting the front/rear props, then clamp one prop whilst putting a long screw driver through the UJ of the other prop. Metal rod slid on the end of the screw driver with a weight on the end. Failing than just put 2 long screw drivers though the UJ's on either side of the vcu and see if it turns. Be careful not to damage the UJ's.

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Thanks, sounds simple enough.

changing the subject, your headlight guards, are they the clip on 1's or screw on 1's? I have some screw on 1's but not got the templates for drilling the holes.

LandyMan said:

Thanks, sounds simple enough.

changing the subject, your headlight guards, are they the clip on 1's or screw on 1's? I have some screw on 1's but not got the templates for drilling the holes.

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Mine have 4 connecting points. 2 are slide in poles which slide into the front plastic grill section at the top of the bumper. Once slid in the guard fits near to the headlight and there's 2x screws going into small posts mounted in the front wing. LR supplied.

Hippo said:

Mine have 4 connecting points. 2 are slide in poles which slide into the front plastic grill section at the top of the bumper. Once slid in the guard fits near to the headlight and there's 2x screws going into small posts mounted in the front wing. LR supplied.

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yeh they're the 1's I have got, did you fit them yourself? I've been trying to find a template that you stick on the wing and the plastic bumper grill so I can drill the holes in the right place.

LandyMan said:

yeh they're the 1's I have got, did you fit them yourself? I've been trying to find a template that you stick on the wing and the plastic bumper grill so I can drill the holes in the right place.

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Ours were fitted. If yer line up the guard so it fits over the headlight it will only be the length of the stick out spike, out, from how it should fit horizontally. Yer can then work out where the holes for the spikes go. Once this is drilled/fitted you'll be able to push the spikes in and then be able to work out where to drill/fit the studs for the screws in the wing. That's how I would do it. They should come with bits of paper to put on to line up the holes.

LandyMan said:

if it's grease then it's very very runny / watery

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It is grease, at least it started out as grease. What you need is CV joint grease. Sometimes it's called MS3 grease. It's a high molybdenum content grease, designed for CV joints. After time it does go quite runny, almost oil like in nature.

Hippo said:

Ours were fitted. If yer line up the guard so it fits over the headlight it will only be the length of the stick out spike, out, from how it should fit horizontally. Yer can then work out where the holes for the spikes go. Once this is drilled/fitted you'll be able to push the spikes in and then be able to work out where to drill/fit the studs for the screws in the wing. That's how I would do it. They should come with bits of paper to put on to line up the holes.

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Thanks, that's what I'll have to do. I got them second hand so no paper templates

Nodge68 said:

It is grease, at least it started out as grease. What you need is CV joint grease. Sometimes it's called MS3 grease. It's a high molybdenum content grease, designed for CV joints. After time it does go quite runny, almost oil like in nature.

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Thanks for that, I'm getting the bits this weekend so will grab the grease as well

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Hippo said:

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thanks hippo, they're going to help out

Fitted my light guards, was hard to get them done the same without a template, but they look good.

I also got a new VCU on monday from bell engineering and will be fitting that this weekend, as long as I can get hold of the right grease for the front gaitor.