My fairly major driveline failure is a remote area! fun times

[chaybra]

boy, did I have a fun weekend away camping!

All started off very normal, touring the VHC on my lonesome taking it easy, enjoying the great out doors. (I do this a lot)
had a few lovely little tracks i was trying to get up, one bit was a very deep rutted hill climb that was a loose rock and mud construction. I think I did well to get as far as I did. but i just couldnt get that little bit further.

So after a few runs i tried to do something silly!
I had seen where people use a snatch strap fixed to a spinning wheel and then anchored to a tree and use the car to winch itself forward.
Turns out this works...just not with an l322 with fantastic traction control systems, 500nm and on such a difficult incline! haha

it pulled me forward a little bit, then suddenly she all went pear shaped! click click bang! absolutely destroyed the front right half shaft (Where i had put the strap onto) I had go out to take a look knowing full well what happened....but i was shocked to see engine oil leaking from the rear of the engine!

after a long effort and chaining the front driveshaft to the subframe, i managed to get it out to a suitableish spot and onto a trailer and home (Big thanks to my mate for doing the 13hour return trip)

I now have it all apart and waiting for parts to arrive.

Damaged Report:
Front half shaft twisted apart! The cv is still in working order! i was impressed with this one


Next, the engine oil leak. tracked it back to the sump being cracked! Not even a little crack!
After a bit of detective work, ive concluded that the bolts that hold the diff in place (4 of them) were loose. I had come across this before and tightened them previously. but it must have come loose again. im sure this extra movement allowed the shock force of the axle snapping to cause the sump to crack also.


And in my attempt to get it out of the bush track and into a recoverable area, I managed to damaged the transfer case to some extent. I will strip this down once the front subframe and engine is back in its mounts.

Just waiting for the sump and half shaft to arrive today or tomorrow. and bobs your uncle.

Good news, if anyone wants me to check or find out more information while i have these parts out, speak up now! ill be opening the diff tonight to take some measurements for the possibility of some locking centers. etc

Also, the diff can be removed (with some decent jiggling) while the engine and subframe are in place. Workshop manuals say to have it dropped for the removal.

[Roverlord off road spares]

Crikey, some one didn't read the Land Rover warning label on the door pillar that warns against , using a snatch strap on the front wheels to winch the vehicle out.:wasntme:

[Disco58]

Thanks for sharing Chaybra. I had to unload my sins on this forum a couple of years ago when I tried something stupid with my D2. We all learn from mistakes, either our own or others. I guess you won't do that again. Good luck with the repairs.:)

[chaybra]

Crikey, some one didn't read the Land Rover warning label on the door pillar that warms against , using a snatch strap on the front wheels to winch the vehicle out.:wasntme:

Hahaha wish i saw that one! I just need a winch :(

[Wraithe]

Chaybra,

If you have bolts coming loose or know of ones that will vibrate out, look for a product by "Loctite" called "Super Wick in". Works magic on holding bolts and you can easily work them after, ideal on adjustment bolts were you need to move occasionally..

Great on any vibrating machine, crushers, balers, Headers, and the old bombs we use around paddocks.

[chaybra]

Chaybra,

If you have bolts coming loose or know of ones that will vibrate out, look for a product by "Loctite" called "Super Wick in". Works magic on holding bolts and you can easily work them after, ideal on adjustment bolts were you need to move occasionally..

Great on any vibrating machine, crushers, balers, Headers, and the old bombs we use around paddocks.

Ill be fitting spring washers when she goes back in!

[Graeme]

Did you wrap the strap around the wheel or the drive-shaft?

[chaybra]

Did you wrap the strap around the wheel or the drive-shaft?

The wheel, the intention was it was like it would be driving normally but with full traction.
however, being the only wheel with traction, the TC system allowed that wheel to get 100% torque

[rar110]

So it might have worked with a strap on both front wheels?

[Roverlord off road spares]

So it might have worked with a strap on both front wheels?
That's what I was thinking.

[chaybra]

So it might have worked with a strap on both front wheels?

Thats exactly what I thought right after it went bang...

[Milton477]

Having elected to go with Bog-Outs which wrap around the wheels instead of a winch, I guess a big dose of caution is needed. Thanks for posting your woes Chaybra.

[chaybra]

Having elected to go with Bog-Outs which wrap around the wheels instead of a winch, I guess a big dose of caution is needed. Thanks for posting your woes Chaybra.

I would 100% recommend not doing it at all unless using it for both wheels. even then, a lot of load will be put onto the center diff as they cannot be locked

[Homestar]

Of all the L322's I've seen, yours is by far the most used off road so I guess you'll be the one doing all the destructive tests for these vehicles going forward. ;)

Front drive shaft strength and failure point test - check. :angel::wasntme:

[rar110]

It was a good effort. Great to see you testing the L322. You should try to put up some YouTube vids to show their capability.

[BobD]

The strap on both wheels is called a Bog Out. I have one and a friend of mine used it to get his Ranger and Kimberley Karavan out of a bog in the south west two weeks ago. The trick with the Bog Outs is to go very slowly and not let the wheels spin uncontrollably, especially until the tension is taken up evenly on both wheels.

[cjc_td5]

Just googled Bog Out. What a great bit of gear! Given that the vast majority of winch recoveries are just a metre or two to get to firm ground, they would be near perfect.

Sorry to hear of your RR woes. Hope you get back on the road soon enough.

[LandyAndy]

OUCH!!!!!!!
Go hard or go home:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o
Andrew

[Roverlord off road spares]

OUCH!!!!!!!
Go hard or go home:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o
Andrew
Don't you get any ideas trying that in your D4 now Andy:D

[chaybra]

i pulled the front diff down last night...all pretty straight forward stuff. No damage in there what so ever. I took some measurements and ill research into Ediffs and air lockers that may measure up from another vehicle.
My biggest worry is that In my attempt to self recover, ive lunched the torsen diff in the transfer case. I cant pull this down until ive got the engine back in its place.

ideal world would be changing the diff out for a mechanical coupling to select and deselect front and rear drive. but hopefully its just the chain that has stretched.

[chaybra]

Of all the L322's I've seen, yours is by far the most used off road so I guess you'll be the one doing all the destructive tests for these vehicles going forward. ;)

Front drive shaft strength and failure point test - check. :angel::wasntme:

under any normal operating conditions, i highly doubt the drive shafts would ever ever break. the auto is just too kind to them.....im just an idiot

[Roverlord off road spares]

under any normal operating conditions, i highly doubt the drive shafts would ever ever break.
.
AKA
Dropping kids off to private schools. Driving to hair dressers or beauticians appointments. Driving to meet friends for soy lattes. Cruising in leafy Armadale, Malvern, Toorak Vic
Yep under normal driving conditions they should last :p:wasntme:

[chaybra]

.
AKA
Dropping kids off to private schools. Driving to hair dressers or beauticians appointments. Driving to meet friends for soy lattes. Cruising in leafy Armadale, Malvern, Toorak Vic
Yep under normal driving conditions they should last :p:wasntme:
hahaha, a very good point! I was leaning more towards my "normal" operating conditions, far away from toorak hahah. just dont put a strap around one wheel and you'll be right!

[Graeme]

The chattering of the brake on the other wheel would have created significant shocks through the diff, its mounts and half-shafts so something was bound to break. One of the reasons I'm fitting a rear e-diff is to protect the driveline.

[chaybra]

The chattering of the brake on the other wheel would have created significant shocks through the diff, its mounts and half-shafts so something was bound to break. One of the reasons I'm fitting a rear e-diff is to protect the driveline.

I seem to find the tc system to be very smooth, all wheels will always spin at the exact same speed when traction is lost.
It sure would have helped keeping forward momentum on the climb though

[TJK2002]

i pulled the front diff down last night...all pretty straight forward stuff. No damage in there what so ever. I took some measurements and ill research into Ediffs and air lockers that may measure up from another vehicle.
My biggest worry is that In my attempt to self recover, ive lunched the torsen diff in the transfer case. I cant pull this down until ive got the engine back in its place.

ideal world would be changing the diff out for a mechanical coupling to select and deselect front and rear drive. but hopefully its just the chain that has stretched.

Hi reading your posts with great interest :)
Thinking about your dilemma of self recovery....
Is it possible to remove front prop shaft, remove broken axle ie battery angle grinder to cut it out... select transfer see if you get drive??
If not at least it can be towed :)
Cheers Terry

[chaybra]

Hi reading your posts with great interest :)
Thinking about your dilemma of self recovery....
Is it possible to remove front prop shaft, remove broken axle ie battery angle grinder to cut it out... select transfer see if you get drive??
If not at least it can be towed :)
Cheers Terry

Nope, that wouldnt have mad a difference, the issue lies in the transfer case with its "open" center diff (its actually an lsd but only so much)

Im working on a project to replace the torsen lsd in there with a permanent RWD and mechanical selectable 4x4. I have all the bits and the method I want to use but want to find a stronger drive coupling, possibly out of a patrol.