Important drive shaft warning for Discovery II owners

[robisonservice]

Now that they are getting to be 6-7 years old we are starting to see sudden explosive failures of the front driveshaft on DII models.

As you know, the driveshaft has a double u-joint that has no grease fittings. Five times last year we had DII vehicles towed in after that joint blew apart. When it broke the flailing shaft knocked holes in the transmission pan, the transmission case, the catalyst, and the floor.

Some of the repairs exceeded $6,000 when the transissions and cats were ruined.

The vehicles that failed were in the 70-120k mile range.

If you have a vehicle in this range I suggest you pull the front shaft and carefully feel the joints. If there is any notchy or tight feeling replace them before failure.

 

[pjkbrit]

I replaced my 99 D2 joints 2 years ago preventatively. Actually the old joints were fine at 70K but I'd read far too many horror stories on various Boards. I have an 04 D2 now and will be doing the same job at 50K even though I have extended warranty....it's an inexpensive and ESSENTIAL modification. Cannot believe LR did not correct this. Thanks for the reminder...you will have saved someone a miserable weekend on the back of a tow truck.
PS: I got my greasables from Great Basin Rovers...about $75.00 I think.

 

[Dan Erickson]

PS: I got my greasables from Great Basin Rovers...about $75.00 I think.

I would like to get some clarification on this...

A replacement shaft can be gotten with greasable joints or the joints on the original shaft can be replaced with greasables?

I looked at the Great Basin site and could not find anything.

Did you get the whole shaft for $75?

That sure seems like cheap insurance.

Dan

 

[JSQ]

Now that they are getting to be 6-7 years old we are starting to see sudden explosive failures of the front driveshaft on DII models.

As you know, the driveshaft has a double u-joint that has no grease fittings. Five times last year we had DII vehicles towed in after that joint blew apart. When it broke the flailing shaft knocked holes in the transmission pan, the transmission case, the catalyst, and the floor.

Some of the repairs exceeded $6,000 when the transissions and cats were ruined.

The vehicles that failed were in the 70-120k mile range.

If you have a vehicle in this range I suggest you pull the front shaft and carefully feel the joints. If there is any notchy or tight feeling replace them before failure.

do a search.

this is common knowledge.

 

[Chris-St Louis]

Jack! Be nice to Jon! Welcome him.... He would be a excellent resource on this site. He probably forgot more about Rovers then you and I know.

He was just trying to give a heads up.

 

[JSQ]

Jack! Be nice to Jon! Welcome him.... He would be a excellent resource on this site. He probably forgot more about Rovers then you and I know.

He was just trying to give a heads up.

I know who he is.

 

[peter sherman]

Don't bust his balls! It perhaps is common for someone who's here often. What about OTHER people!!:lipoff3:

 

[pjkbrit]

Eric...it's the joints only...the shaft can be rebuilt replacing the old non-greasables.

 

[Mongo]

thanks for the info, but it's not only the older D2's whose front drive shafts are failing. Mine self destructed at 20k...lot's of info and posts about this on the site...if you need in info, do a search and you'll everything you need to know about this, including parts numbers for replacement u-joints and options on complete rebuilts to custom driveshafts...

 

[kennith]

It may indeed be common knowledge that this can happen, but it is valuable knowledge that a shop has seen enough of it to warrent posting a warning on Dweb.

Anything CAN hapen. When someone sees 5 trucks come in with tattered underbodies due to a common problem, however, all the speculation is removed, and people might be more motivated to sort out the issue.

Sure, we have discussed it, but we haven't lately, and I don't see the new guys around here simply popping in and searching for the phrase "what happens if my drive shaft falls apart at 70mph" anytime soon.

C'mon, Jack. You are an elitist, but you are not an idiot.

Cheers,

Kennith

 

[frickjp]

If you have a vehicle in this range I suggest you pull the front shaft and carefully feel the joints.

If you have a vehicle in this range, I'd suggest you pull that shaft and take it to your local drive shaft shop. Our local Fleet Pride centre installs 3 serviceable joints for around $100. Another $20 or so if the DC assembly needs freshening up.
We always have both styles of D2 driveshafts in stock. We rarely see "explosive failures." 1 in the last 2 years. We do, however, inspect the shafts each time we see the trucks in, and with a Land Rover, that can be often.

Even if it isn't in this range, updating the joints would be a good idea. I'm of the firm belief that "lubed for life" is finite, and service can only enhance said "life."

 

[JSQ]

It may indeed be common knowledge that this can happen, but it is valuable knowledge that a shop has seen enough of it to warrent posting a warning on Dweb.

Anything CAN hapen. When someone sees 5 trucks come in with tattered underbodies due to a common problem, however, all the speculation is removed, and people might be more motivated to sort out the issue.

Sure, we have discussed it, but we haven't lately, and I don't see the new guys around here simply popping in and searching for the phrase "what happens if my drive shaft falls apart at 70mph" anytime soon.

C'mon, Jack. You are an elitist, but you are not an idiot.

Cheers,

Kennith

Kennith,

My concern is that this particular individual in all of his many writings has developed, from my perspective, the habit of reciting ad nauseum common facts about Rover repair as if he were explaining that the earth orbits the sun and not the other way round, but in the middle of it all he tends to slip in a few opinions which he passes off as fact. My concern is that I have often found that his ability to establish his credibility with lengthy surveys of commonly accepted basic rover repair lulls the reader into a mindset where John Robison's words are gospel and it is at this very moment that he injects his own ideas in amongst the knowledge. The reader cannot differentiate and suffers the consequences. The problem is that the writer seems to believe himself to be all-knowing having "probably forgot more about Rovers then you and I know" so I'm not entirely sure HE knows when he's shifted from empircal evidence to personal preference. I might guess he'll be the first to insist that the breadth of his knowledge is superior to all others and not subject to the criticism or scrutiny of lesser enthusiasts or professionals. It is this apparent hubris that can make his writing more of a disservice than a resource.

I know when I'm offering up opinion.
It's also clear to others.

The same is not true of this individual.

This particular posting just might be the first of a long line of lectures and I want the disclaimer to be put forth now that just like absolutely ANYBODY else, including myself, who throws up a post on dweb, it should be regarded with a discerning and judicial evaluation.

 

[Chris-St Louis]

Wait, was this a slam on me?

 

[spydrjon]

Kennith,

My concern is that this particular individual in all of his many writings has developed, from my perspective, the habit of reciting ad nauseum common facts about Rover repair as if he were explaining that the earth orbits the sun and not the other way round, but in the middle of it all he tends to slip in a few opinions which he passes off as fact. My concern is that I have often found that his ability to establish his credibility with lengthy surveys of commonly accepted basic rover repair lulls the reader into a mindset where John Robison's words are gospel and it is at this very moment that he injects his own ideas in amongst the knowledge. The reader cannot differentiate and suffers the consequences. The problem is that the writer seems to believe himself to be all-knowing having "probably forgot more about Rovers then you and I know" so I'm not entirely sure HE knows when he's shifted from empircal evidence to personal preference. I might guess he'll be the first to insist that the breadth of his knowledge is superior to all others and not subject to the criticism or scrutiny of lesser enthusiasts or professionals. It is this apparent hubris that can make his writing more of a disservice than a resource.

I know when I'm offering up opinion.
It's also clear to others.

The same is not true of this individual.

This particular posting just might be the first of a long line of lectures and I want the disclaimer to be put forth now that just like absolutely ANYBODY else, including myself, who throws up a post on dweb, it should be regarded with a discerning and judicial evaluation.

Oh thank you Jack Almighty for imparting your knowledge upon the great unwashed. Without you I might have listened to someone else undeserving of you obvious intellect. :bow:

 

[Dan Erickson]

Wow...

 

[angrydave]

Oh thank you Jack Almighty for imparting your knowledge upon the great unwashed. Without you I might have listened to someone else undeserving of you obvious intellect. :bow:

Im inclined to agree...


WOW...

 

[robisonservice]

I can see that some of you think my posts are a waste of time, but on balance I get far more positive reactions than negative ones. Quite a lot of response for a simple statement of fact - the rate of failure of DII drive shafts is rising due to age.

It's not my opinion that these are failing as they age. It's a fact, here in New England. We fix thousands of Rovers, and we've been doing it since well before the introduction of the DI. The DI never had driveshaft failure issues as often as these newer non-greaseable DII joints are currently failing. In addition to my own shop's experience I receive notes from owners all over. So I know this isn't a local problem.

Clearly this isn't an issue for many here because you already knew it . . . but I don't think I did any harm for the benefit of those few who do not know about this problem.

Jack, feel free to take my place answering people's questions . . . I am by no means the ultimate authority, nor do I represent myself as such.

I recite "common facts about Rovers" because, judging from the hundreds of responses I receive - those facts are not as common as you think. I generally respond about more technical issues by private email, because the general public has less use for questions about programming, wire color, etc.

I'm not sure what consequences you may have suffered from my opinions as your post suggests. If you feel that way about a particular post you should have responded. Perhaps you did and I've forgotten.

I've had several trucks owned by "experienced Rover enthusiasts" blow these driveshafts, so none are immune to it.

You can address the problem by fitting new greasable joints or replacing the whole shaft. You can match up the u-joints at a good parte warehouse, LR does not sell them direct. We've done several of these shafts in that way with good results.

 

[cptyarderho]

Kennith,

My concern is that this particular...
blah blah blah
... should be regarded with a discerning and judicial evaluation.

Watching you e-fight with Dan was amusing, but here you are being a dick. Plain and simple.

 

[pjkbrit]

yikes....c'mon chaps...back to bashing Rovers rather than each other please...it's only a bloody driveshaft. Once again thanks for the heads up...or in my case...reminder that my 04 is indeed not going to be immune to this potential catastophe. I'm a firm believer in loads of preventive maintenence. It's cheaper/it's on MY schedule/it avoids breakdowns for stupid things with the car full of family in the middle of no-where in the pissing rain!!!.....

 

[justinhaaga]

Do these truley fail without notice? I mean comeon they have universal-joints, when the u-joints wear out, bearings dry up whatever your truck will do something different and it will progressively get worse. So instead of ignoring these hints of failure pinpoint them and determine if they are acceptable or need to be resolved.