Front Diff - speedo drive

Post by **garyd** » 03 Nov 2007, 17:41

I have had my front diff out today to free-up the seized difflock. That is now all working freely but when I re-connected the speedo cable the 'fixed' part of it came away.

Further investigation revealed that the speedo drive housing is retained by a roll pin throught the diff casing. this has obviously been damaged in the past and the roll pin 'glued' in with metal putty or similar.

Obviously I am going to have to find some way of retaining the drive housing but has anyone else had this problem? Is it a weak point of the casting? Any suggestion on how to fix it?

thanks
Garyd

Post by **KarlT** » 03 Nov 2007, 19:00

Hi Garyd

Can't help you with the speedo thing but.............

Did you find you had to remove the entire front diff to reach/remove the diff-lock activator?

Promised myself I have ago at my lockers one day soon.....

but the job seems to be getting bigger!

Cheers Karl.

PS can you still buy the speedo cable new as the tap,tap,tapping on my speedo is getting quite annoying!!

Post by **Ray** » 03 Nov 2007, 19:11

When replacing the speedo drive on mine I broke the housing whilst trying to remove the roll pin. I stuck the part back on with a two putty mix product and replaced the pin. Its been back on like that for over two years and has had a new vc fitted since with no further problems.

Post by **HarryMann** » 04 Nov 2007, 00:09

Generally the problem is corrosion and previous attempts to remove that pin... details of a drift and method to get it out are in Wiki, subsequent to Rays posts...

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Sy ... eplacement

Some front diff-lock problems are very difficult to sort in situ, due to the shorter operating pin c.f. the rear...

Hopefully Aidan will be along soon to explain.

Post by **andysimpson** » 04 Nov 2007, 00:51

The best thing you can do is buy a landrover.

Post by **v-lux** » 04 Nov 2007, 09:25

Taking the front diff out is such an easy job.
Might aswell make your life easier and just take the thing out.

Post by **KarlT** » 04 Nov 2007, 14:40

v-lux wrote:Taking the front diff out is such an easy job.
Might aswell make your life easier and just take the thing out.

Hmmmm, Even on my angled gravel parking bay?

Post by **garyd** » 04 Nov 2007, 17:21

Overnight I came up with an idea for an angle bracket and have fabricated this this afternoon. It fixes to the two adjacent casing bolts (holding the VC housing to the diff housing) and then has a deep semi-circular cut-out to fit tightly around the speedo drive assembly. Made it out of 2mm plate which fits nicely between the thread and the shoulder of the speedo drive unit.

I have taken some pictures which can be posted if anyone can explain how this is done.

thanks
Garyd.

Post by **garyd** » 04 Nov 2007, 17:39

Response to KarlT's original posting.

Karl,
I had already had a go with the diff insitu. The problem is that if the operating shaft is tight within the bearing tube you can push it in but you have only the vacuum unit to pull it out again with.

If you have had the vacuum unit off you will know that they have a thin shaft (2.5mm?) with a neck that is engaged by the roll pin. This is a very weak point if you pull too hard or get it out of line. This was where I had got to. Shaft pushed in but wouldn't come out! (diff lock starting to engage!)

You have to take the diff right out in order to remove the front cover plate and get access to the inside end of the shaft. Knock out the roll pin fixing the selector fork to the shaft and then the whole assembly can be withdrawn (once the light switch and mounting bolts are removed). You then then remove (drive out if necessary) the shaft from the bearing tube.

On mine the tightness was mainly at the outer end (presumably corrosion caused by lack of oil through lack of use). I inserted the outer end of the shaft back into the tube and just repeatedly worked this, in & out and twisting it, to ease out the bore. The steel shaft seems to polish the aluminium tube and restore the necessary clearance. Give it a clean out , a coating of oil and put it back together again.

As to working on your drive, mine is block paved rather than gravel. I lifted the front wheels clear of the ground on axle stands to get room to work. I got the diff out on my own using wooden blocks to lower it in stages. However, it does need a second pair of hands to put it back - unless you are a lot stronger than me! This is partly because it is an awkward job to roll it back through the sub-frame and behind the steering rack bracket.

the best of luck for when you come to do yours.
Garyd

Post by **andysimpson** » 04 Nov 2007, 19:44

Landrovers (proper 4x4's) do not need locking diffs, they just need syncro's to pull them out.

Post by **KarlT** » 04 Nov 2007, 20:18

Thanks for taking the time for such a full reply.

Abit confused by you descriptions as I haven't seen or can't picture the job. Will print it off & take it with me when I attempt it.

You need to post the photos onto 'photobucket.com' or similar site.
That will give you an image code, which you can cut & paste into you post.

Post by **v-lux** » 04 Nov 2007, 21:42

Karl, i'd be happy to give you a hand sorting it out sometime if you like.

As soon as i get my *@$4*^* van back on the road.

Post by **Ye Olde Syncrospares** » 05 Nov 2007, 08:51

you dont need to remove diff lock parts to remove the front diff from the car,it is easier if it is removed but not essential,and karl ive plenty of syncro speedo cable here,cj.

Post by **Macflai** » 05 Nov 2007, 23:49

andysimpson wrote:The best thing you can do is buy a landrover.

Very nice idea! I love Landies!!

Post by **Macflai** » 05 Nov 2007, 23:51

andysimpson wrote:Landrovers (proper 4x4's) do not need locking diffs, they just need syncro's to pull them out.

Syncro vans wish Land Rover suspension travel

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