Sofasurfer

Sofasurfer

Well-Known Member
Defender 90 Tdi 300 hard top. I was driving at about 35mph, the steering went odd, just veering all over the place, front right wheel locked and I skidded to a halt on the wrong side-on the road, facing oncoming traffic. Luckily there were no cars behind me or infront. AA turned out quickly as I was a hazard and couldn't move. Checked handbrake OK, diagnosed either seized wheel bearing front offside, cv joint or differential. Recovered to local garage by flat bed. AA and Midhurst Engineering recovery were excellent back home now.

It was scary as there was no warning and I struggled to keep control. I'm betting on the cv joint because of the steering problem, any ideas?
 
As said, broken CV, seized wheelbearing, or broken/locked one side diff.
 
Sofasurfer said:
Defender 90 Tdi 300 hard top. I was driving at about 35mph, the steering went odd, just veering all over the place, front right wheel locked and I skidded to a halt on the wrong side-on the road, facing oncoming traffic. Luckily there were no cars behind me or infront. AA turned out quickly as I was a hazard and couldn't move. Checked handbrake OK, diagnosed either seized wheel bearing front offside, cv joint or differential. Recovered to local garage by flat bed. AA and Midhurst Engineering recovery were excellent back home now.

It was scary as there was no warning and I struggled to keep control. I'm betting on the cv joint because of the steering problem, any ideas?
Click to expand...

Could be the wheel bearing has collapsed altogether, and the brake disc has come into abrupt contact with the pads.
Often, but not always, the bearing makes a noise before failure. But in a landrover, you might not hear it over the general noise.
Otherwise CV joint, but they usually make a noise before total failure as well.
 
It's not the handbrake that's for sure. Doubt it's the CV unless you've been ignoring the thumping, grinding noise on full lock for a while. Could be a shoe or pad badly adjusted/ come adrift

Overtightened bearing would be my guess. Things get quite interesting as they're in the process of welding themselves together
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8ha
blue beasty said:
It's not the handbrake that's for sure. Doubt it's the CV unless you've been ignoring the thumping, grinding noise on full lock for a while. Could be a shoe or pad badly adjusted/ come adrift

Overtightened bearing would be my guess. Things get quite interesting as they're in the process of welding themselves together
Click to expand...

Overtightened or undertightened can lead to the effect described.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 8ha
CV's are more likely to chew up than seize so given the wobbly steering I go for wheel bearing.If so check the others.
lucky escape for you and possibly others.:eek::)
 
"unless you've been ignoring the thumping, grinding noise"

... this is what's often happened with mine following my statement to t'missus that "it'll be good for a couple of hundred miles yet" ...
 
blue beasty said:
What is this strange new fangled wizardry of which you speak?
Click to expand...

Years ago, one of my mates had a Vauxhall Cresta. One of the front brakes seized on, and the angled pad cut right through the disc, leaving the hub, and a sort of metal quoit.
When we asked him how he hadn't noticed the terrible racket, he replied, I had the stereo up pretty loud! :rolleyes:o_O
 
No unusual sounds but with the vents and drivers window open in the recent hot weather, it's difficult to hear anything. Radio not on. It was serviced in November and all the fluid levels were checked, not advised of any potential problems.
Very scary moment on a quiet road at low speed, 55mph on the busy road earlier would have meant a serious accident. Lucky day.
 
[GALLERY=][/GALLERY]
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9714.jpg
    IMG_9714.jpg
    72 KB · Views: 126
  • IMG_9709.jpg
    IMG_9709.jpg
    85.7 KB · Views: 146
Sofasurfer said:
No unusual sounds but with the vents and drivers window open in the recent hot weather, it's difficult to hear anything. Radio not on. It was serviced in November and all the fluid levels were checked, not advised of any potential problems.
Very scary moment on a quiet road at low speed, 55mph on the busy road earlier would have meant a serious accident. Lucky day.
Click to expand...

Servicing comes in different levels, depending on what you ask for, and pay for.
An engine service won't necessarily include jacking the vehicle up and checking wheel bearings.
November is quite a long time ago.
Personally, I wouldn't bother checking fluid levels, I would change the fluids, and get the levels right, every year. And then check engine oil and coolant level daily.
 
Last edited:
Just been to the garage to see the damage, wheel bearing failed and welded itself solid. Drive shift, cv joint and diff all OK. Got off lightly.

The experience has caused a loss of confidence in my Defender, it could have been a fatal accident particularly if I had hit a fragile oncoming car or motor cyclist. I'm thinking about selling it.
 
Sofasurfer said:
Just been to the garage to see the damage, wheel bearing failed and welded itself solid. Drive shift, cv joint and diff all OK. Got off lightly.

The experience has caused a loss of confidence in my Defender, it could have been a fatal accident particularly if I had hit a fragile oncoming car or motor cyclist. I'm thinking about selling it.
Click to expand...
thats the same risk with any vehicle if servicing is neglected,luckily what happened to you is rare even though bearing failure is more common on any car
 
Scary for sure (glad all walked away fine), but why would you sell? Get the other bearing checked/replaced as it’s similar vintage maybe, but chances are any other vehicle of any make could have a completely random failure out of the blue..... This way you have your Defender and know it’s got sound bearings on the front.....? Up to you 100%, just putting an alternative view....? Cheers, A
 
Glad all ended well. Think it's a bit hasty to sell based on a freak accident. I wouldn't fret about it too much, some things are out of our control and you should see this as one of those situations.

Get the truck serviced, wheel bearings etc. etc and carry on regardless safe in the mind that this would be very unlikely to happen again......... just my opinion :)
 
James,

It was MOT'd and serviced last November and has not done many miles since. I had a front tyre explode on a Ford Sierra in the fast lane of a dual carriageway and kept that under control. I also had a Ferrari accelerator jam at full throttle when leaving a roundabout and brought that to a stop with no steering or brakes because I turned the engine off. So I've had scary experiences before. This was different, I had no control.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Freelander 1 Front wheel driveshaft cv joint pulling out
Replies
5
Views
858
mdv
M
B
vibration under load.
Replies
1
Views
599
andyfreelandy
andyfreelandy
cappers
Wheel bearing or CV joint noises
Replies
9
Views
2K
cappers
cappers
J
Defender 110 1987 - Ominous Axle squeak...
Replies
5
Views
1K
tottot
tottot
N
Wheel resistance
2
Replies
39
Views
3K
steve2286w
steve2286w