Discovery 2 Propshaft Failures

[David Hallworth]

Guys,

I am on the final hurdle proving that the problem with the Discovery 2 front propshaft is a design fault to Land Rover.

I just need to know specifically what engine and gearbox you guys have experienced the front propshaft damage on.

If you could please vote in the above poll i'd appreciate it.

If there's anything you want to share, age, mileage, and any details of what happened when the shaft broke or any communication you made with Land Rover that would also be greatly appreciated.

Regards

David.

[Redback]

It does seem to be a design fault to me, especially when you consider how many have failed and it doesn't matter if the car has a lift or not, there is a way to make them last longer, have them fitted with the heavier duty 1310 Hardie Spicer greasable unis, but really you shouldn't have to if it was designed properly in the first place.

Baz.

[stevo68]

oops..negate my poll vote of TD5 Auto...just saw Poll on front page that said what type of D2 engine/ transmission...didnt realise it was in relation to propshaft failure...sorry,

Regards

Stevo

[that_kid]

mine began to fail at 214k, i noticed the clunking sound n had a look and all the bearings in the double cardin had completely decintergrated, front uni was still fine, however had a full rebuild with all greasble ones and even put a nipple in the slip joint

[Tusker]

My theory is that it related to the air conditioning...

The D/C joint has water constantly dripped on it, it lives on a constant diet of grinding paster effetively.

I've fiited a D2 front shaft to the Defender. No probs to date, & the a/c drips to one side.

Regards
Max P

[disco2hse]

Crap. I clicked on the poll before I entered the thread. I have never had prop shaft problems but it is a TD5 Auto.

Alan

[FenianEel]

Good Luck,
Mine went at about 120,000k's
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/60501-d2-driveshaft-goes-bang.html
I concur with aircon drain being the issue

I think if you are successful in this case, Land Rover will be brought to their knees:D
Land Rover Design faults, lets list em

The D2 is one
TD5 engine
propshaft
oil in the harness
oil pump bolt
3 amigos
fuel line chaffing
brittle coolant and radiator hoses
rear airbag suspension
;)

[disco2hse]

OK. Granted. So is it feasible to extend the drain pipe and avoid the problem?

Alan

[Tombie]

OK. Granted. So is it feasible to extend the drain pipe and avoid the problem?

Alan

Yes, using irrigation type fittings.

Franz has done that on his unit.

[disco2hse]

Cool, that's what I was thinking. Used the same of thing extending the diff breathers on the series :)

Alan

[wozapinin]

replaced my shaft this morning. Vehicle has done 125000km's. two cups opposite each other on the centre uni flogged out. Vehicle is standard but I've only had it a week. Seems it has travelled from NSW to WA and at a guess towing a van.
The shaft i got is reconditioned and the bearing holders machined out to take bigger, greasable, bearings. (supplied by rovertech jordon )

[Ean Austral]

Sorry I didnt read the thread before I voted so cancel a td5 manual.I know Im not in any landrover loop but this is the first I heard of this problem,better go check mine done 200k and towed a van around oz in its early life.
Cheers Ean

[Hendrik]

My theory is that it related to the air conditioning...

The D/C joint has water constantly dripped on it, it lives on a constant diet of grinding paster effetively.

I've fiited a D2 front shaft to the Defender. No probs to date, & the a/c drips to one side.

Regards
Max P

I'd say its the air con too, it drips on the double cardon uni and then the seals rust and disintegrate causing play on the uni themselves. My advice, chuck the sealed uni's and replace them with greasable ones and grease them regularly, especially after water crossings.

[simonl8353]

I voted before I read the post. However, mines been replaced before I bought the vehicle with greasable unis so it was obviously a problem for the previous owner at around the 120k-150k klm mark.

[trev]

I replaced mine at 162,000 Ks. with a greasable unit.
The joint started making chirping noises,a sure sign of dry needle rollers chewing out.
This has been mentioned on this site more than once.
Thanks guys! saved me a lot of grief.

Cheers....Trev.

[slug_burner]

please disregard my vote on the poll vote of TD5 Auto...just saw poll that said what type of D2 engine/ transmission and didn't realise it was in relation to propshaft reliability. 154k and no detectable problem

[ozscott]

Im with slugburner - D2 V8 manual with 140,000 and I removed it recently and checked the double cardon properly and now play or vices at all...and my ac drains dont seem to drop stuff onto the joint. Mine is one of the very latest builds of the D2 rectangle lights....last one of 3 in the country when I purchased it..wonder if they had cottoned onto the problem and changed the drains slightly?

Cheers

[MickS]

Replaced yesterday. 190,000 k's. Definitely the aircon.

Have experienced most of the problems listed by FenianEel, and others. :mad:

Most expensive being the oil pump bolt, but let's not go there.

[p38arover]

What happened to your previous poll on this subject?

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/65248-discovery-2-propshaft-failures.html

We seem to be going around in circles.

[David Hallworth]

The previous poll I did had the wrong options on it, and I couldn't edit them, the only way I could get the options I needed on the poll was to start a new thread.

Thanks

David.

[p38arover]

If you'd asked a Mod, we could have changed the options.

[Hay Ewe]

I think that I remember reading a post on this a while back, might have been yours.

Anyway, whilst your poll does get information, it is not the complete picture, you have the number of failures by type, eg, TD5 Auto but it does not relate to the number of TD5 Auto ever sold or in service at the moment.

Until you can get this information the poll results dont actualy relate to anything.

Another, even better measure is to find out the total number of km's driven by all the poll options to date, and then find out when the faulres occured and using weibull analysis you can plot the findings with much mroe accuracy and using a recognised relaibility method that has statistical back up and meaning.

sorry to pour water on you fire but thats what we do in the aviation industry, number of hours flown, number of failures, proper statistical methods and then it means some thing.

even after the above, though I wish you luck and praise you for the efforts put in so far

Also, I have checked mine and whilst I dont have greasable UJ's fitted, the aircon drain is not over the UJ, appears to have been moved in production? TD5 Auto, April 04 build

Hay Ewe

[FenianEel]

mroe accuracy
:Rolling::D:D:D

[Hay Ewe]

Yeah OK, more accurcy was probably a bit of a long call how about more quantifiable - does that fit better?

;)

Hay Ewe

[FenianEel]

I was actually just takin the mickey, about your spelling "accuracy" ;)

[greendisco2]

Doh , did the same as a few others . 99 td5 210,000 and no probs yet!

[Psimpson7]

Doh , did the same as a few others . 99 td5 210,000 and no probs yet!

:D

thats another issue with this poll. A few people have reaslised they have done that. I wonder how many havent realised. 60 odd people have voted.... seems a very high number to have had the issue.

[Zute]

:blush:Doh,210 000k's 2001TD5 still good.

[Franz]

Yes, using irrigation type fittings.

Franz has done that on his unit.
Correct - although I used vacuum hose (read more expensive)

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery/73135-discovery-2-air-conditioner-drains.html

Cheers,

Franz

[Brian]

You can remove another TD5auto. Jumped in before reading thread.
140000K and no probs.

[FenianEel]

David,

What was the end result in this?

[greg smith]

Replaced mine arround 90thou rerouted both aircon drains cable tied to auto oil pipes [had to replace auto switcher unit as well] TD5 02 Auto:mad:

[ozscott]

Both of my drain tubes were cut off ages ago and dont drip onto the joint as far as I can see.

[disco dan]

hey

mine went around the 120000 mark took it in for a check up and to clear 3 amigos then mech can out saying the front shaft is stuffed and he couldnt let me leave so he fixed it and near $900 buckaroos later i drove her home shocked. surely this should be fixed and same with 3 amigos

let me know how you go as i would like to know

cheers dan

[Skellz]

Air con water leaks on to the propshaft which is what causes the failures if you extend the the flow pipes on the air con should not have the problem or put in grease uni joints and not the standed ones that cant be greased

all problems go away

Need info on how to do it go to www.discovery2.co.uk:):):):)

[V8Hybrid]

My theory is that it related to the air conditioning...

The D/C joint has water constantly dripped on it, it lives on a constant diet of grinding paster effetively.

I've fiited a D2 front shaft to the Defender. No probs to date, & the a/c drips to one side.

Regards
Max P
Ok Sorry what happens to the unis when its raining or you do water crossing? Surely this has more water than air con drain, most of the air con drain water will flick off striaght away and wont get in the uni's.
The air con drain imo has nothing to do with propshaft failures, its Land Rover design fault, not be able to regrease then, Just change your proshaft to one with grease able uni joint and you will never have that problem.
I can guarantee that if you keep the original unis in and still move the drain away it will still wear and then if not checked will fail.

BTW I have had customers that never use their Air con (keep HVAC switched off) and still have the unis fail.

PS For those you don't know me I work on Land Rovers every day and Run a independent Land Rover workshop

[Yorkie]

also when you do get uni's switched out make sure your grease gun can fit. :mad:
having to order a slimline connection for my gun as the standard one will not attach properly.
cheers
yorkie :)

[fourteen8]

please take off my vote to the poll. I didnt realize it relate to propshaft failure.

[Rudolf]

Looking at the poll I recon it's the Diesel's torque that kills the uni's.
Remind me of a article in Race Car Engineering Mag about Audi diesel winning Le Mans. Audi had huge problems finding a gearbox that will handle the torque.

[Tombie]

I've personally destroyed 2 greaseable versions on TD5s
and know Walker had a V8 one go at around 15k

whilst yes, my TD5s are "warmer" than most the first destroyed the uni's
the second was catastrophic failure of the casting.

Neither caused damage to surrounding components as failures occured at sub 30km/h

[Fluids]

Feb' 2004 build D2a Td5 Auto Classic Country.

Purchased with 120,000km on the clock ... and front DC joint had failed at that point. Had the dealer replace it before purchase and the 200km drive home ....

Picked the failure within the 1st 10 sec's of the test drive ... chirp, chirp, chirp under moderate acceleration ... thanks to the allmighty collective wisdom of this forum I knew exactly what to look for :)

Kev..

[jf1056]

Why did they put the double cardan on the D2? Mine failed at 135ks, still have a nice 4" hole punched in the side of the bell housing. That doesn't seem to have caused any probs as it now has 200k"s up.
I had a D1 300tdi and it didn't have a double cardan and obviously had no troubles. These props are the same length and from what I can see will fit a D2. It also had greasable unis. I changed the D2 to greasable heavy duty specers and moved the AC drain and have had no further issues. mIt seems to me that I should have put a D1 shaft in, it would have been cheaper and e as reliable as the D1 was.
We own Land Rovers don't we? If things did not go wroung, how boring life would be and there would be no need for this forum as there would not be anything to bitch about.


I love my Land Rover, I do, I do...............who are those guys in the white coats?

[ozscott]

Does anyone know where to get a greasable double cardon front shaft quickly?

Cheers

[scarry]

Does anyone know where to get a greasable double cardon front shaft quickly?

Cheers

It would be nice to know where in the world you are:p;)

[Pedro_The_Swift]

where are you?

and probably your local LR dealer,,

[ozscott]

Sorry - silly bigger arent I - half way between scarry and pedro. Blue Ribbon motors territory. I think they did a greasable one recently.

[scarry]

Sorry - silly bigger arent I - half way between scarry and pedro. Blue Ribbon motors territory. I think they did a greasable one recently.
dont know anyone out that way,MR did mine.....

Someone else may know.

Dont go to anyone who hasnt done one before:(

[ozscott]

I too have joined those who can vote in the Poll...nice. I pulled mine out very recently - about 6k ago before my Frazer trip and there was no play at all and it all looked good and no dryness or rust....so the moral is you just cannot trust them...and should probably replace them if they are sealed units every 100,000 or so unless doing Slunny type offroading where obviously they are given a much harder time. Mine has done 148,500 and is a manual V8 - had quite a bit of offroading, 2 tonn boat towing, dirt roads etc so I have done ok with mine.

Thanks to this forum though for it being the first thing in my mind when I heard the chirping and new what to look for AND knew the catestrophic results if I ran her at speed and she flew apart.

Cheers and thanks.

[Thereugo]

Please remove one TD5 Auto also.

[ozscott]

perhaps the above percentages just reflect the breakdown of sales for the D2...

Cheers

[Slunnie]

perhaps the above percentages just reflect the breakdown of sales for the D2...

Cheers
I think the questions are wrong.

The DC joint is the same on all of the nominated vehicles.

[budgie]

I'm in the same boat as Stevo - sorry for that ...

[ozscott]

Slunnie - I agree. I reckon that the breakup between man td5, man v8, auto in both above just represent the sales of them at the outset...ie it does not matter what drivetrain they break the same.

The questions that might isolate cause would have to include detail of the driving conditions and in particular water crossings and bull dust and sand use etc and percentages of that versus straight on road use.

Cheers

[Slunnie]

I would also include amount of lift, tyre size and tyre type.

I did a survey ages ago on the D2Au forum regarding failures of the rear rotoflex. It seemed that those that failed generally ran oversized tyres and mud/bog tyres (and probably drove accordingly). Lift was largely irrelevant and distance travelled seemed largely irrelevant.

[bruiser69]

I have 2000 model TD5 with auto box. Currently 186K but no sign of front shafts deteriorating. Do lots of sand driving & towing.

[Franz]

I would also include amount of lift, tyre size and tyre type.

I did a survey ages ago on the D2Au forum regarding failures of the rear rotoflex. It seemed that those that failed generally ran oversized tyres and mud/bog tyres (and probably drove accordingly). Lift was largely irrelevant and distance travelled seemed largely irrelevant.
Simon,

I was under the impression that lift did have a bearing on failures and that stock vehicles experienced fewer shaft failures.

Cheers,

Franz

[Slunnie]

Simon,

I was under the impression that lift did have a bearing on failures and that stock vehicles experienced fewer shaft failures.

Cheers,

Franz
Hi Franz, is this for the rotoflex?

[Franz]

Hi Franz, is this for the rotoflex?
Hi Simon,

No, I was thinking of the front prop shaft (just read your post agaion and saw that you were referring to the roto flex coupling).

Cheers,

Franz

[Slunnie]

Hi Simon,

No, I was thinking of the front prop shaft (just read your post agaion and saw that you were referring to the roto flex coupling).

Cheers,

Franz
Hi Franz, for the front shaft I definately think lift will have an effect on it. More angle in the joint brings less torque capacity and less life.

[Grumpy]

Simon,

I was under the impression that lift did have a bearing on failures and that stock vehicles experienced fewer shaft failures.

Cheers,

Franz


'99TD5 es
Just replaced mine at 200000 kays not broke just a few radial cracks through age.

:wheelchair:

[CJT]

I had to replace both front uni's on my 2002 V8 Auto at around 80,000km.

Now I have greasable uni's.

[Banjo_pluker]

oops..negate my poll vote of TD5 Auto...just saw Poll on front page that said what type of D2 engine/ transmission...didnt realise it was in relation to propshaft failure...sorry,

Regards

Stevo

Sorry I did the same as the quote above sorry

[maggsie]

Likewise for the V8 auto poll. As yet no problems (75000klms) however I have just bought a new centre bearing and greaseable unis to guard against this damage occurring.
Maggsie
04 V8 Disco

[crossy999]

please remove my TD5 auto vote..