Thread: Defender Extreme Td5 Issues

Originally Posted by jamieluck

Hi again

Have a couple of general maintenance issues that I am hoping I can get some help for whilst doing up my 1999 Defender Extreme td5.

1. Have just had a new clutch kit installed by a backyard mechanic (never, EVER again), I had to bleed the clutch, have done it 3 or four times now, but gears are still not going 'in' as nice as they should. Grating a fair bit, and are difficult to get in when the revs are high etc. How many times do you need to bleed the clutch for? I have done it until there is no air, just steady stream....but it is quite difficult because the master cylinder is only small and runs out of fluid quite quickly.

2. Ever ince I have had the bus the ABS and TC lights stay on in the dash. Every now and then they go off, but the majority of the time they stay on. I notice when they do go off the brakes sometimes make a 'sucking' type noise when I apply them and vibrate quite violently through the pedal. Would someone who has the computer gear to plug into a td5 be able to spot the problem?

3. Are the wheel bearings difficult to replace in these Defenders?

4. Is the Gearbox, Transfer Case and Diff oil all different types? And, if so, how much of each do I need to buy? I know it is the manual, but I just need to double check that I am reading it correctly.

5. Did all 99 Defender Extremes come with centrall locking and keyless access? I have the immobiliser...I think cos there are three little beeping noises everytime I turn the engine off. But it did not come with any remote control button, just keys, and seemingly very dodgy remote control door locks, where only the fromt two work anyhow when you turn the key to unlock.

6. Lastly!! Does anyone have any plans for building the ladder for the back of Defenders, OR the Swingarm Rear wheel carrier?

Thanks heaps for the help

Jamie Luck

1, Id say check for a dodgey clutch master cycl

2, Yes someone with the diognostic gear could help (your location would help)

3,Wheel bearings are easy to do if your mechanicle mined

4, Diff oils and T/C are the same the G/box uses different oil check your manual for grades of oil and Quanitys

5,My 2001 Defender doesnt have Keyless entry or central locking your,s would be a after market setup

6,Some on here have built them ,You can still buy this stuff new try rovercraft a sponser on this site
Hope that helps

One of these may help---
Dave's Interesting Things - RAVE II

For a more permanent fix for your #1 problem, you can get them re-sleeved in stainless. The genuine LR clutch/brake cyls don't have a great reputation.

Originally Posted by jamieluck

1. Have just had a new clutch kit installed by a backyard mechanic (never, EVER again), I had to bleed the clutch, have done it 3 or four times now, but gears are still not going 'in' as nice as they should. Grating a fair bit, and are difficult to get in when the revs are high etc. How many times do you need to bleed the clutch for? I have done it until there is no air, just steady stream....but it is quite difficult because the master cylinder is only small and runs out of fluid quite quickly.

Your 'mechanic' might have had a rest halfway through the job & let the gearbox hang down so bending the clutch plate.
The clutch can be a pain to bleed though. Do you have access to a pressure or vacuum bleeder?

Regarding the wheel bearings - there is a school of thought that returning the wheel assembly to the earlier County spec's where the bearings are floating in axle oil instead of a few teaspoons of grease is a good upgrade to do. I've had mine done. The argument being that if you have a slightly dodgy seal you will easily see the oil leak. With the greased bearings - you don't see the leak - but you do get water sucked in which rusts the bearings out quickly resulting in a more expensive repair. Also the drive flanges on the greased bearing axles don't last very long because they rely on being greased at each service which usually does not happen. When converted to oiled hubs then they apparently last much longer. The TD5 bearings are not adustable either, they use a crush tube to set preload. So only option is to replace them if they are worn - but you only need new lock nuts etc I believe to convert them back to adjustable type bearings as per the older Defenders.

One other thing - the front swivel housings - they've gone for a sealed unit on the later defender - and rely on a thin grease to ensure the CV's are lubed. Mine appears to have had little to no grease since it was built, CV's were quite badly rooted. There is not easy way to check the grease in the Swivels of the new defenders. I've had mine converted to oil, and can now use a small dipstick to measure the levels.


If you have sloppy bearings - ie then you might also find your axle flanges are worn - the loose bearings flog out the splines on the shaft - this contributes to a great deal of slack in the drive train. Was like a new car after I replaced the flanges on mine. (They seem to only last about 60,000 ks with greased hubs)

Originally Posted by jamieluck

6. Lastly!! Does anyone have any plans for building the ladder for the back of Defenders, OR the Swingarm Rear wheel carrier?

I'm currently building a few of these wheel carriers >>>>> http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-t...er-county.html
I'll probably offer them for sale on AULRO first, before listing them on Ebay.

Cheers, Murray

Don't know if this will help you but I bought a 110 last year and was told it needed a new clutch. I bought an after market clutch assembly and set aside a lot of time to change it myself.

Luckily, as it turns out, I had to get the job done quicker as I needed the car for a trip sooner than expected so I took it to Discovery Automotive in Wangara WA. They told me that the thrust bearing in my clutch kit was no good. They had installed one before and it caused problems apparently. Sure enough, the parts were different.

So they installed the kit I had bought but with a different thrust bearing. It was a great job and I've experienced no problems since then.

I can't imagine how frustrating it would have been to spend days working on the car myself only to find that the clutch had to come out again!

Later, I changed the master cylinder at home, as the old one started leaking, and used a simple vacuum bleed kit I use for my motorbikes. Worked a treat but it's still best to have someone to top up the fuid before it runs dry, just in case.

If you can get hold of one a "Gunsons Easibleed" works a treat or make one yourself

bleeder



Martyn