how do
I have just picked up a HSE 2007 auto freelander 2
I got it knowing it needed some work, cam belt, tyres and a front end noise

Its great to be back in a freelander again, we sold our last year and regretted it since

what the easiest way to differentiate a noise between front diff/ptu (are they different things) and wheel bearing ?
the noise i a whine/groan. almosts like there is a superbike ride along side the landy
It defo comes from towards the front, does not get louder when turning a particular direction
loudest around 40-50MPH. it does not change noise with the revs only speed, much worse when you put some throttle on, still there but not really noticeable when off the throttle
I have tried to get a video of it..
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cEeqyDdz5k4

any thoughts? thanks

It also needs a cam belt and haldex service.
I am pretty good at working on my own car, built my race car, some engine swaps etc
Is the haldex service and cambelt easy enough to do at home, or just a PITA and worth paying someone?

thanks

I have no particular experience of the FL2 in this respect but I will kick things off.
From my experience that does not sound like wheel bearings. Normally you would hear a difference in corners and it would be speed, not acceleration dependent.
To me that does sound transmission related I am afraid.
I have never taken one apart but I believe the front diff is in the gearbox and the PTU is a seperate assembly.

Have a look on youtube, there are a few videos of doing both the cambelt and the haldex service. Neither look complicated to me. Cambelt recommends having a locking tool but then can be picked up pretty cheaply from ebay/amazon. I have read that removing the haldex filter is sometimes a bit of a pain but not enough to put me off. FL2 2007 2.2d Auto SE. Baltic Blue.

Oh, and this is probably clutching at staws but check you don't have a failed engine mount. Or exhaust touching something. The sound could possibly be metal on metal vibration as the engine moves under load?
It is probably not that but it is always good to check the easy stuff first  FL2 2007 2.2d Auto SE. Baltic Blue.

Hard to tell from the video. With a sound like that I would check the tyres first as it sounds rubbery.

Make sure they are all at the correct pressure and, if you have the facilities, swap front to rear and see if the noise moves with them.

Raise the front of the car and rotate each wheel by hand. If the wheel bearing has failed then you should feel and hear it. Then rapidly rock the wheel back and forth and listen and feel for play in the CV joints.

The front diff is unlikely to have any issues but if the above tests all draw a blank you could drop the gearbox oil and see if it is full of metal chunks, however, I don't actually recomend this on an auto. They have filters that would catch any debris. That's more of a suggestion for any manual owners who are reading this thread who have a similar issue.

I have a horrific noise in my front axel at the moment that sounds exactly like a wheel bearing but it is because the inner CV joint on my passenger side is completely wrecked. Several degree's of slack in the joint. It's surprising how far noises can migrate from their actual source.

Worn front wheel bearings can sound much like a PTU failing.
It fooled me and the experts at Bell because I had lost 4WD concurrently due to a unrelated failed haldex pump (no error codes though). We both initially thought the PTU splines had gone.
A new wheel bearing is much cheaper than a PTU replacement.

The PTU itself and the front diff are pretty reliable, the problem is the connecting splines.

 Jules

Jules, that is an interesting diagram. I missed it in the manual.

So if I follow that right the righthand halfshaft runs right through the PTU and is splined into the front differential as you would expect. The PTU crownwheel is driven via a hollow shaft, splines and short sleeve to the diff crownwheel assembly?
Is that right?

Apologies for some slight thread drift but I have wondered how the ptu got its power as it is apparently in series with the right driveshaft which did not make sense to me. FL2 2007 2.2d Auto SE. Baltic Blue.

yep

 Jules

got it, thanks. FL2 2007 2.2d Auto SE. Baltic Blue.

Thank you everyone for the replies.
Just woken up as on nights.

Jacked up the landy, can't hear or feel any wheel bearings.
The is a little play in the CV but not loads.
I noticed I can move the shaft up and down in on the passenger side as it goes into the gear box. Not loads but defo movement.
There is also slack between turning one wheel and the other moving. Don't know how much normally but seems quite a lot.
.the other thing is I can rotate the front wheels while it's in park. Not sure if they are locked out / should be when In park.
Also when rotating wheel/taking up slack there is quite a bit of forward back movement on the engine .

I took a couple little terrible videos I'll upload
I phoned bells but they are on holiday for 2 weeks.

Timing belt is a diy job, if you've done a timing belt before. It's about 4 hours work first time round, and under 2 ½ hours if you've done a few. Haldex is easy, it's just a pain because of its location. Hyundai Ioniq 5 Ultimate. The family car.
2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Gone.
2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE. Gone.
Audi A5 convertible, my daily driver.
1972 Hillman Avenger GT, the project.

I mean it feels like normal play but I don't know with the Freelander is it's normal..
The other thing is the engine does have done froward back movement event though mounts all look okay


I pretty happy I can sort the timing belt thanks. I'll defo look deeper into the haldex too

So jacked all 4 wheels of the ground and ran the car.
I have 3 wheel drive..
Two front one rear.. ...?


Anyway traced the noise as could hear it to defo the ptu or the splines/ bearing .
There's one for sale up the road used.. or wait for bells to come back off holiday....

Don't worry about 3 driven wheels, it could have been as little as 2 wheels spinning, I expect one rear brake is dragging. The vehicle has open diffs front and back, relying traction control via the brakes to a give cross axle locking effect.

I believe Bell have a dispatch person in today. Hyundai Ioniq 5 Ultimate. The family car.
2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Gone.
2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE. Gone.
Audi A5 convertible, my daily driver.
1972 Hillman Avenger GT, the project.

I guessing it won't be anything inside the gearbox front where the ptu connects. But the actual ptu itself.

pistol pete wrote:

https://youtu.be/tmOiNPHEN6E
I mean it feels like normal play but I don't know with the Freelander is it's normal..
The other thing is the engine does have done froward back movement event though mounts all look okay


I pretty happy I can sort the timing belt thanks. I'll defo look deeper into the haldex too