Clanforbes

New Member
Hi guys,

Yes I have done some searches and have spent the last three hours having a good read through most of what I found, buuut:

Since I got my defender TD5 (2000), there has always been quite a lot of clunks as I let the clutch up but it has never really bothered me too much, just something I knew I'd have to see to sometime. The time is pretty close now.

Recently, after doing a fairly fast run up the A9 from Perth to Dunkeld I noticed later (once it had been sitting for a couple of hours) that I was hearing a bit o' a rumble. I'd replaced two sets of wheel bearing for it's previous MOT (front n/s and rear o/s) so I think I can discount them, but on later checks, I did notice a slight warmth in the o/s rear hub after a wee drive. Later, I jacked up the rear (noise seems to be coming from the back end) but there are no obvious signs of wear in the wheel bearings in the rear axle. A quick play with the prop shafts showed that there is a LOT of free rotational movement in the diffs, front and back (as expected from the clunks) and a quick check of the rear axle oil level revealed a disgusting greyish sludge which is meant to be my rear axle oil, on retrospect I suspect it has quite a lot of worn metal in it as it is kinda silverish looking and probably some water too by the look of it. Due to very limited time I haven't checked the front wheel bearings yet, to eliminate them as the source of the noise, nor have I closely checked the prop shaft's joints yet.

I have a week and a half of hols coming up in mid May so my plan is to replace my diffs, both front and rear with either recon or new units and probably the other two wheel bearings that I didn't do for it's MOT.
I haven't looked at the UJ's on the prop shafts yet, but these will be checked before I order anything so I can have everything I will need to hand before the work starts.... I'll probably just order some spare wheel bearings even if they are not needed yet as I will need them eventually, the same applies to the prop shaft joints.

So here's my questions.

1. Anyone recommend a good supplier for recon diffs?
2. Are there any particular difficulties in replacing them?
3. Do any of you have a "shopping list" (jamesmartin I'm hoping will answer this 'coz I have noticed he is brilliant at supplying parts numbers too) to completely rebuilt each axle from end to end, including swivel balls and disks?
4. Do I need any speshul tools (can't think of anything I might need)?
5. I know it's a bit like asking how long is a piece of string, but I'd also be grateful if I had an approximatly realistic time scale to repair each axle. Based on doing the job with the axles in situ and a reasonably competent DIY'er with a good supply of tools and with an occasional willing helper.

My shopping list would be based on replacing everything on the drive train from wheel to wheel excluding gearboxes, prop shafts, clutch, handbrake, mounting bushes between the axles and body, but it would include inspection covers, drain plugs, level filler plugs and prop shaft joints - since I don't do any serious off-roading, I don't think I'll need to add things like diff lockers, but I am curious about them and prices since I'm gonna be in there.

I will consider coming "darn sarf" as far as about Manchester to collect everything, if I can get it all from one supplier, but this would eat into some of my time to do the work, my alternative would be to order it all in advance, either, via a local supplier, but many parts would be ****part if I did, so it'll probably be by mail order. It'd prefer NOT to mess about with second-hand stuff from Ebay or such because I want to eliminate as many possible things that can go wrong by using recon or new parts.

Finally, a few beer tokens could be going spare if anyone local to me (Blairgowrie) would like to help out with getting the jobs done........

Otherwise, it'll be a case of wish me lots of luck when the time comes to start the work, which should all be planned and mapped out by then.
 
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1. Anyone recommend a good supplier for recon diffs?

Ashcroft

2. Are there any particular difficulties in replacing them?

If fitted access will be aslight issue, decent set of axle stand will sort that out. Crap handbrake will slow you down if the wheels are off the ground.

3. Do any of you have a "shopping list" (jamesmartin I'm hoping will answer this 'coz I have noticed he is brilliant at supplying parts numbers too) to completely rebuilt each axle from end to end, including swivel balls and disks?

Seals, lots of seals. dif casing, hub seals, i think there is two or 3 each corner. There is a parts list for defenders on this forum. You may also need some new bolts. breather tubes.

4. Do I need any speshul tools (can't think of anything I might need)? -

Hub spanner.

5. I know it's a bit like asking how long is a piece of string, but I'd also be grateful if I had an approximatly realistic time scale to repair each axle. Based on doing the job with the axles in situ and a reasonably competent DIY'er with a good supply of tools and with an occasional willing helper.

if I were doing it i'd hope to get done in a day, but I under estimate everything! It took me 1 hour to strip an axle out on a bench, double that for refitting. UJ's not done one can't comment, but they look like a massive pain in the arse.

Also consider half shafts, as they made also be worn.

Diff lockers are about £350 ish each, if your not going to do some serious off road don't bother. normal dif lock is good for most stuff.

Play could also becoming from your gear box? Clutch?
 
you could also have excessive ring and pinion gear wear also as the pioion bearing,shim washers could also be worn from your gray diff oil. Put on breather extensions. Setting up back lash on ring and pinion can be tricky. as should use a dial indicator to get .006-.010 back lash

Hope this helps you and this explains how to set it up right, good luck

http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_cat...ing_and_pinion_installation_instructions.html
 
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1. Anyone recommend a good supplier for recon diffs?

Ashcroft

2. Are there any particular difficulties in replacing them?

If fitted access will be aslight issue, decent set of axle stand will sort that out. Crap handbrake will slow you down if the wheels are off the ground.

3. Do any of you have a "shopping list" (jamesmartin I'm hoping will answer this 'coz I have noticed he is brilliant at supplying parts numbers too) to completely rebuilt each axle from end to end, including swivel balls and disks?

Seals, lots of seals. dif casing, hub seals, i think there is two or 3 each corner. There is a parts list for defenders on this forum. You may also need some new bolts. breather tubes.

4. Do I need any speshul tools (can't think of anything I might need)? -

Hub spanner.

5. I know it's a bit like asking how long is a piece of string, but I'd also be grateful if I had an approximatly realistic time scale to repair each axle. Based on doing the job with the axles in situ and a reasonably competent DIY'er with a good supply of tools and with an occasional willing helper.

if I were doing it i'd hope to get done in a day, but I under estimate everything! It took me 1 hour to strip an axle out on a bench, double that for refitting. UJ's not done one can't comment, but they look like a massive pain in the arse.

Also consider half shafts, as they made also be worn.

Diff lockers are about £350 ish each, if your not going to do some serious off road don't bother. normal dif lock is good for most stuff.

Play could also becoming from your gear box? Clutch?

I have just had a recon rear diff in mine, a genuine LR one and the diff cost just over £300
 
**** know's thats far to techie for me. I bought it as an LR recon diff, I'm assuming everything had been checked and replaced if needed. It has got a warranty can't remember how long though.
 
Thank you all for responding ... I will go and have a browse of Ashcroft's as soon as I finish this reply.

I did read Wickford's thread and it was pretty much the road I planned to go down, getting a couple of recon'ed units ready to go in. Yes, axle stands would be getting used and I already have the hub spanner from when I did the bearings. The drive shafts also came to mind after I'd posted the message, but I will know if they need to be replaced when I take them out, knowing me I will probably replace them anyway if they look at all suspect, especially if I'm doing everything else, and will have plenty of time to get new ones sent up if I don't have them in advance.

I never thought, but I should have looked through RAVE for the parts required as I plan to remove all the innards of each axle and replace with new parts, I knew there would be seals, but hadn't thought there would be more than one at each end and one for the recon diff (I expect it'll come fitted in the unit. Front and back. Same goes for the prop shafts, once this has been done my next project will be the gearboxes and clutch, but probably not for a while yet, maybe this summer, but most likely next year if no major problems develop in between.

I don't want to mess about with trying to set up the diffs myself otherwise I would simply buy the bits to recon my old ones and fitting ready to go bits will save me a lot of time and worry about if I did it right.

Ok, I'll go browse Ashcroft's, RAVE and my Haynes manual.

R.
 
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Hey, Ashcroft's looks like the bee's knees for my recon diffs then. The fact that they even do overnight delivery is very handy 'coz then I can have the old ones out and ready to go back by return on the delivery van.

All I need to do now is source the rest of the bits I need, wheel bearings, seals etc. Looks like this job could turn out a lot easier than I was expecting.

Thanks go to BenPalmer for steering me towards Ashcrofts.

R.
 
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you could also have excessive ring and pinion gear wear also as the pioion bearing,shim washers could also be worn from your gray diff oil. Put on breather extensions. Setting up back lash on ring and pinion can be tricky. as should use a dial indicator to get .006-.010 back lash

Hope this helps you and this explains how to set it up right, good luck

http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_cat...ing_and_pinion_installation_instructions.html

Thanks FT for the link ... I did come across something similar earlier when I was reading through the search results. I am assuming that any diff unit supplied by Ashcrofts will be set up and ready to "plug and play" so to speak.

Hence why I'd rather do it this way. I did read Trewey's (I think it was trewey) How To about rebuilding the diff, but I'd rather leave the set-up to people who know what they are doing like Ashcroft.
 
Thanks FT for the link ... I did come across something similar earlier when I was reading through the search results. I am assuming that any diff unit supplied by Ashcrofts will be set up and ready to "plug and play" so to speak.

Hence why I'd rather do it this way. I did read Trewey's (I think it was trewey) How To about rebuilding the diff, but I'd rather leave the set-up to people who know what they are doing like Ashcroft.

Figured the diff would be complete but fitting it to a used pinion is not such a good idea as old pinion gear is worn IMO. Here they are sold in sets,matched to each other and that is where all the power is put to the wheels and not meshing properly the gears can caused problems down the road. Just a heads up and good luck
 
Figured the diff would be complete but fitting it to a used pinion is not such a good idea as old pinion gear is worn IMO. Here they are sold in sets,matched to each other and that is where all the power is put to the wheels and not meshing properly the gears can caused problems down the road. Just a heads up and good luck

Ahh, now I understand. When I referred to the diff I meant the entire assembly, which is how I think of it, but now I realise that the diff is actually only the complicated bit that makes it all happen and excludes the ring and pinion gears.

Just to avoid any further confusion, I intend to buy two replacement complete assembled units which (I hope) will only need the old one removed and the replacement bolted on between the prop shaft and the axle. My plan is to remove everything, thoroughly clean out the "grey sludge" from what should be, more or less, an empty tube that will be my axle and replace everything I removed, which will probably include the drive shafts.

Your continued clarification is much appreciated as is your offerings of "Good Luck".

Since Ashcroft do an overnight delivery service, I will probably strip everything out first so I can see exactly what I need (10 or 24 spline, shaft condition etc.) then I can place my order and have it delivered to where the vehicle will be and return the old ones on the same van, assuming they take it off my hands on the spot.

One thing I am curious about is the weight. Can anyone advise me, roughly what weight is in one complete unit?

I will be planning on having two delivered at the same time. Are they liable to come on a pallet , or in a crate?

R.
 
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I've been hunting through microcat and have found there are two hubs for the defender front and rear.

Now I'm really gonna show my ignorance in this sort of thing, microcat lists two hubs for the rear axles. Can anyone explain what they are referring to when they quote:-

from (V)LA930456 to (V)WA159806 - for this range it's FTC942

or

from (V)XA159807 for which range it is AUB101740. This AUB101740 is also listed as the front hub from (V)VA128340 to (V)WA159025 and is listed under a 8 different axle codes

Is the (v)LA****** to (V)WA****** the VIN number for the vehicle or is it some axle identifier I haven't discovered yet?

If it's the VIN number then my landy would be YA193***

This is the sort of thing that really confuses me when it comes to looking up part numbers for bits, I really would be grateful to anyone who would explain how this all works, I've never had anything to do with microcat until recently, I guess I should go through the tutorial and find out how it works.

Thanks in anticipation,

Ron.
 
Thanks fanatic, now things are becoming clearer ... I'm as thick as two short planks when it comes to this sort of thing.
 

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