I have just had a service done on my Petrol HSE MY07 76,000 miles on the clock.

The garage is a well repected family owned Land Rover garage in Kent.

I had a suspected drive problem on the rear wheels and thought it may have been the
Haldex.

After inspection they say that the car, at the moment, is basically a front wheel drive and suspect
the spline couplng at the transfer box, although they won't known for sure until they have stripped
down the box.

I first noticed the problem when accelerating around a tight right hand corner and it felt like a rear wheel snatching.
It did it a couple of more times on the straight.
Had a slow drive home and no snatching problems since. However it now seems to spin a front wheel
when turning at a junction, not always, but only if a bit too much power is applied, just like a front wheel drive.

They think the problem is, that the spline has stripped on the drive shaft and the snatching could have been the
last bits of spline breaking of.

Has anybody any experience of this happening with the splines?

I took my FL2 in to the LR Dealer to have the rear diff job done under extended warranty as it was very noisy and when it came back they had done the diff job and also replaced the transfer box . Total bill would have been getting for £3k they claimed that the extended warranty people had sent a guy along to approve the job. I didn't notice any snatching or anything, just the rear diff noise but there must have been a good reason for replacing the transfer box. I had a look underneath and sure enough there was a shiny new box there. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

Yes other threads on it, not me so do a search. Wont save you any money though in Kent.  FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

http://www.freel2.com/forum/topic26133.html

Take a look here Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

There is a splined coupling between the transfer box and the main gearbox, this does fail and gives the symptoms you describe.

If drive shaft splines fail then car will not move - front diff sends power to easiest side, stripped side is easier, so no power to side that is still connected. power may still go to rear so you may still move if you select sand mode. Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

I've just had the front transfer box replaced on my 61 plate SD4, same as you thought it was the rear diff.

Austen from Bell Engineering supplied a reconditioned exchange unit and it now drives like a different car.

Elmstone Boy
Did you manage to fix your freelander, as I am also facing the exact same problem with mine, also just pulling with the front wheels and also made the loud noise once snd spinning around corners??

Thanks in regards

Andy131 wrote:

There is a splined coupling between the transfer box and the main gearbox, this does fail and gives the symptoms you describe.

If drive shaft splines fail then car will not move - front diff sends power to easiest side, stripped side is easier, so no power to side that is still connected. power may still go to rear so you may still move if you select sand mode.

If you click on the link Andy131 gave above, he gives the full (DIY) story.

Bob 10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

Yes this is a common fault. You will need a replacement transfer box and sleeve to the gearbox. As you have the i6 engine, the transfer box is different than what's fitted to all the others, and they are like hens teeth to find. I don't have any as cannot get any core in, but if you send your old unit in I can repair it. www.bellengineering.co.uk

Austen, the OP posted in Nov 2016. I guess he has it fixed by now.

Bob 10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

Oh yeah lol www.bellengineering.co.uk

2014 model 51,000 miles. Noticed a humming and on last service before the warranty they changed the transfer box for a new one. Thankfully the warranty kept me away from a £2800 bill. I asked why it needed changing after only 51k? I't's "normal" apparently. Buying Toyota next

Normal my A**e
mine failed at 150,000+ miles and then only because the input spines fretted as the gearbox coupling runs open to the elements and doesn't like being repeatedly submerged in mud and water.

Good luck with the Toyota by the way  Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner