Thread: Free Wheel Hubs,

My experience. I drove about 1/4 million miles (yes miles) from new in my S3 wagon with FWH. No problems at all. I tried to remember to lock them about once a week, the rest of the time I drove around with them unlocked unless I needed them.

They'd be getting a bit old now though.

so long as you lock them up at least once a week you minimise the risks (and take it for a reasonble length drive). better is to leave them locked and only unlock them if your going to do a long trip or perhaps to punt something back in low 2.

but the first checks are to grab the front propshaft at the slip joint and wiggle it, any movement is bad then jack it up on the spring plates unbolt the steering rods and turn the wheels by hand, any resistants or notching in the motion of the swivel is bad. then grab the wheel top and bottom and give it a rock if theres any movement in and out at the top/bottom you could also be in trouble BUT that check is also the one you do for wheel bearings.

I leave my FWH engaged all the time. I wouldn't advise using low range with them unlocked - I don't think its wise to send all that torque to the rear axle, they aren't overly strong to start with. Best to spread it across all four wheels

if your series has got the sals in the rear end you could probabley drive it around in low range with the whole front axle assembly removed and not hurt the rear axle setup. you'll stall all of the original landrover motors first or blow out the gearbox/tcase before that thing gives up....

They're using the same diff setup in the perenties and the counties and they had the suzi and v8s pushing them..

Cheers fella's. My SIII does have the sals diff in the rear.

Thanks Blknight.aus for the checks I can do and other posters for their 2c.

Nathanial