where did this come from ??

[Andy130]

So, I had the handbrake cover plate off and was prepping to remove the rear tailshaft bolts from the rear output - when I wiggled the rear output - I was also draining the gearbox and transfer box fluids at the same time, so both drain bungs were out - when I noticed this 2cm long x 5mm ' roller pin' on the ground....Ive got an r380 and lt230.

120917

I've got no idea where it came from? has anyone got any idea?

Worst case a bearing has let loose - best case its a locating pin of some sort ??

Assuming the worst, I removed the transfer case cover plate and had a good look inside, there was nothing that appeared out of order - the oil in both cases was well overdue for a change, but there was only light swarf on both the bung plugs - which are magnetic - I would expect a lot more if a bearing had let loose?

So what the heck is this and where did it come from? [biggrin]

[rangieman]

Looks like a locating dowel[wink11]
Looks more like a dowel with the tapered end[bigwhistle]
Or could be a roller out of a tapered bearing hard to tell from this end[bighmmm]

[Andy130]

Looks like a locating dowel[wink11]
Looks more like a dowel with the tapered end[bigwhistle]
Or could be a roller out of a tapered bearing hard to tell from this end[bighmmm]


well, that narrowed it down[biggrin][biggrin][biggrin]

[Andy130]

this is the bearing that it could be from - 606474 in the transfer case

Is there anyway of checking this without completing disasembling the transfer case? or does anyone know if the dimensions ( 2cm x 5mm) of this pin fit the pin size in that bearing?

120918

[rangieman]

Have a look at the end of the rollers in the bearing [wink11]There lies the key[thumbsupbig]

[Andy130]

Have a look at the end of the rollers in the bearing [wink11]There lies the key[thumbsupbig]

yeah,i get that, thanks captain obvious :-)


my question is - can this be done without a full strip of the transfer case - Im trying to do as little as possible to see if i can find the problem, rather than pull the whole thing to pieces only to find it was all ok.

[strangy]

No.
But the good news is it's a relatively quick job with transfer out.
Have a look at the Ashcroft site for transfer box vids.
A pic end on would help.
If it has a recess as per the bearing pic- you know what has to be done.
I doubt it's a dowel, but happy to be wrong...

[Andy130]

No.
A pic end on would help.
If it has a recess as per the bearing pic- you know what has to be done.
I doubt it's a dowel, but happy to be wrong...


Hey Strangy, I got the input shaft out-its the cross drilled type so clearly someone has been into this case to improve things at some point.

See the photo here, you'll see the 'roller pin' in one hand, near the bearing as reference - its clearly not the bearing pin from the input shaft...

So, i'm back to scratching my head trying to work out what this thing is?

Here is a photo of it end on also120984

120981

[rick130]

Andy, what year build is the car ?

Late Tdi's had the cross drilled input gear. ;)

[Andy130]

The compliance plate on the firewall is stamped 11-98 Rick.

[rick130]

The compliance plate on the firewall is stamped 11-98 Rick.

Same as my (soon to be gone [bigsad]) old girl.

It'll have a Suffix K 'box (much stronger than the earlier suffix J R380, basically the same as the TD5 suffix L R380) and as you've found the cross drilled input gear in the t/case.
The last of the Tdi's.

[Andy130]

Yes, its a K box - didn't realise they came with the cross drilled input gear as standard, thanks for letting me know.

[rick130]

FWIW Retorque bushed the intermediate shaft bore for me when I rebuilt the t/case (as well as rebushing the little ends on the 'rods) and John Quinn recored the rad with a HD Redback core too.

[Andy130]

FWIW Retorque bushed the intermediate shaft bore for me when I rebuilt the t/case (as well as rebushing the little ends on the 'rods) and John Quinn recored the rad with a HD Redback core too.

I was just up at John Quinns getting a quote to HD re-core my radiator last week- it's one of the jobs on a (very) long 'to do' list[biggrin] I'll get him to do it when budget allows.

PS - have you got any idea what this darn pin is that I'm trying to identify? I'm now leaning towards a locating dowel of some sort? It must have been left inside either the gearbox or transfer case at some point ? If the main shaft bearings are the largest in teh Tcase and gearbox, then this is too big to come from any bearing.

[alien]

Possibly the pin to hold the shaft for the pinion gears in the centre differential.
Normily a roll pin but if someone's been in there?
Pictures...serious backward step!! (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-chatter/227236-serious-backward-step-post2443250.html#post2443250)

[Andy130]

Well, the mystery of the 'bearing pin' has been solved.

After completely stripping the transfer case, I've discovered where that pin came from.

Not from the transfer case - and ahhh....it didn't originate from a factory in solihull either.

Whist putting the engine and gearbox back in, a dodgy old ratchet I was using got very notchy to use, so I put it to one side.

sweeping the floor in the garage the other day I found the backing plate to that old ratchet - and the penny dropped.

God does have a sense of humour...and the defender will now have a rebuilt transfer case.

[rangieman]

Well that does explain all the confusion [thumbsupbig]
Glad you found what it came from [bigwhistle]
You even had a few doubting their landy sanity [wink11]

[Don 130]

I'm glad the forensic services dept. is on the job at your place. Well done!
Don.