Thread: Need advice buying a puma

I don't know why people think the loose drivetrain is a defender thing, in my experience it's not, it's a puma thing.
My old 1985 County that I have owned since new was way smoother than my Puma.
It's cheap driveflanges, poorly assembled centre diff shims, poorly engineered and assembled adaptor shafts, and so on
that characterised Land Rover's loss of Interest in this model towards the end of production as they concentrated on the Discovery and Range Rover.

Wait till you drive over a rough stretch in low range and driveline is clanking away..it's horrible..you can't really compensate by driving smoothly as rough and uneven ground prevents this.

Clive

The clutch hydraulics on my 2012 130 failed recently. I had the hydraulics, clutch etc and the output shaft replaced, and i installed an ATB in the centre diff. I am amazed now , all the rattles are gone !!!
i always thought i would need to replace the flanges but no need. The output shaft had very little wear but it was changed anyway.
The clutch plate springs were awful and would have been the main cause of the problem.
I will now change my parking style in a effort to save the new clutch and increase it life span.

Plus a bonus with the new hydraulics and clutch kit the clutch pedal is a lot lighter !!!

Ian
Bittern

I got my adapter shaft and centre diff replaced with ashcroft gear a couple of months ago. The difference is amazing.... backlash is gone.

Johnny from the Series Workshop in Canberra did the work. First rate, as always.

Cheers.

Originally Posted by LR V8

I got my adapter shaft and centre diff replaced with ashcroft gear a couple of months ago. The difference is amazing.... backlash is gone.

Johnny from the Series Workshop in Canberra did the work. First rate, as always.

Cheers.

Same here. All the clunks are gone. MR Auto in Redcliffe did the work.

Originally Posted by Johughes

Hi all
Need some advice
Looking at a 2012 2.2 with 90000km
Took it for a test drive, and its a bit clunky, this is backlash i would asume, aswell as me know knowing how to drive it properly.
I know this is common.
I need to know is this a bad thing? Does it get worse? Or damage anything else?
Or is it just a bit annoying?
I dont mind it, i really enjoy driving it!
Just dont want it to be a big problem in the future.
Thanks heaps

Did you pull the trigger on this?

Baden

Just remember, in a Defner neutral is a gear and you will be fine. The backlash is half the fun

Originally Posted by weeds

But what about the guys that have put 200000 on their puma and it hasn’t had a spammer on it !!!!

Not possible...
at the very least EVERY Defender TDCi (puma) that has hit that 70K or over has had the adapter shaft between the gearbox and transfer case replaced.

Originally Posted by justinc

.... I sincerely hope they were prices inclusive of fitting???😟😟😟

Yes I'd hope so too... even then geez not missing anything there.
I dont often comment on other repairers pricing but $2400 ???? I do a AP or SACH clutch kit (with the updated hydraulics for slave) installed for $1800