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Thread: BOUGHT FREELANDER TODAY BUT HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS!!!

  1. #11
    Join Date
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    The V8 disco will definitely be more robust than the Freelander.

    We have a TD4 Freelander and it is a fantastic car, but we leave all the heavy lifting for the V8 Range Rover.

    Dave
    2011 Range Rover Sport SDV6 Autobiography
    2007 Range Rover Sport TDV6
    2004 Freelander TD4 SE
    1997 Range Rover 4.6 HSE
    1994 Range Rover Vogue
    ----------------------------------------

  2. #12
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    We just traded our V8 Disco on a Freelander V6. On two of the three Discos i've driven there have been steering problems. The splines on the Uni Joint on the steering arm of our disco went suddenly and without warning on us on Easter monday. On a different corner it could have been disasterous.

    I'd point you in the way of a Freelander to be honest. Steering failure is something you don't want to experience and if it's been a problem on two out three Discos i've driven then surely it must be a design fault.

    The V8 Disco does sound better, but i'll be staying well clear of them in future.

  3. #13
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    The splines on the CV Joint on the steering arm of our disco went suddenly and without warning on us on Easter monday. On a different corner it could have been disasterous.

    I am happy that you appear not injured after such an event.

    But I have to point out that for the splines to fail the BIG NUT would have had to be loose for some time,usually as a result of incorrect assembly of the lock tab, ie the result of an incompetent serviceman.
    AND the steering would have been very very sloppy for a long period before the failure.
    I have driven an RRC where the seller told me he didn't drive over 80Kmh because it wasn't safe, and the steering was incredibly scarily sloppy.

    I got back from the drive , looked under the front and saw the nut was loose and almost off. I got I my socket and tightened it up straight away, and bent the lock tab properly, as it was very dangerous as is.

    IMHO there is nothing wrong with the steering boxes of RRcs and Discos.( well other than the early ones spraying oil everywhere)
    Regards Philip A

  4. #14
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    We didn't have sloppy steering at all. Power steering worked but wasn't overly light. I can only assume the unijoint housing was bashed on and the splines weren't alligned, the big nut wasn't loose. The splines were probably damaged beforehand because when it went I suddenly had half a turn of free play in the wheel and once I stopped the steering wheel had no say in what the friont wheels did.

    Regardless the splines are way too small for their application, it's a very poor design. Each spline is only a fraction of a milimeter. I'd be far more comfortable with a different design where the unijoint housing was actually part of the steering arm rather than a bolt on part.

    The vehicle is mainly driven by SWMBO and used for camping duties now as my wagon doesn't have a towbar. I can't have my family in a vehicle where steering failure is even a remote posibility.

    It was a fantastic vehicle up to that point.

  5. #15
    bushpie Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by restrepoarango View Post
    I had been looking to buy a 4wd for a while and today I came across a2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER 02MY SE 2.5L with 58,005 kms at a dealership in Sydney. At the sight of LAND ROVER, low kms, low price and an extended warranty I couldn't help myself and paid a deposit on the spot. I have since however been freaked out by so many terror stories about this car on the Internet. Are they well founded or is there a possibility that I have bought a really good vehicle? I haven't signed on the dotted line yet so I might get out of it still. PLEASE HELP!!!! Andres
    Love to know if you have gone ahead with the purchase..... I to freaked out after reading the horror stories....... but dug a little deeper and am very pleased with my purchase of a 2003 with 106000 on the clock...... well very please after the first 3 days

  6. #16
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    Regardless the splines are way too small for their application
    I am in a 4WD club and have done some very rough work and have been in clubs and the Technical Officer of the Riyadh Rover Register.

    In almost 30 years of association with Land rovers I have NEVER heard of splines stripping on an RRC or D1 when properly attached ( or for that matter D2, 38A,L322 ever-except for your case).

    One of the club members has 35inch tyres on his Disco 1 and on a trip a couple of years ago he bent the drag link severely by bashing a tyre into something.
    Now if the splines were weak, this impact would have stripped the splines rather than bend the link. It was a tyre hitting something on the side rather than an impact on the link.

    The design has been pretty much the same since 1970 and if it were weak , Land Rover would have enormous liability concerns if it caused any type of steering failure. I cannot conceive of your problem unless the drop arm was attached by an incompetent or the car was in a very serious accident at some stage where the steering took a very heavy impact and the repairer never thought to inspect the box.

    I can only assume the unijoint housing was bashed on and the splines weren't alligned, the big nut wasn't loose.
    Just to confirm that you are referring to the spline on the output shaft on the box as this quote seems to suggest that you are referring to the steering column.
    In either case you should be confident that if the Freelander turns out not be suitable that you should have no doubts as to the strength of the steering gear on a D1 or RRC.
    Regards Philip A

  7. #17
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    Hi Philip,
    Thanks for your concern, the splines are officially the Lower Steering Shaft Joint part number STC2800.



    I have since been advised it is a common problem by our mechanic who is a Land Rover specialist.

  8. #18
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    Thanks for your concern, the splines are officially the Lower Steering Shaft Joint part number STC2800.

    AHA!
    Well again I do not think it is a common problem.
    It is a common problem that the UJs dry out and seize, which makes the steering heavy-OK-heavy.

    However on my RRC and I think for many years later the input shaft to the steering box and the top column joint have a "failsafe" in that the input shaft has a "cutout" that the UJ cinch bolt fits into only one way. Even if the splines were to fail the bolt will hold the column in place, maybe sloppily but nevertheless able to maintain some direction. If your bolt wore through enough for the steering to turn independently then that would be over a very long time .

    It makes them a bugger to fit , as you have to have the exact spline lining up. I can assure you from many personal experiences the UJ bolts do not fit even one spline out.

    The bolt has to be very tight to pull the split in the UJ as per your picture onto the splines, and I think many mechanics do not tighten them fully.
    Remember that the load on these splines with power steering is negligible.

    A mechanic must carefully check that the splines are not "rocking" after he does up the bolt, or that the UJ cannot be moved upwards or downwards. If so the bolt must be tightened up more.

    Nearly all 4WDs have a similar system.It must have been loose and flopping around for many years for the splines to wear down, added to some dust and a bit of oil .

    Again , you should have no concerns about safety. BTW , I would be pretty certain that the Freelander will have a very similar sytem , even though it has a rack and pinion. Certainly my BMW did.
    Regards Philip A

  9. #19
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    Regardless we sold the vehicle as I don't trust it.

  10. #20
    mike 90 RR Guest
    Not having a go at you ... just commenting on the problem



    Quote Originally Posted by madmack View Post
    snip 1 .... I have since been advised it is a common problem ...
    ... If the problem was common ... Then you would see a list of this issue in the Disco threads ... Your's is the first I've seen



    Quote Originally Posted by PhilipA View Post
    The bolt has to be very tight to pull the split in the UJ as per your picture onto the splines, and I think many mechanics do not tighten them fully.
    Remember that the load on these splines with power steering is negligible.

    A mechanic must carefully check that the splines are not "rocking" after he does up the bolt, or that the UJ cannot be moved upwards or downwards. If so the bolt must be tightened up more.
    I'ld agree .... It is more the clamp effect that secures it ... along with the splines to hold it in place




    Quote Originally Posted by madmack View Post
    snip 2 ..... by our mechanic who is a Land Rover specialist.

    We've got plenty of them here too ... My advise is to find a new 1


    Cheers
    Mike

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