Thought it might be helpful to advise other members of a possible problem with reconditioned VCU's.
I removed my original VCU a few weeks ago and have been running on front wheel drive but thought it was about time to replace with a recon unit supplied by a well known and reliable company. When i came to fit the propshaft splined yokes onto the VCU splined output shafts the shafts were flush with the end of the yokes which meant that the horse shoe plates tightened onto the end of the VCU shafts whilst leaving the yokes insecure. Anyway to cut a long story short the VCU supplier has advised me that post 2003 VCU's have a shorter output shaft and if you are supplied with a pre 2003 VCU you have to remove approximately 1/16" off the end of the shaft or the propshaft yoke will not tighten up correctly. Obviously not a problem for earlier Freelanders but a potential disaster for later models.
I removed my original VCU a few weeks ago and have been running on front wheel drive but thought it was about time to replace with a recon unit supplied by a well known and reliable company. When i came to fit the propshaft splined yokes onto the VCU splined output shafts the shafts were flush with the end of the yokes which meant that the horse shoe plates tightened onto the end of the VCU shafts whilst leaving the yokes insecure. Anyway to cut a long story short the VCU supplier has advised me that post 2003 VCU's have a shorter output shaft and if you are supplied with a pre 2003 VCU you have to remove approximately 1/16" off the end of the shaft or the propshaft yoke will not tighten up correctly. Obviously not a problem for earlier Freelanders but a potential disaster for later models.
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