Is it a reasonable option and price

[shano79]

Hi guys,
I am due to leave on a trip up birdsville track following outback pubs across to townsville in June, however my rear diff is severly clunking. (300tdi fender)
A local repair shop has estimated anywhere between 600 - 1500 depending on what is actually wrong with it.
I can get a secondhandy for 550 or centre for 395, the repair shop said to avoid the centre only option.
Are these prices reasonable and what option would be best.
Im located in adelaide, and prefer not to spend to much of my holiday money fixing the old girl, but also dont want to be left stranded in the middle of no mans land.
Any thoughts are appreciated. Cheers.:twobeers:

[mark2]

I was quoted $750 and $1000 for a complete Salisbury assembly, disc to disc from a couple of places here in QLD. That didnt include fitting.

Is all the backlash in the diff? - the axle drive plates on the hubs can also be a major contributor and can fail when the splines in the drive plate eventually strip out. If these are OK, I'd have thought that failure of the diff itself would be unlikely, even if backlash is excessive - on the basis that money is an issue. Even if it failed, you could still proceed (carefully) on the front shaft, assuming you wernt in a sandy desert...

I'm presuming you've also eliminated the rear A frame ball joint as a source of the clunks, it too can feel like a very clunky diff when worn.

[JDNSW]

Your 300Tdi has a salisbury rear diff, and it is very unlikely that there is a problem with the diff itself unless it has been run without oil. Replacing the diff centre only on the salisbury is not a trivial job, and this and the fact it is unlikely to be needed will be why they don't like that option.

As Mark2 says, the thing to look at that is likely to leave you stranded is a drive flange with stripped splines - these, and the axles themselves if necessary can be replaced in a few minutes without even jacking it up. Check whether this is the problem.

Make sure the problem is not worn universal joints - failure of these can be disastrous. The most likely other thing is, as mark2 also points out, the ball joint on top of rear axle. While unlikely to strand you, it will only get worse.

A dragging handbrake will make any transmission slack seem a lot worse than it is, so check that as well. Free play in any of the rear axle locating bushes will show up as slack, but will mostly also cause steeringproblems that you will notice first.

Unless you feel competent to diagnose exactly what the problem is yourself, get someone who is competent to do so and have them explain the problem and quote on fixing it.

John

[shano79]

New axles and drive flanges are in it, I have also replaced A-frame ball joint, and have checked UJ's.
Havent checked bushes but my steering wanders a little but assumed it ws 2" lift without castor correction, is this the type of steering issues i would expect from worn bushes in rear ?

[JDNSW]

New axles and drive flanges are in it, I have also replaced A-frame ball joint, and have checked UJ's.
Havent checked bushes but my steering wanders a little but assumed it ws 2" lift without castor correction, is this the type of steering issues i would expect from worn bushes in rear ?

Yes. A 2" lift should not cause steering wander.

If you have new axles, drive flanges, A-frame ball joint (check that it is not loose), then there is nothing that is likely to cause you to get stranded except possibly complete failure of bushes. If there is actually free play in the diff itself, unless the pinion shaft can be moved sideways, the free play is probably wear on the thrust washers of the differential, and this is not going to cause any problems or need anything doing about it.

John

[I Love My Landy!]

The wander in the steering may be due to worn bushes on the rear trailing arms. When these bushes are worn the axle is not supported properly and hence the ends of the axle tend to move forward and backward. This is most noticable when changing gears, braking and when accelerating and decelerating.

One way to check this is to stand on top of the rear tyres and rock the car front and back with your legs (with the car in gear and the handbrake on). While you are doing this, have someone underneath the car checking if there is excessive play in the bushes. You may even be able to see the axle moving front and back while you are standing on the tyre. Remember though, a little bit of movement is normal.

[shano79]

Thanx all for your help. I am in the middle of replacing all rear bushes and rear shocks. I also stopped by lens landrovers here in adelaide today and he said that it is nothing to serious and once i replace bushes should take up some of the movement. Well will update when i have finished. Cheers again.