Thread: Mystery Vibration in my Rear.

For months now I have had this vibration in my Td5 Defender 130. On first starting up from cold, put the car in gear and moving off it felt like a bad flat spot on one of the tyres and some backlash from rear.
Did a tyre rotation, nil improvement.
Checked all rear bushes including A-frame, all good.
Few years ago I tore the rear prop shaft doing a recovery the wrong way. This has been rebuilt and balanced. Still one of the grease nipples had fallen out of the UJ so thought I will change that.
On removing the rear propshaft noted no play or problem with UJ but changed it anyway.
The problem was found in the handbrake. As the propshaft was out thought I would remove drum for inspection. It was full of crude, no major leaks. After cleaning, replaced and nipped it up with 2 of the bolts to check rotation. The drum was catching as it was rotated in the same spot which explained the ? flat spot when moving off.
I have backed the adjustment bolt and all is well again. Next service when all are back from holidays I will get the drum machined as well.
Thought I'd pass this on for others who have strange vibration in their rear.
David.

Originally Posted by defenderbilby

For months now I have had this vibration in my Td5 Defender 130. On first starting up from cold, put the car in gear and moving off it felt like a bad flat spot on one of the tyres and some backlash from rear.
Did a tyre rotation, nil improvement.
Checked all rear bushes including A-frame, all good.
Few years ago I tore the rear prop shaft doing a recovery the wrong way. This has been rebuilt and balanced. Still one of the grease nipples had fallen out of the UJ so thought I will change that.
On removing the rear propshaft noted no play or problem with UJ but changed it anyway.
The problem was found in the handbrake. As the propshaft was out thought I would remove drum for inspection. It was full of crude, no major leaks. After cleaning, replaced and nipped it up with 2 of the bolts to check rotation. The drum was catching as it was rotated in the same spot which explained the ? flat spot when moving off.
I have backed the adjustment bolt and all is well again. Next service when all are back from holidays I will get the drum machined as well.
Thought I'd pass this on for others who have strange vibration in their rear.
David.

Given the symptoms, I would have guessed exactly what you found. But it needs pointing out frequently. The U-joint without a grease nipple was a problem waitingg to happen.

John