Front End Wobble in 4WD in Tight Turns

[neophyteguy]

G'day,

I have just finished installing new seals, hubs, bearings, etc. into the front rover diff. Thanks to the help of a number of people on the forum this was completed successfully (wishful thinking?).

In the couple of years I've owned the vehicle, the 4WD has never worked. I recently found out this was due to one of the free wheeling hubs(FWH) having been seized up. NOTE: If one hub is malfunctioning/doesn't engage, the other side can't work either! As part of the work which was just completed, I have installed the stock flanges and no longer have FWH's.

When going on a test drive today, the vehicle drove fine in a straight line. It turns fine in 2WDHI and 2WDLO. This was completed by doing circles in a paved roundabout.

However, when 4WDHI or 4WDLO are engaged and the same test if performed the vehicle bounces around. It's as if the front and rear diffs get out of synch with one another. I can actually see and hear the rear inner rear tyre doing a minor spin in order to release the tension which seems to build up.

My hope is that someone will tell me "don't engage 4WD on the pavement" and that this won't be an issue when not on hard track or pavement. If not, can someone please help me sort out what the issue is?

Thanks as always,
JRW

[Lotz-A-Landies]

G'day,
<snip>
However, when 4WDHI or 4WDLO are engaged and the same test if performed the vehicle bounces around. It's as if the front and rear diffs get out of synch with one another. I can actually see and hear the rear inner rear tyre doing a minor spin in order to release the tension which seems to build up.

My hope is that someone will tell me "don't engage 4WD on the pavement" and that this won't be an issue when not on hard track or pavement. If not, can someone please help me sort out what the issue is?

Thanks as always,
JRWYour series 2a doesn't have a CV joint front end and your 4WD is working.

Don't do tight circles on pavement in 4WD unless you want to break something!

[COFFEY76]

I would say 'dont engage on pavement'

I had a similar problem with my free wheeling hubs not working (when engaging 4wd the broken hub knocked as half the axle was engage and the other not)

I changed over to the standard flanges and havent had a problem when engaging 4wd off road. On road it knocks and makes unhappy noises so i am just careful to change to 2wd as soon as im on stable ground.

And low range automatically engages 4wd.

[neophyteguy]

Thank you! That's great news and no I won't be doing it again............

I guess now that I have gotten rid of the free wheel hubs I won't have to worry about engaging 4wd unless needed any ways.

Thanks again for the confirmation! I can sleep well now.........

[UncleHo]

G'day Neophyteguy :)

I would suggest that the universals in the front swivels are possibly dry from lack of use, also if the hubs have been filled with 1 shot grease or just grease the unis and axle will be dry, these vehicles were designed to have EP-90 oil in them up to the filler level (at rear of swivel)

And for those folk with FWH fitted it is nesessary to engage the free wheel hubs for at least 50klm one a month, In 2WD high range only,whilst on bitumen. as it engages the axle and splashes the oil aroud the swivel hub and also turns the diff,negating wear in the front propshaft splines.


cheers

[Aaron IIA]

When going on a test drive today, the vehicle drove fine in a straight line. It turns fine in 2WDHI and 2WDLO. This was completed by doing circles in a paved roundabout.


With original style solid drive flanges, it is not possible to have 2WD low range, unless you have physically removed the front (or rear) propellor shaft.

Aaron.