Propshaft Removal

[billybacardi]

Hi all,does anyone know if I removed the prop and left it off, would do any damage to the front drive,would it perhaps put to much strain on the front, thanks......pete

[verdemar]

Hi all,does anyone know if I removed the prop and left it off, would do any damage to the front drive,would it perhaps put to much strain on the front, thanks......pete
Hi Pete,

As the Freelander is designed for permanent front wheel drive with the rear drive only kicking in when the VCU "grips" because of a speed differential between the two halves of the prop shaft, there can't be strain issue. In other words, if the rear wheels don't slip they never get any drive so things will be exactly the same without the prop fitted.

Personally I've driven around for a few weeks without the prop and without any problems while I was doing some work on the prop bearings, but why do you want to remove it permanently. Doesn't it kind of defeat the object of having a 4 wheel drive vehicle ?

Mike

[billybacardi]

Hi Thanks for the reply..the main reason i want to remove the prop is because i've just spent £950 having a recond IRD unit fitted because the one that was on it when i bought the vehicle was just about to drop off, and after the new one was fitted it still makes a droning noise from the rear diff (i think), worse at higher speeds,, so i thought if i take the prop off, there wont be any drive to it and if that makes it quiet (er) i'll leave it off,, any views ? thanks again ,,,pete

[s.stirley]

Hi Thanks for the reply..the main reason i want to remove the prop is because i've just spent £950 having a recond IRD unit fitted because the one that was on it when i bought the vehicle was just about to drop off, and after the new one was fitted it still makes a droning noise from the rear diff (i think), worse at higher speeds,, so i thought if i take the prop off, there wont be any drive to it and if that makes it quiet (er) i'll leave it off,, any views ? thanks again ,,,pete

Sounds like your IRD output pinion may be the problem .. certainly removing the prop will eliminate the load and remove the problem, but it won't fix it ! if you can live without 4wd then it's sure a cheap way to get rid of the noise :)

[s.stirley]

Hi Pete,

As the Freelander is designed for permanent front wheel drive with the rear drive only kicking in when the VCU "grips" because of a speed differential between the two halves of the prop shaft, there can't be strain issue. In other words, if the rear wheels don't slip they never get any drive so things will be exactly the same without the prop fitted.

Personally I've driven around for a few weeks without the prop and without any problems while I was doing some work on the prop bearings, but why do you want to remove it permanently. Doesn't it kind of defeat the object of having a 4 wheel drive vehicle ?

Mike

Sorry Pete but there's always load on the VCU/IRD - albeit slight. The rear end actually drags around on a freelander slightly, it's not a perfect balance (which would be near impossible with diffs at both ends anyway) and the VCU always has to slip out the difference. The FL is 'permanent 4wd', Land Rover make a big issue of this - the rears get drive even if there's no slip.

[billybacardi]

Ok Thanks,,but Does This Sound Right = If I'm On A Hill, Facing Up And I Let The Car Go Backwards,out Of Gear And With Full Lock On It Comes To A Halt,if I Face Down Hill, Out Of Gear On Full Lock It Rolls Really Slow.

[s.stirley]

Ok Thanks,,but Does This Sound Right = If I'm On A Hill, Facing Up And I Let The Car Go Backwards,out Of Gear And With Full Lock On It Comes To A Halt,if I Face Down Hill, Out Of Gear On Full Lock It Rolls Really Slow.

Yes :)

[buyefi]

Hi, i have a Freelander 2000 TD and having the same problem as you described and the previous owner already replaced the IRD and VCU. I drive practically all the year the Free on Road and don't need the 4x4. Do you suggest me to remove the complete propshaft or just the rear one?

Thanks.

[TEMPL4R]

Take both propshafts and the VC off as one unit.

Chris