The FL2 I am referring to has been owned from new. MY2010 - delivered Nov'09.
It has a developed a habit of destroying the rear differential pinion bearing. It is now on its 3rd.
The vehicle emits a loud irritating whining noise from the rear which over any great distance makes long journey unpleasant.

The first was replaced in late 2012 surviving only 14mths. The second in January 2014. All have been replaced by official LR dealers.

It is improbable but not impossible that 2 different LR trained service engineers from 2 different official LR garages would have independently incorrectly fitted the bearing, or, have randomly selected two badly manufacture pinion bearings for fitment therefore would welcome any input to this thread re what could be causing these bearings to fail again and again.

Your engineering comments are most welcome as I am not a motor mechanic or engineer, however I do seek an end to this problem.

Thank you.

As has been suggested in a number of other posts on this subject. Let Mike@LandRover have the details and let him investigate from his end.

Thanks Richard, but as has been posted elsewhere Mike @ LR Customer Relations Social Media is well aware of both the frequently reported N/S/R wheel bearing failure and the Rear Differential Pinion Bearing failures having been contacted already by other Freel2 members on this very same subject.

I didn't ask him to get to a dealer to get a fix for me, rather, I made a simple request to signpost/identify potential avenues of investigation i.e. what other mechanical parts may be contributing to theses failures so that I can discuss this directly with our latest dealer, who like many other LR Dealers before him the length n breath of the planet all offer the same statement:

"Never heard of FL2 having so many multiple wheel or diff., bearing failures." Whereas a little research here demonstrates that many members have suffered from multiple failures, not only in the UK but members Brussels to Brisbane.

G'Day Athelstan, I have been luckier than you in as much as the differential didn't play up until 135000 kms and 5 years. The Land Rover dealer from whom I purchased the car new and who has done all the servicing advised me that they could carry out the 'low level' repair at a cost of $1700 involving two days work, but could not guarantee that this would cure the noise. If it didn't work, the only alternative was to replace the complete differential at an additional $2500, a one day job. I decided not to take the chance and had a new differential fitted which, of course, cured the problem. Although I think the differential should certainly last a great deal longer than 135000 kms, I wasn't overly surprised that Land Rover Australia wasn't interested in discussing the matter. What did surprise me was that Land Rover in the UK stated that they had no influence over Land Rover Australia and couldn't - beyond the usual trite "We're very sorry that you have had a problem but...etc" - get involved in what is obviously an endemic problem with the drive train. I'd no idea I was buying a 'Land Rover Australia' product; I thought I was buying a Land Rover designed and manufactured in the UK and exported to Australia. Just goes to show.

egipp
I am not surprised by your experience. JLR does not own many parts of its global distribution network - this is historic - and to now "buy out" those privately owned national distributorships would cost JLR millions. Cooperation with a "light" steerage is the order of the day. What that means on the ground is that regional JLR managers can only seek to influence the owners of the distributorship but cannot demand.

An example of this is the fact that globally there are many different formulations of the LR warranty, it's terms and conditions. Also extended warranty programs will differ considerably.

Clearly from a moral standpoint a vehicle produced in the same factory should be supported to the same level as the one sold in New York as the one sold in Newcastle. In reality the one bought in Southampton has a better " health care programme" than the one bought in Sydney.

It's possible when the new bearings were installed, they didn't checked and tune the tightening force properly.
Therefore, during time, the bearing failed again because of the static load.

Here is a link, to a forum where the user has done by himself this repair and followed the specifications using quite ingenious methods. A big for him.

You may need to use Google translate, but the pictures speak for themselves.
http://lr-club.com/index.php?showtopic=120...start=1320

It's sad when users have to do these things by themselves because LR technicians are ..... (fill the dots with what suits you best)...

Alex
One can only applaud the ingenuity of VNS
Lacking the complete sophisticated workshop tool and facilities of the official LR trained personnel he has crafted his own rectification and by which not only saved himself a huge amount of money, but most importantly, avoided the stress of being fobbed-off with a chain of inappropriate repetitive failed repairs and weak workshop excuses n denials.
Bravo that Man

ps: Am umple în puncte, dar ea nu a avut ca rezutat în "succes" - a livrat rahat în s****b

I think Alex may be right. I worked for a Ford dealer for a while and noticed that when mechanics were replacing diff pinion bearings on rear wheel drive transits (same collapsible spacer issue for the bearing preload) they very often did it up with the whizzy gun by "feel" rather than checking the pre-load. Having just changed my diff I will have a go at making the tools VNS made and repair my own "spare" diff! John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

I am a consulting and manufacturing engineer, but don't have a clue as to why LR can't get the diff right! I have had the bearing job done on mine and at the moment it is waiting to have its second complete replacement diff. fitted, so it will actually be on the fourth bearing and third complete diff.( LR also replaced the rear Goodyear Wranglers with the same at around 6000) All this in 13,000 miles.Very low mileage as I can't bring myself to run something that is obviously screaming for help, and use another vehicle when able. I asked about the possibility of it being the Haldex unit and the response was that it never is that.
Am I just unlucky, as LR claim it's a rare problem?
I am about to retire and can't decide between extending the warranty, taking the risk or buying a far eastern product. This after over forty years of loyalty to LR.
I know that people only go on forums if they have issues, but rear end whining has gone on for ever and they still can't solve it.
I left it with a letter for the Main Dealer to keep it until it is fixed or drive it over a cliff!
Circumstances dictate that I will be below what is considered the income to have a reasonable life after retirement so sensible advice will be welcome.
Silly advice may also be appreciated, CG.
Despite all this I still quite like it overall,but it needs to be right I didn't get where I am today by being sensible!

Had a new diff fitted again and something called a rear differential harmonica!
Checked that was what he said. I thought it was a mouth-organ (is that rude?) so that would explain the whining. ITS STILL THERE!!!!
I am looking for an independent professionally qualified engineer to tell me if this noise is real or in my head. I didn't get where I am today by being sensible!

just started having this issue a month back. New since 2010. done 25k miles.

when the car goes to 35 mph or above there's a loud humming noise from the back. took to my company garage and they said the noise is from the rear diff. and might be the bearings. he goes its not a cause for concern, but needs to be looked into.

any suggestions on how to handle this? i want LR to take responsibility for this as the car has only 22K on the clock.

and this isn't the first issue I've had [2 months since new and fuel gauge showing incorrect reading, fuel pump broke and fuel filter defective].

Running Goodyear Wranglers? Down to 3 to 4mm? Possibly the source. Fixed my previous FL with new tyres. Noise gone. Often reported on here and worth looking at first. 2016 BMW X3 30d SE in red
MY2013 SD4 XS Firenze Red, 19" 10 spoke contrast paint wheels, Signature Strips, Grand Black Lacquer trim, Cold Climate Pack - gone!
2007 TD4 S Stornoway Grey - gone!

kristo wrote:

just started having this issue a month back. New since 2010. done 25k miles.

when the car goes to 35 mph or above there's a loud humming noise from the back. took to my company garage and they said the noise is from the rear diff. and might be the bearings. he goes its not a cause for concern, but needs to be looked into.

any suggestions on how to handle this? i want LR to take responsibility for this as the car has only 22K on the clock.

and this isn't the first issue I've had [2 months since new and fuel gauge showing incorrect reading, fuel pump broke and fuel filter defective].

No cause for concern don't plan any long trips, at 22k mine went from is that a noise to unbearable in 750miles.