Hippo
Lord Hippo
Lift both rear wheels up and turn 1. The other should easily turn in the opposite direction. This will prove the hand break int catching, which can happen. that would give you a false result. If you want to remove a prop then it's easier to remove both props and the vcu at the same time. You need to tell your insurance about this as it's a mod but most just want to know and will make a note on your records. Driving with the props and/or vcu removed won't damage yer Freelander.
MHM is a quicker typer.
removed just the rear prop in the end, couldn't get the front prop to separate at the ird end after removing the six bolts, will just leave it there for now until i get a recon vcu
was able to push freelander back and forward when in neutral so handbrake not stuck sadly,
will remove the front prop with the ird shaft all at once when i have the time and some replacement oil, will have to do this to check the ird for damage anyway
thanks to all those who go to the trouble of researching these thing and passing on the knowledge and advise much appreciated by those of us who are a in need of the help,Mark
was able to push freelander back and forward when in neutral so handbrake not stuck sadly,
will remove the front prop with the ird shaft all at once when i have the time and some replacement oil, will have to do this to check the ird for damage anyway
thanks to all those who go to the trouble of researching these thing and passing on the knowledge and advise much appreciated by those of us who are a in need of the help,Mark
Bojer
Member
Hi all,
first Freelander and my first post - seemed it only right it should be on the VCU
Tested mine today and 4l of Castrols GTX at 1400mm took 55 seconds to horizontal . Not too bad ? Using my "bendy wand" torque wrench 100nm turned the hub through 45 degrees in about 20 seconds ...............
Hope this is useful
first Freelander and my first post - seemed it only right it should be on the VCU
Tested mine today and 4l of Castrols GTX at 1400mm took 55 seconds to horizontal . Not too bad ? Using my "bendy wand" torque wrench 100nm turned the hub through 45 degrees in about 20 seconds ...............
Hope this is useful
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craplander
New Member
I did the old VCU 45' test yesterday on my 2002 TD4 with 103k miles on it at an ambient temp of 18deg. I hung a 10kg weight on the end of a 1m long tube on the 32mm hub nut and it took about 25 sec to travel the 45' arc, as far as I know it's the original VCU.
Well after my not so good vcu test i changed the oil in my ird expecting the worst, no unusual noises, no metal shards in the oil or on the drain plug, oil level plug unscrewed nice and easy so might just have got away without any damage, sadly cant get the rear drive to unbolt from the back of the ird because one bolt is seized solid so cant check the pinion and crown gears but hopefully i dont need to
Just done a 1 wheel up test on my Freelander (2003 TD4, 142000 miles); warm weather, VCU at ambient temperature.
14 lb sledgehammer on a 1.6m bar (equivalent to 8.5 kg at 1.2m) - took 12.3 seconds, very much in line with Hippo's graph (and Celt69's time for a new VCU lies on the curve too).
So I guess it is good for a while yet! Thanks Hippo, this is a really useful thread.
Roger
14 lb sledgehammer on a 1.6m bar (equivalent to 8.5 kg at 1.2m) - took 12.3 seconds, very much in line with Hippo's graph (and Celt69's time for a new VCU lies on the curve too).
So I guess it is good for a while yet! Thanks Hippo, this is a really useful thread.
Roger
Hippo
Lord Hippo
Bojer, carplander, matt1295 and sijwhite, ere's a cookie each fer yer valued efforts in performing the test and putting up results. Thanks. Ere's a cookie.
And rover1891 has posted up the results too. It's mostly the newer members or those with fewer posts on ere who perform the test and put up results. Rover1891 has done this and posted the results in his first post everer on the forum. That's a record know one else can ever beat. Thanks. You can have 2 cookies.
And rover1891 has posted up the results too. It's mostly the newer members or those with fewer posts on ere who perform the test and put up results. Rover1891 has done this and posted the results in his first post everer on the forum. That's a record know one else can ever beat. Thanks. You can have 2 cookies.
Ah! That's all very well, but do they have cookies disabled?
Hippo
Lord Hippo
You can have a cookie anorl.
Yer gingerbread man can have a cookie anorl.
sijwhite
Active Member
I came across this thread over the weekend because we have just purchased a 2000 TD4 Freelander. It was a bit of a rush to replace my wife's car that had failed it's MOT and am now discovering I didn't do enough research!
Anyhow, I am now of the conclusion that the VCU is FUBAR (research started because of the 'brake bind' symptom when reversing onto our drive on full lock.)
For reference (and probably a laugh for more experienced members) I am posting my one wheel up test results!
1.2M bar. 5KG weight (5L of screen wash) time to traverse 45deg to 90 deg 345 seconds (didn't think it was moving at first) - did it a few times with similar results. Freelander has covered 104,000 miles and I'm guessing it's the original VCU.
I am obviously now going to get a recon VCU and hope to god that not too much damage has been caused elsewhere.
Thanks for a great thread - wish I'd seen it before buying the car!
Anyhow, I am now of the conclusion that the VCU is FUBAR (research started because of the 'brake bind' symptom when reversing onto our drive on full lock.)
For reference (and probably a laugh for more experienced members) I am posting my one wheel up test results!
1.2M bar. 5KG weight (5L of screen wash) time to traverse 45deg to 90 deg 345 seconds (didn't think it was moving at first) - did it a few times with similar results. Freelander has covered 104,000 miles and I'm guessing it's the original VCU.
I am obviously now going to get a recon VCU and hope to god that not too much damage has been caused elsewhere.
Thanks for a great thread - wish I'd seen it before buying the car!
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Update: Our Freelander is now running in Mondo mode, having had the prop and VCU removed by our tame mechanic (£35 to remove the whole assembly). It will be going back to him next week to determine the state of the IRD and rear diff before we decide how to proceed.
We're not really going to be doing any serious off-roading, but 4wd would have been useful during the winter as the roads around us flood a bit. We also have a caravan which it would also be useful for but at the end of the day, money will be the determining factor.
We're not really going to be doing any serious off-roading, but 4wd would have been useful during the winter as the roads around us flood a bit. We also have a caravan which it would also be useful for but at the end of the day, money will be the determining factor.
Hippo
Lord Hippo
Peeps also send them oft to be tested when they could do it themselves anorl.
