Steering

[tez]

I have a 2000 1.8 the problem I have is when you are driving forwards in full lock left or right it is as tho the brakes are coming on if you are not carefull it will stall , I thought it could possibly be pulling on the pipes but it does not do this if you are in neautral so cant be pipes. Any ideas

Thanks in anticipation.

[garrycol]

This is the classic Freelander symptom of the Viscous Coupling on the propeller shaft failing - which is causing transmission windup. With the VC not slipping the front wheels and the rear wheels are essentially locked with no differential type effect to allow slippage between them. When turning the front wheels turn in a tigher circle than the rears (like the inner wheel turning tigher in a turn than the outer wheel on an axle). Like a differential the VC allows the front wheels (axle set) to turn at a different speed to the rear. If the VC is faulty there is no slip and the transmission system binds (like a normal 4wd vehicle with the transmission centre diff locked) - there has to be some give somewhere and it is usually the tyres slipping on the road - the engine has to provide enough power to make this slip occur - hence at low revs on high grip surfaces the engine may stall.

This is classic VC failure - get it checked now as a matter of urgency, because the IRD and rear diff will fail when circumstances are right - it happened to me 5 months ago. Read the threads on this (I have some going back to late April/May this year) as it is a design problem with the IRD (wrong designed diff ratio) . A new IRD (they have changed diff ratios) or one out of a later model will fix the problem (Expensive). Likewise take the risk and when these symtoms crop up replace the VC - also very expensive.

Garry

[Hippo]

This is the problem, exactly as GarryCol wrote.
A Chain reaction...
If your Viscous Coupling is stuck solid, you have to replace it soon as possible in order to keep the rest of transsmision healthy.
I was there few months ago with my 1.8K '01 model. Was really expensive but at least saved my IRD, rear diff, propshafts and Gearbox. (a lot of money).

You can test your VC to be sure: Jackup one rear wheel with 1st gear on and handbrake off. Then try to turn the wheel with both hands. For a healthy unit the wheel should turn very slowly with resistance. If the unit its solid the wheel wont move at all. Maybe just an inch.
Also check all the joints and propshafts from end to end, go under the body an try to move the propshafts with your hands, nothing sould move.

George

[garrycol]

Originally Posted by Hippo

This is the problem, exactly as GarryCol wrote.
You can test your VC to be sure: Jackup one rear wheel with 1st gear on and handbrake off. Then try to turn the wheel with both hands. For a healthy unit the wheel should turn very slowly with resistance. If the unit its solid the wheel wont move at all. Maybe just an inch. Also check all the joints and propshafts from end to end, go under the body an try to move the propshafts with your hands, nothing sould move. George

Tez - George has outlined exactly what is required however in my experience the resistance in a good VC is still too much to move the wheel by hand - in my experience remove the wheel and put a large socket onto the hub nut with a large bar - longer than 12". If you try and turn the humb in a jerky manner it will not move however if you take up the slack out of the drive train then keep a steady pressure on the hub it will very slowly turn if the VC is in good condition. The trick is steady pressure.

When I put in my new VC I tried to move the wheel as the instructions say (that is by hand) and couldn't. I raised the issue on another forum and was told that the 2 hand approach does not work and to use a hub nut and bar. NOTE: Even with a serviceable VC you will notice a little load on the engine when backing and turning - but the emphasis is on a little - if the engine labours or stops then there is a problem with the VC.

When my VC was laying up I also had increased fuel consumption - my diesel no gives 36-40mpg but when the VC was playing up it was only giving 28-32 mpg. Also you can get some weird wear patterns on the tyres - saw tooth pattern - don't know what that is because I never got this symptom.