eduard_andrei · Sep 30, 2024

Hello everybody! So I have 2003 Freelander, TD4 engine, automatic gearbox. I hear a noise from the back of the car, rear central. It's a crackling/popping noise, every half a second, when I steer/turn the car almost max left and right. It's not very loud but you can definitely hear it. This does not happen in reverse, even when the steering wheel is completely turned.

The VCU has been reconditioned last week, has new fluid inside now and should be fine.

Has anybody experienced something similar? Or advices on what should I check next? Thank you!

GrumpyGel · Sep 30, 2024

Have you done 1 one wheel up test on the reconditioned VCU?

Are all your tyres the same make and version and (tested to be) pumped to the same pressure?

Have you examined the IRD for wear? eg drained the oil and checked that the bearings are not mashed and suspended in it. Always loosen the fill plug before draining with a tight fitting hex socket (its a soft plug). Also checked the rear diff oil.

The tests are mentioned on here...

Tests new Freelander 1 owners should do on their car

These points have been written so many times, I just want to put them in a thread by themselves so a link can be used rather than typing them out each time! This relates only to Freelander 1 vehicles. Freelander like all cars can have many different faults. Lights can stop working, leaks can...

landyzone.co.uk

andyfreelandy · Sep 30, 2024

Did it do it before VCU recon?

Who did recon recon?

Then as above. VCU one wheel up test figures.

Arctic2 · Sep 30, 2024

Could it be the chassis cracking in the point it does or is that only on the earlier 98-2001 models.

eduard_andrei · Sep 30, 2024

Another interesting fact: for one week I drove the car without the propshaft, because the VCU was being reconditioned. And during that week there was absolutely no sound.

eduard_andrei · Sep 30, 2024

andyfreelandy said:
Did it do it before VCU recon?

Who did recon recon?

Then as above. VCU one wheel up test figures.

Yes, the sound was ever louder before VCU recon. That's why I decided to get it reconditioned.
Recon was done here in Romania, recommended by people from the local club.

andyfreelandy · Sep 30, 2024

OK. Well worth doing the test but previous VCU sounds like it has damaged the rear differential gears.

eduard_andrei · Sep 30, 2024

andyfreelandy said:
OK. Well worth doing the test but previous VCU sounds like it has damaged the rear differential gears.

I think this might be the case... I took the car today to a workshop and they will take the diff down. When I bought the car, one year ago, I did the VCU test with the weight and stuff and everything was running smooth. Are we supposed to test it every x months? In my case, it looks like a the VCU stopped working and destroyed other parts.

andyfreelandy · Sep 30, 2024

Test every 6 months is ideal. It goes from getting bad to very bad quite quickly.

Tight VCU firstly destroys the front diff mount rubber bush, then either the IRD or the Diff or both.

Diff is cheaper and easier to replace !!!

GrumpyGel · Sep 30, 2024

You will get a lot of (damaging) wind up and the VCU will deteriorate very quickly if you have mismatched tyres or you loose air in a tyre and drive on it.

eduard_andrei · Oct 8, 2024

Update: I've done the one wheel up test, everything good. Also replaced the rear diff & drive shafts, but sound is still there. At the moment, the mechanic is trying to change the rubber bushes from all the 4 inferior joints & the long bolt that goes through the hub carrier. We saw some wear on those bushes and maybe that's what makes the weird sound when turning.

Another interesting fact: while the VCU was being reconditioned, the prop shaft was of course removed from the car and during that week the sound was gone. Completely gone.

andyfreelandy · Oct 8, 2024

Unlikely to be bushes in the arms.
Check the trailing arms, the ones that run from hub to chassis.

Also worth checking subframe not cracked or mountings not broken.

Freddie17 · Oct 8, 2024

… the diff mount bushes can also give a strange noise when worn.

eduard_andrei · Oct 8, 2024

andyfreelandy said:
Unlikely to be bushes in the arms.
Check the trailing arms, the ones that run from hub to chassis.

Also worth checking subframe not cracked or mountings not broken.

Bushes in the trailing arms are good, they were replaced 3 months ago.
How can I check the subframe? A visual inspection? Thanks.

eduard_andrei · Oct 8, 2024

Freddie17 said:
… the diff mount bushes can also give a strange noise when worn.

I know... it was also something I thought off. In June I replaced them with a new set, original OEM (all 3 of them). The weird thing is that they somehow seem to be a bit weaker/looser than the old ones

I was thinking of ordering some polyurethane diff bushes, what do you guys think?

xDParis64 · Oct 8, 2024

eduard_andrei said:
I know... it was also something I thought off. In June I replaced them with a new set, original OEM (all 3 of them). The weird thing is that they somehow seem to be a bit weaker/looser than the old ones I was thinking of ordering some polyurethane diff bushes, what do you guys think?

Totally unrelated and unhelpful but I love the green! Do you have the colour code?

eduard_andrei · Oct 17, 2024

xDParis64 said:
Totally unrelated and unhelpful but I love the green! Do you have the colour code?

sure, it is RAL 6011 https://www.ralcolorchart.com/ral-classic/ral-6011-reseda-green

eduard_andrei · Oct 17, 2024

After replacing all the bushes from the rear arms, sound was still there.

I finally found out what was causing the problem. 3 months ago I changed the rear diff mounts, all 3 of them. The sound was very similar to metal rubbing against metal. So I checked the diff mounts again, and guess what? The front one was mounted in a reversed position by the mechanic, so when the car turned left/right, the diff would move and this mount would touch(see photos attached, where you can see that the metal is a bit worn out). This part is not symmetric, so you should only install it one way. So I just switched it's position and the sound is gone.

Freddie17 · Oct 17, 2024

Thanks for updating - good info for us all

xDParis64 · Oct 17, 2024

eduard_andrei said:
After replacing all the bushes from the rear arms, sound was still there.

I finally found out what was causing the problem. 3 months ago I changed the rear diff mounts, all 3 of them. The sound was very similar to metal rubbing against metal. So I checked the diff mounts again, and guess what? The front one was mounted in a reversed position by the mechanic, so when the car turned left/right, the diff would move and this mount would touch(see photos attached, where you can see that the metal is a bit worn out). This part is not symmetric, so you should only install it one way. So I just switched it's position and the sound is gone.

View attachment 328343 View attachment 328345
View attachment 328346

It was quite a pain for me to get that one in on mine, quite impressed they fitted it in reverse???

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