VCU Life
- Thread starter DefUnct
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FreeTaz
New Member
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- 77
- Location
- Tasmania, Down Under
I bought my my01 v6 auto with 145km on it, about 90k miles, vcu was dead but I think it was the odd tyres that did it in, even with newer ones on the back, the difference in rolling diameter was 6mm.
essexpestcontrol
New Member
- Posts
- 484
- Location
- grays, essex
Im on 98000 it'll get sorted if and when it goes bang
howardo
New Member
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- 6,783
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- In the woods
vcu won't go bang, the diffs will.....expensive!
courierdude
New Member
- Posts
- 52
im on 126,000+ and the previous owner said that he hadnt changed it in the 60,000 mile that he owned it for. definitely 'brakes' on reverse full lock and even needs a gentlr throttle persuasion taking mini roundabouts. hoping for the new one to arrive tomorrow.
i need a number 12 torx socket to get it off is that right?
i need a number 12 torx socket to get it off is that right?
Hippo
Lord Hippo
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- 54,029
Freelanders have torx bits all over them. You'd betterer to buy a set.
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f69/freelander-1-vcu-bearing-replacement-how-guide-156068.html
essexpestcontrol
New Member
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- 484
- Location
- grays, essex
thats why I have the "backup" vitara sitting on the drive, anything expensive will see it scrapped
Hippo
Lord Hippo
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- 54,029
I use the same idea, but prefer to park mine next to Freelander 2's. His faults suddenly disappear.
better still - an X-Trail. selectable 2/4wd and a boot bigger than an F1..
oh - and reliable (relatively)
Resurrecting this as I've just come across it thanks to a heads-up from Hipo. I'm a relative newcomer t oFL1 after an X-Trail T30. Although we never had the X-Trail properly off-road, we did have a few snowy Winters here in Cumbria when we first got it. I prefer the 4WD system on the X-Trail. Switchable 2WD, "Auto" or "Lock". It's an electronically actuated multi-plate clutch built into the nose of the rear diff. Never gave us a minute's bother, never touched it - other than changing the rear diff oil once in 130,000 miles. We usually drove in 2WD, in most conditions, and "Auto" in snow or ice. I used "lock" a few times when setting off in snow, but they understeer like a pig when using "Lock" and it deactivates anyway above about 10 MPH.
And yes, it has a bigger boot.
HOWEVER, the engine was an absolute piece of the proverbial brown stuff! A bit more power than the TD4 in our Freelander but noisy and harsh when cold and prone to timing chain and vacuum pump drive chain failure. Also used to seize brake calipers for fun - I ended up treating them as "service items" - and more prone to rust than the Freelander. To be honest, I wouldn't be in a hurry to get another X-Trail!
On the subject of VCUs (I haven't measured temperature but have never found it more than "hand hot" after a run), would it be fair to say that provided you can drive in a circle on dry tarmac, forwards and backwards without touching the throttle (i.e. just on the idle speed control) then the VCU is OK? Ours does "drag" a little on full lock, forwards and backwards, but nothing the idle speed control valve can't overcome. No idea whether that's normal or not? No creaking noises (...well, not since I welded up the fatigue cracks round the rear subframe mount, at any rate...).
Colthebrummie
Well-Known Member
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- 9,870
- Location
- Thatcham
I bought my fl1 with 69k on the clock and took it in to my local 4x4 Indy to get it checked over, I asked them to look at the vcu in particular. They found a few issues but said the vcu was ok. It struggled to reverse on full lock and would stall if I didn't keep the revs up. So I had a recon vcu fitted by Bell Engineering for about £400. It hasn't made much difference to the braking effect when reversing, so I wouldn't use that symptom much as a guide. It's now done about 20k since then and nothing has changed.
Col
Col
The one wheel up test is the best and quickest test for the VCU.
The only downside to the VCU design, is the complete intolerance to odd tyres, otherwise it's a brilliant and system. It allows good steering control on slippery surfaces, because there's a slight bit of slip between front and rear axles. This slip allows the steering to work correctly and helps the HDC do it's thing too.
The only downside to the VCU design, is the complete intolerance to odd tyres, otherwise it's a brilliant and system. It allows good steering control on slippery surfaces, because there's a slight bit of slip between front and rear axles. This slip allows the steering to work correctly and helps the HDC do it's thing too.
Hippo
Lord Hippo
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- 54,029
Reversing on full lock isn't an easily comparable test. The FL1 was fitted with 4 different engines which each provide a different amount of power/torque when on tick over only. Not a great difference but some difference. Comparing the auto to a manual gearbox is difficult too as the auto won't stall but it will slip if the force against it is greater. My v6 auto would pass a vcu when a manual would fail it. Manual drivers need to remove the clutch slip after pulling away to allow tick over to directly power the car. Some try to add revs to help it and stop it stalling but how much is added is difficult to control. The One Wheel Up Test OWUT is the best we have to date without having to take the vcu off. Brakes can catch and increase turn times but you can test for that if needed by lifting both rear wheels and turning them by hand.
Alibro
Well-Known Member
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- 7,212
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- Northern Ireland
I had a long running argument with a member here about the value of the reversing test. He said it was the only test worth using and the one wheel up test was no good, I said the reversing test was pointless unless you knew exactly how it was meant to feel in your model of car and the one wheel up test was the only repeatable measurable and comparable test we have.
He's long gone now after falling out with everyone else too, probably because he was an idiot who seemed to get a kick from saying the opposite to everyone else, and for better or worse I'm still here.
Take from that what you will.
htr
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 1,568
- Location
- Central Otago, Southern New Zealand
I got my 1.8 FL1 with 187000km on it in 2014. I fitted a new VCU and like you found that there was a certain amount of resistance when driving in circles in 1st / rev'. Now it's at 270,000km and it readily idles around in circles no problem. I'd not considered the points Hippo raised re differing engine gearbox characteristics - but it does make sense.
Hippo
Lord Hippo
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Tyres make a difference anorl when reversing round a corner. Outside me house the road is on a slight slope. When fitted general grabber AT2 tyres eye could take me hand brake oft and the car wouldn't roll. The tread pattern is all mixed up and fights itself. Hencet the better grip. When changing to pirelli scorpion str and doing the same hand brake release test, ma V6 would very slowly start to roll forward. The scorpions have a radial pattern when is quieter and has less resistance fighting itself.
Apply that to the reverse corner test... The grabbers will fight more than the scorpions which will slow down the cars movement on tick over. So the grabbers would feel "tighter" when turning.
It's not the maddest of investigative VCU work I've done. Move video's to follow when eye get round to editing again.
Apply that to the reverse corner test... The grabbers will fight more than the scorpions which will slow down the cars movement on tick over. So the grabbers would feel "tighter" when turning.
It's not the maddest of investigative VCU work I've done. Move video's to follow when eye get round to editing again.
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- Embasinga stocæ
We love you guys, but it is amazing that 15 years or so since we started investigating Hippo drive trains, peeps still ignore the info.
