Thread: Diff service/TLC?

Changed the oils about 50k ago? could be 30k overdue. Here is the maintenance schedule.

mclt022x.PDF

When the pads and rotors are being done, also check and service your caliper sliders if needed. They can seize up. With the wheel fitted, check for any bearing or ball joint play, give it a wobble top to bottom and side to side. Check your ball joint boots, they fracture with age. Look for any oil leakage from the end of the axle where the half shaft exits the housing before it goes into the CV. The brake lines and ABS lines for condition and they're still clipped in properly and the ABS line is clearing the CV without rubbing. Check the radius arm bushes where they mount onto the axle also as these can fracture with use, hopefully yours will be ok if it has had an easy life.

CV's, check they dont click when turned and accelerating. The concertina boot over it, check that carefully for any splits and the boot clamp is in place still. Other than that I don't think you need to service them as long as nothing like dust or water can get in, or grease out.

Diff oil - undo the filler first to make sure you can refill.

Originally Posted by Bohica

Changed the oils about 50k ago? could be 30k overdue. Here is the maintenance schedule.

mclt022x.PDF

That shows axle oil at 160,000 km🥺 so 110,000km to go😇

FWIW I do gear box, transfer and different at 40,000.

I must go and see what Land Rover say the Defender intervals are.

Tony

Thanks everyone for the replies.

So looks like just change the diff oil and a thorough inspection

Slunnie, thanks for listing all the little things that would normally get missed (I hadn't considered the ABS wires etc) I did check the diff levels about 15k ago so the fill plug does come out..

TonyC, yeah I was reading the same but figured 160k was a bit much, I like 40k much better (even though I'm about 10k over already)

Bohica, all the other oils have been changed pretty regular (engine 10k, trans got replaced so fluid a couple of times and the T/C when the trans got removed) I had basically forgot about the diffs until I started planning on doing the pads and rotors

While I'm doing all this, I think I will get rid of the plastic sump and fill plugs, anyone have any links to the correct ones? I have looked on ebay but not sure, are they a standard size? (would be a first for Land Rover....)

cheers

Redd

Magnetic Diff Drain Plug for Land Rover Discovery 1 & 2 Defender RRC TYB500120

and

2x BRASS Coolant Filler & Diff Plug for Land Rover 2/300Tdi Defend Disco 1 2 ERR4686

Originally Posted by Reddirt204

While I'm doing all this, I think I will get rid of the plastic sump and fill plugs

If you're referring to the diff drain plug, the D2's should have 1/2" square drive steel plug with the magnet already in it. The puma defenders were the ones that don't have a magnet. ( that must've saved Ford at least 20 cents per vehicle)

The plastic fill plugs usually get destroyed by being overtightened, the torque on them is only about 9Nm as the O ring seals and holds fine at that torque.