I am a fairly new Discovery II owner (2002 model / 118,000 miles). In October a guy hit my right front. $6,000 in damages. Got it repaired. Three days after I got it back the drive shaft broke and wreaked havok. Damaged tranny. Estimate is it needs new drive shaft and tranny.
Insurance company says "not related to wreck" because they found info about a design flaw on u joint?
Any input would be appreciated.
(I realize this is an old issue here, my question is mainly in the context of how the wreck probably damaged the drive shaft but it went unnoticed during repair. Then when we drove it for three days since the drive shaft was apparently in a bind, it broke). So I have to prove it was related to the wreck.
Thanks,
Frank
Unfortunately there is a design flaw on the D2s with the front driveshaft and it's u-joint failing... it's due to the fact that they used a sealed u-joint and the grease inside of it dries up due to the close proximity to the cats. If you search around on here or other land rover forums you'll find a ton of information related to it.
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Ryan :: Off-Road/Accessories Moderator :: Gallery
2001 Discovery II | 2006 LR3 HSE7 | 1994 Defender 90 #416 (Gone)
Unfortunately there is a design flaw on the D2s with the front driveshaft and it's u-joint failing... it's due to the fact that they used a sealed u-joint and the grease inside of it dries up due to the close proximity to the cats. If you search around on here or other land rover forums you'll find a ton of information related to it.
I understand.
Do they always break at 118,000 iles? If not, my issue is related to the wreck. This is what I'm trying to determine. What would you say or suggest?
The insurance co. is using that design flaw as an out. I say its not related but have no proof. They say its coincidence that it broke a few days after the wreck reapir.
They had to straighten the frame during repair so there could have been enough damage to cause it to break after the wreck, in my poinion.
LR does nothing for the issue... so maybe you can use that against them.
Generally most people do feel a vibration or hear a noise before they go, but sometimes they just go.
There is no exact mileage before they need to be replaced... mine went around 60k, my girlfriends disco had 110k on the stock driveshaft, I've heard of others going at 30k...
Yeah, I think there is a good chance that the accident move the shaft in a direction it wasn't used to and perhaps did some damage which caused it to deteriorate at a rapid rate.
I would go with the "There were no previous signs of pending failure, and Land Rover has not issued a recall or even a TSB to address this issue."
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Ryan :: Off-Road/Accessories Moderator :: Gallery
2001 Discovery II | 2006 LR3 HSE7 | 1994 Defender 90 #416 (Gone)
Yeah. Land Rover doesn't consider it a design flaw, there was never a TSB, Land Rover recall or NHTSA recall on it.
If the wreck bent the frame, it's entirely reasonable that it stressed the propshaft.
Right front is closest to the propshaft.
Where, exactly, did the propshaft break. What part?
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Tom Rowe
Atlanta, GA
Four wheel drive allows you to get stuck
in places even more inaccessible.
If your front drive shaft only had 1 grease fitting, it was an accident waiting to happen. All 3 u-joints need to be greased and without grease fittings they fail and often take out the tranny.
As to your other question, mine failed at 37,000 miles, luckily I caught it before any damage was done.
You are fighting a loosing battle, too bad.
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Mike
Retired service manager, member of Solihull Society, SCLR, NCLR and the Santa Barbara 4Wheelers clubs.
99 D2, 3" lift, CDL with Detroit,T.T. lockers, 4:11's,H.D. axles, custom ft/rear bumpers with sliders, a 9500 HSI Warn winch and 5 HID's.
I completely disagree. If the insurance company can not prove the wreak did not cause the early failure you have a chance. I would fight it. I have found if you raise enough stink sometimes people will listen.
Certainly is his option, but I bet if they inspect the shaft and find only 1 grease fitting and no indication that the double cardon was able to be greased, he won't have a way to go.
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Mike
Retired service manager, member of Solihull Society, SCLR, NCLR and the Santa Barbara 4Wheelers clubs.
99 D2, 3" lift, CDL with Detroit,T.T. lockers, 4:11's,H.D. axles, custom ft/rear bumpers with sliders, a 9500 HSI Warn winch and 5 HID's.
I completely disagree. If the insurance company can not prove the wreak did not cause the early failure you have a chance. I would fight it. I have found if you raise enough stink sometimes people will listen.
At more than 100K, he was on borrowed time. It was not due to the crash, it was due to a lack of awareness on the part of the vehicle owner and poor service techniques.
Had this vehicle been serviced at a Rover shop, the driveshaft would have likely been a point of inspection and it would likely have been caught long before it did the carnage.
I see them quite often and am told that the vehicle was just serviced. Further investigation proves it was either a generic shop or Jiffy Lube.
Driveshaft inspection should be part of every oil change.
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P. T. Schram Rover Repair
Full-service independent Land Rover facility
I ain't got much a nothing at all, but I damned sure got it made. If you don't like the way I'm living, you just leave the silly Rover boy 'lone!
At more than 100K, he was on borrowed time. It was not due to the crash, it was due to a lack of awareness on the part of the vehicle owner and poor service techniques.
Had this vehicle been serviced at a Rover shop, the driveshaft would have likely been a point of inspection and it would likely have been caught long before it did the carnage.
I see them quite often and am told that the vehicle was just serviced. Further investigation proves it was either a generic shop or Jiffy Lube.
Driveshaft inspection should be part of every oil change.
I agree the drive shaft was on it's last legs with sealed uj's. But if he can fight it and win he'd save a lot of money. We've all paid in, hell it's time to get something back, right?
PT, you mentioned "Not becuase of the crash". If the joints were alrady damaged could a major collision send it over the edge? Questions the insurance company better start looking into before they deny his claim and our Rover friend contacts the BBB. Mike mentioned if they found only 1 greasable uj's he wouldn't have a leg to stand on, (am I right Mike?) Hell, they came stock with 2 sealed for life's!
Wow, what a group of experts. I really apprciate the feedback. Sounds like I need to put the burden on the ins. co. to prove it wasn't the wreck. If it happened a few months later I would say toughl luck for me, but days after the repair, too close to just pay up.
Thanks very much for your input and expertise.
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