Free Wheeling Hubs ???

[FredE]

Son needs info?help he has not long ago purchased a 97 Defender ute Diesel he has just spent big $$$s on the front axles Bearings, brakes oil in diffs etc and was hoping to fit Free wheeling hubs but service center told him that they wern't available Is this true? if they are available could any body tell me where
Thanks guys
Fred

[ISUZUROVER]

(1) Defenders are constant 4x4 so you cannot fit freewheeling hubs without doing a part time 4x4 conversion

(2) Why??? you won't notice a difference in handling (except for the worse) and fuel consumption if you fitted them, and you would have less traction on wet roads.

[daddylonglegs]

I believe AVM in Brazil make a part time conversion kit including free wheel hubs for LT230 equipped LandRovers. But it is not a conversion that offers any advantages apart from significantly reduced transmission backlash.
Bill.

[FredE]

Thanks for the info Guys I will pass it on to my son What he was trying to improve was the fuel consumption and after having to do the repairs on the front end thought that it might cut down on sone of the wear and tear on the front end Once again thanks for the help
Fred

[Ralf the RR]

he has just spent big $$$s on the front axles Bearings, brakes oil in diffs

Fred,
Did he do all this work himself, because this is easy stuff and relatively cheap?
Axle Bearings are $60 a set (side), seal is $10.
Brakes are $81 from www.discpads.com
Oil is cheap.

I reckon there is 2 hours max work for someone new to this stuff.
The only hard part is undoing the 52mm hub nuts (a tube sanner is the go).

Note: the assumption is that a Defender is the same or very similar to my Rangies.


If he hasn't got one already, buy him a workshop manual for Xmas.
Will save him a lot of $$$$.


If he wanted good fuel economy, then he shouldn't have bought anything made by Land Rover. The 2 are mutually exclusive.

By the way, now the front end is done, he can forget about it for a long time, although I am surprised the bearings needed replacing so early.

[ISUZUROVER]

If he wanted good fuel economy, then he shouldn't have bought anything made by Land Rover. The 2 are mutually exclusive.

Not with the Tdi's, they have great fuel economy. A 300 Tdi Disco should get just under 10L/100km, a Defender just over. If he is carting around really heavy loads and/or drives like a leadfoot this will not be the case, but even when overloaded and driving through the desert they should still only use about 12L/100km.

And Harry is right, the work is easy and cheap to do yourself. Also IMHO, FWH's aren't a good thing - many cruzers need a front end rebuild because they are never used off road (especially if some water gets in to the axle). The top half of the crownwheel, bearings, etc go rusty.

[Ralf the RR]

OK, maybe I was wrong.
There is a fuel efficient Land Rover.

At least I was right about the front end
Seriously though. Doing your own repairs is quite easy.
Nothing is unachievable. A decent set of tools and a good manual will just about cure any problem.
It may take longer than the professionals, but at least it's cheaper and you learn things!

I have learned that you may need to aquire some special tools for specific jobs. I'd only do this if they were cheap (relatively), and you will need to use them again.
There are circumstances that require expensive specialist tools. This is the time to call on the specialists. But my philosophy is do as much as you can! Remember that you don't always need to go to a LR specialist. Automotive/machine/mechanical workshops are probably cheaper.

[rick130]

The other downside with FWH's if unlocked for a long time is brinnelling of the bearings and gear surfaces , particularly on rough or corrugated roads.

Have seen it in a few 'cruisers.
Hell, my Defender had stuffed (brinnelled) wheel bearings from being road freighted from Alice Springs to here via Melbourne. Apparently it's quite common in deck loaded sea freighted cars as well.

Rick.

[FredE]

No he paid to get the work done although he usually does most of his own repairs I think that this was mainly a full check up after hearing the front wheel bearings squeeking This defender lived on Morton Island and was used on weekends & holidays by a keen fisherman so I guess its servicing was pretty limited and although it was in a salty/sandy inviorment it seems in good condition
He doesnt use it much through the week as he is a bobcat owner operator and is usually in the tipper to get to & from jobs he intends useing it on his shooting trips out west its a step up from the little Izsu tray back that he had
i dont know what sort of fuel economy he is getting the main thing is that he is happy with it
Fred

[FredE]

BTW. Ben what are you doing in Germany ? was there acouple of times in the last few years with the wife visiting her rellies. don't forget you will need your sunnies when you get off the plane at this end
Fred

[ISUZUROVER]

Fred, the bearing failures were most likely caused by water (and salt) getting into the swivel pin housings and hubs.

I am an engineer, and have a filtration research job at a university in Karlsruhe for a couple of years.