Thread: 87 Rangie rear diff weakness

Originally Posted by djam1

Roger
I think Phillip was responding to the previous question.
I suspect that the original rear pinion failure was related to a 20 year old diff that had done God knows how many miles possibly with a suspect/unknown service history, as already stated the pinion failure is not common.

I find it interesting with the later Defenders though, when the Defenders were with rear drive train problems were they in the desert fully loaded or were they just being driven in suburbia.
Was the failed rear drive train standard or aftermarket?
I have never heard of this type of failure on a Land Rover but have seen it with large 4x4 trucks

Yeh Thanks djam1, having re-read Phillips post I agree with you.

The rear drive problems in the Defenders occurred on local trips quite a while before the Desert Trip. I think it was just coincidence that they both decided to let go on the same trip.

The point is that the later model diffs just ain't built the way they used to be and as stated, I will be pulling mine apart and loktiting as well as wiring them into place.

At least I can then trip to remote areas with the confidence that, if treated right, the diff should not fall apart on me when most needed.

Gday Roger,

I assume the 99 was a Salisbury. Was the 02 a Salisbury or a P38 diff?

Its interesting as I look into it at the moment, there have been so many different types of pinion bolt setups used in Landrovers.

Both were Salisbury rear diffs - but the failures were in the front diffs - no problems with the rears.

Interestingly, it's looking like from what we've found out, the P38 rear Defenders also run a P38 style front diff.

Originally Posted by Slunnie

Interestingly, it's looking like from what we've found out, the P38 rear Defenders also run a P38 style front diff.

I think I read somewhere that the UK Army wanted the same centres front and rear (reduced spares inventory) and hence why the Wolf (and now the Defender) uses a P38 rear end.