I am sure you know that the IRD contains the front drive and front differential - and a power take off for the rear drive. The PTO is really just a pinion and crown wheel - quite simple.
When the VCU fails it locks and causes transmission windup (like driving an old 4wd in 4wd on the bitumin). The weakest point in the Freelander system when this occurs are the bearings in the PTO - these fail allowing the pinion and crown wheel to unmesh causing a lot of bashing and crashing but if you stop immediately the teeth on the pinion and crownwheel may very well stay intact.
These bearing are/were available and indeed up to a couple of years back new pinions and crownwheels were being advertised on ebay for about $1000 (as a rebuild kit) but have not seen any advertised lately.
You are lucky in that by the TD4 arrived they had sorted the design issue with the front diff ratio so VCU failure was less common - but it still pays to regularly check them.
Garry
REMLR 243
2007 Range Rover Sport TDV6
1977 FC 101
1976 Jaguar XJ12C
1973 Haflinger AP700
1971 Jaguar V12 E-Type Series 3 Roadster
1957 Series 1 88"
1957 Series 1 88" Station Wagon
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