Front and rear diff lifespan

[shack]

Hi,
As the title says, what sort of lifespan is usual for the diffs on a Discovery 3/4 or rrs?
I think ours is making a funny noise, but can't be sure, but not sure what else could cause it, wheel bearings etc seem fine but, irrespective of that, how robust are they?

Cheers James

[DiscoJeffster]

Hi,
As the title says, what sort of lifespan is usual for the diffs on a Discovery 3/4 or rrs?
I think ours is making a funny noise, but can't be sure, but not sure what else could cause it, wheel bearings etc seem fine but, irrespective of that, how robust are they?

Cheers James

Rear very robust, front less so. Early cars had a rubbish breather on the front and the pressure differential caused by the blocked breather caused water and dirt ingress into the diff past the seals, leading to premature failure. Ive heard less front failures on newer models so I think the breather has helped. Also the fluid quantity in the front is tiny 600ml so more regular changes will help prolong its life