Rattle in low range......

[Cracka]

Well I went out on wednesday scoping out a new area to collect firewood. It was pretty steep and I was using 1st 2nd 3rd low range for a part of it. I found when under a bit of load about 1250 rpm I get a rattle from the transmission tunnel area that disappears at 1500 rpm. I'm not being OCD with this one its pretty loud.

This only happens in low range, no noise in high range.

Has anybody had this or have any ideas.

[ezyrama]

Check your front drive shaft flange bolts. Mine did a similar thing. Land Rover found and fixed it under warranty, it's not an uncommon occurrence.

[Cracka]

Thanks ezyrama,

I checked all drives shaft flange bolts front and rear today, they were fine.

I did find a loose bolt at the front of the seatbox, drivers side against the transmission tunnel which bolts to a bracket on the chassis. This I'm hoping was the culprit.

I also found when the Hi Lo selector is in low range the retaining clip at the bottom of the pivot arm actually contacts a bolt head on top of the transfer case. Not sure if this could make the sound I could hear, though anything's possible.

Well I took the car to a hill (on bitumen) tried it in low range and got no rattly noises :D . I can't see that if would be any different off road but will see next week when off road again.

[Disco4_tech]

Number 1 rule - don't engage 4wd on bitumen. Wayyyy to much windup for the transfer case to handle.

[vnx205]

Low range isn't a problem on bitumen. CDL is.

[Disco4_tech]

You sure that low range is okay on bitumen?

Try do a turn on bitumen and tell me how you go

[Disco4_tech]

While your at it, also give some more tips to people on how to properly treat their drivelines.

[vnx205]

You sure that low range is okay on bitumen?
Yes.
This is in the Defender section of the forum. If it was in the Series LR section, the answer would be different.
Try do a turn on bitumen and tell me how you go


While your at it, also give some more tips to people on how to properly treat their drivelines.

The OP didn't ask for more tips. He is just trying to deal with one issue.

[Leyland1980]

Number 1 rule - don't engage 4wd on bitumen. Wayyyy to much windup for the transfer case to handle.

Defenders are in permanent 4wd so should I avoid tar all together?

[justinc]

You sure that low range is okay on bitumen?

Try do a turn on bitumen and tell me how you go

Errrr, I ALWAYS back trailers especially when performing tight turns into difficult spots in low range. As said engaging CDL is the problem, not the gear range.

My 2c contribution to the OP is I would be also be suspecting the clutch if it is a Puma Defender...

JC

[weeds]

One of the beauties of a land rover you can select low range on any surface and you can choose if you want to lock the centre diff.....I do it every time I reverse my camper trailer into the garage

[Disco4_tech]

The OP didn't ask for more tips. He is just trying to deal with one issue.

G'day I was out of line earlier and apologise, I thought that even though its a permanent 4 wheel drive, then putting it in low range on hard surfaces would put strain on the driveline.

If that's not the case then that's fine I just learnt something. Could you explain to me the reason why it doesn't damage them though?

[vnx205]

In a Series Land Rover, the drive is normally just to the back wheels. In high range, you can push the yellow knob down and you have connected the drive to the front wheels as well.

When you pull the red knob back to engage low range, it also connects the front drive, so the yellow knob pops up. I have met people who thought that meant you could not have 4WD in low range. The opposite is true. You have to have 4WD if you are in low range.

A Defender and a number of other less important Land Rovers :p have drive going to the front and the back all the time. The differences in speed between the front and back is handled by a small differential in the transfer case that does the same job that the front and rear diffs do in coping with the differences in wheel speed across the axle when you go around a corner.

The centre diff can be locked so that the setup is then like the older Series Land Rovers. It can be left unlocked and as people have explained, that can be very useful for low speed manoeuvring, especially with heavy loads. The front and rear wheels are free to turn at different speeds if they want to. So there is no transmission wind up.

If you were thinking of a Series Land Rover, then your concern would have been valid, since engaging low range also engages 4WD with the front and back axles locked together. (Unless you have freewheeling hubs.)

So the short answer is, because there is a differential in the transfer case.

Does that make sense?

[Allan]

I would bet on clutch rattle as suggested in earlier post.

Allan

[Cracka]

G'day lads,

Yep I am aware it is safe to use low range on bitumen without CDL, no different than high range. Its the centre diff lock locked in on surfaces where there is NO slip that causes transmission wind up, unless of course you are ONLY driving in a dead straight line:D

If it was the clutch would it have rattled though when I checked low range on my hill? I don't get any rattle in high range at all.

[Disco4_tech]

In a Series Land Rover, the drive is normally just to the back wheels. In high range, you can push the yellow knob down and you have connected the drive to the front wheels as well.

When you pull the red knob back to engage low range, it also connects the front drive, so the yellow knob pops up. I have met people who thought that meant you could not have 4WD in low range. The opposite is true. You have to have 4WD if you are in low range.

A Defender and a number of other less important Land Rovers :p have drive going to the front and the back all the time. The differences in speed between the front and back is handled by a small differential in the transfer case that does the same job that the front and rear diffs do in coping with the differences in wheel speed across the axle when you go around a corner.

The centre diff can be locked so that the setup is then like the older Series Land Rovers. It can be left unlocked and as people have explained, that can be very useful for low speed manoeuvring, especially with heavy loads. The front and rear wheels are free to turn at different speeds if they want to. So there is no transmission wind up.

If you were thinking of a Series Land Rover, then your concern would have been valid, since engaging low range also engages 4WD with the front and back axles locked together. (Unless you have freewheeling hubs.)

So the short answer is, because there is a differential in the transfer case.

Does that make sense?

Sure does. Cheers.