O

Old Ron

New Member
Hello and a happy new year to all from snowed in Scotland.

:doh:

Problem is no front wheel drive on my 2.5 DSE 1996 P38.

I suspect broken half shaft but have yet to find a satisfactory method of discovering which side is defunct.

All talk of jacking up and turning wheels or propshafts cannot be correct as it is not logical.

I have had my P38 for 10 years with various usual problems all been rectified,
air springs, hot starting problems, replacing EAS compressor and glow plugs etc. yet I still love the beast.

So please you intellegent people out there

1. Why if front propshaft rotates do front wheels remain stationary?
2. If it is broken half shaft how do we find out which side has gone?

There is no rumbling or other nasty noises from up front and no disturbing flashing lights.

As we have at least 4 inches of snow at present 2 wheel drive is not quite good enough.

As this is my first posting I am eagerly awaiting a flood of expert replies so thanks in anticipation.
 
Old Ron said:
Hello and a happy new year to all from snowed in Scotland.

:doh:

Problem is no front wheel drive on my 2.5 DSE 1996 P38.

I suspect broken half shaft but have yet to find a satisfactory method of discovering which side is defunct.

All talk of jacking up and turning wheels or propshafts cannot be correct as it is not logical.

I have had my P38 for 10 years with various usual problems all been rectified,
air springs, hot starting problems, replacing EAS compressor and glow plugs etc. yet I still love the beast.

So please you intellegent people out there

1. Why if front propshaft rotates do front wheels remain stationary?
2. If it is broken half shaft how do we find out which side has gone?

There is no rumbling or other nasty noises from up front and no disturbing flashing lights.

As we have at least 4 inches of snow at present 2 wheel drive is not quite good enough.

As this is my first posting I am eagerly awaiting a flood of expert replies so thanks in anticipation.
Click to expand...

yep, tis best way, jack one front wheel and try to turn it, if not must be other wheel, try it. of course it could also be stripped pinion but surely you'd heard it go.
 
Thanks for the reply but if a halft shaft is broken jacking up either wheel will will enable it to turn because of the design of the diff.
 
Old Ron said:
Thanks for the reply but if a halft shaft is broken jacking up either wheel will will enable it to turn because of the design of the diff.
Click to expand...

wrong if an halfshaft is broken the broken stub will turn because that will have least resistance and all drive will follow path of least resistance.
 
Old Ron said:
Thanks for the reply but if a halft shaft is broken jacking up either wheel will will enable it to turn because of the design of the diff.
Click to expand...

Of course, remove filler plug from diff, do as said and see if crown wheel turning, or any thing else in there for that matter, probably wise not to use finger though.
 
Old Ron said:
Hello and a happy new year to all from snowed in Scotland.

:doh:

Problem is no front wheel drive on my 2.5 DSE 1996 P38.

I suspect broken half shaft but have yet to find a satisfactory method of discovering which side is defunct.

All talk of jacking up and turning wheels or propshafts cannot be correct as it is not logical.

I have had my P38 for 10 years with various usual problems all been rectified,
air springs, hot starting problems, replacing EAS compressor and glow plugs etc. yet I still love the beast.

So please you intellegent people out there

1. Why if front propshaft rotates do front wheels remain stationary?
2. If it is broken half shaft how do we find out which side has gone?

There is no rumbling or other nasty noises from up front and no disturbing flashing lights.

As we have at least 4 inches of snow at present 2 wheel drive is not quite good enough.

As this is my first posting I am eagerly awaiting a flood of expert replies so thanks in anticipation.
Click to expand...

1. Because an halfshalt is broken the diff cannot drive unless both are connected.
2. Jack up wheels, the one with the broken halfshaft will be slightly easier to turn, also if you rock wheels back and forth with someone holding prop flange you should be able to decern slight movement on that caused by the connected wheel as it turns the diff.
 
Or alternatively remove drivers side front half shaft. If it int broken there's a good chance that it will be the Passengers side that is broken instead.
 
Thanks for all your replies.

Past experiance with many broken halfshafts in Series 3 landies confirms is is not allways easy to find first go which side is broken.

More seriously how hard is it to replace P38 front halfshafts?

Cannot find front half shafts mentioned in either Rave or hard copy workshop manual.

If any experts out there know which section it appears in I would be grateful of the info.
 
Sean said:
and if your forced to guess - go for the short side first
Click to expand...

Does not matter really. Apart from finding out which one is broken to order a new one, which is pretty simple as explained. Unless he has just sheared the splines. He will have to remove both of them to retrieve broken piece. Unless he has a four foot long pair of sniped nosed pliers that is. And more than likely have to remove diff. Unless he is successful with the long thin bar hit and hope method. Two long brush handles are useful for getting the old bit out if shaft has snapped.
 
What ever you do don't try using it in 2 wheel drive. I had the same problem, and it was all the crown wheel bolts had sheared off. I got it almost home when there was a loud bang, and I found a hole in the casing where a bolt had caught and punched out. And when the drive went originally there wasn't a sound. I suggest jack it up, get hold of a stethoscope from parts shop and while a mate turns the wheels listen carefully you may hear the grating noise if its a broken shaft.
 
Thanks again for all your replies, you have all made me very depressed.

As I am in Scotland nowhere is open until Tues 5th Jan so I am having to skate round the icy roads in my daughter's VW golf for a few days, yuk.

Wish me luck.
 
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