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foxhound



Member Since: 02 Mar 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 357

United Kingdom 1995 Defender 110 300 Tdi SW Alpine White
Cracked Axle Casing Advice Needed Please
Hi All,

I have a fine crack in the front axle casing of my 300tdi 110 near the passener side spring and a slow leak from it.

Do I weld it --can it be welded in situ or does it need to come off and be cleared inside as well as out? i know nothing about welding! and do welds hold good on the casing?

OR do I find a good used casing? Are 200/300 tdi and TD5 front axles the same? Are any disco axles the same?

Or do I spend more to get a reconditioned casing?

Is there anything else obvious I should be looking at at the same time?

Any ideas how many hours it take to remove and replace a casing if you know what you're doing?

thanks in advance. 110 Defender 300tdi & Penman trailer with ally exped top and roof tent
Post #858386 27th Sep 2020 11:31am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16808

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Is it a similar crack to the one discussed in this thread ?

There is in principle no reason why it couldn't be welded, but how difficult it would be and the preparation required (including the decision about removal etc) would depend on the nature and position of the crack.

Any chance on a photo or two? It would make it easier to provide advice.

Swapping a casing, if you know what you're doing and have the toosl etc to had, maybe a couple of hours if everything undoes without too much difficulty. Allow a day if it's the first time you've done it.
Post #858389 27th Sep 2020 11:39am
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foxhound



Member Since: 02 Mar 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 357

United Kingdom 1995 Defender 110 300 Tdi SW Alpine White
many thanks for this. I'll get some photos. I don't think that thread applies to me. 110 Defender 300tdi & Penman trailer with ally exped top and roof tent
Post #858393 27th Sep 2020 12:07pm
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Oldowner



Member Since: 26 Dec 2018
Location: South west
Posts: 598

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Aintree Green
Get a 300tdi disco front axle casing or axle. Exactly the same. Td5 use different pan hard rod mounting bracket, can be got around with new pan hard rod too but 300tdi disco is easiest swap.
Post #858403 27th Sep 2020 1:29pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

^^^^ Hope this isn't considered a thread hijack - but it might help Foxhound anyway.

Can you explain more on the difference between panhard brackets Td5 vs Tdi axle?? And how would I know what's on my car?

The story is that at some point in the past, due to the first owners having a tendency to leave the car in the sea.... (maybe a slight exaggeration, but it was permanently hitched to a rescue boat at an island airport) the front axle was corroding away around the spring and radius arm mounts. It was replaced, and I think it might be a Td5 casing.

Now, I have a Tdi casing which I'm about to get blasted and painted, and then I'll build it up with new parts for a swap.

However I didn't know about the panhard rod differences... Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #858419 27th Sep 2020 4:05pm
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Mo Murphy



Member Since: 01 Jun 2008
Location: Letchworth Garden City, Herts
Posts: 2062

United Kingdom 1984 Defender 90 200 Tdi HT Pennine Grey
The earlier panhard rod is a forged one piece bar with a kick in it around the diff pan. The later rods are a straight welded tube assembly.
HTH
Mo The Land Rover 90 - Many are called, few are chosen.
Post #858433 27th Sep 2020 5:18pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

Thanks Mo, that certainly does help me. I'm pretty sure I have the later/straight one at the moment so will need to get hold of a cranked one when I get to that stage. I wonder if there was any other reason behind changing the bracket on the newer axles, beyond not having manufacture cranked panhard rods?

Foxhound - sorry for the sidetracking. Whistle Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #858436 27th Sep 2020 5:48pm
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Retroanaconda



Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2520

Scotland 
Cost-driven decision I am sure. But the later ones do have a slightly heavier bush I think.

The change was for the 2002 model year, so early Td5s had the older setup.
Post #858441 27th Sep 2020 6:22pm
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cee-b



Member Since: 25 Jan 2018
Location: South West
Posts: 114

United Kingdom 
Re: Cracked Axle Casing Advice Needed Please
foxhound wrote:
Hi All,

I have a fine crack in the front axle casing of my 300tdi 110 near the passener side spring and a slow leak from it.

Do I weld it --can it be welded in situ or does it need to come off and be cleared inside as well as out? i know nothing about welding! and do welds hold good on the casing?

OR do I find a good used casing? Are 200/300 tdi and TD5 front axles the same? Are any disco axles the same?

Or do I spend more to get a reconditioned casing?

Is there anything else obvious I should be looking at at the same time?

Any ideas how many hours it take to remove and replace a casing if you know what you're doing?

thanks in advance.


I know that I'm bound to get a fair bit of stick for suggesting a 'bodge' but..... If it is a fine crack with a slow weep, I would be tempted to stop-drill it so it doesn't grow, clean it up thoroughly from the outside and then repair it with JB Weld.
Post #858443 27th Sep 2020 6:32pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16808

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
You'd knowingly drive with a cracked front axle case? Wow. Shocked

If it subsequently fails and you kill someone, you'd be ok with that?
Post #858445 27th Sep 2020 6:41pm
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cee-b



Member Since: 25 Jan 2018
Location: South West
Posts: 114

United Kingdom 
I think maybe the difference between our viewpoints is experience blackwolf.

I spent my working life as an Aviation Engineer. You'd be surprised how many aircraft you've flown in that had cracks in them that have been stop-drilled and repaired. Or even just stop-drilled and left unrepaired, depending on location.

Obviously, it is a judgement call depending on severity but, if it is a small, fine crack in what is a very rugged piece of the vehicle with very few shear forces on it, why would it fail?
Post #858446 27th Sep 2020 6:53pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16808

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Indeed we have different views, that much is clear. Furthermore, with respect, you have absolutely no idea what experience I have nor my background.

I can however categorically assure you that I would not knowingly drive a vehicle with a cracked axle case, nor, for that matter, operate nor allow to be operated an aeroplane with a crack in a component of equivalent importance to airworthiness as a front axle is to road-worthiness, and that is all I shall say on this matter.

We will continue to have differing views, I am sure.
Post #858484 27th Sep 2020 9:51pm
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Mo Murphy



Member Since: 01 Jun 2008
Location: Letchworth Garden City, Herts
Posts: 2062

United Kingdom 1984 Defender 90 200 Tdi HT Pennine Grey
Quote:

I know that I'm bound to get a fair bit of stick for suggesting a 'bodge' but..... If it is a fine crack with a slow weep, I would be tempted to stop-drill it so it doesn't grow, clean it up thoroughly from the outside and then repair it with JB Weld.


Dear Censored God, I've heard it all now !
Mo The Land Rover 90 - Many are called, few are chosen.
Post #858490 28th Sep 2020 12:55am
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foxhound



Member Since: 02 Mar 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 357

United Kingdom 1995 Defender 110 300 Tdi SW Alpine White
thanks all, my crack is weldable (my local LR expert has now been able to look at it) and he'll do that tomorrow but I've been offered a decent casing free which I'll collect and swap over in the next few weeks.

How does a casing crack? I've not heard of that happening before. I am wondering what the cause could be. 110 Defender 300tdi & Penman trailer with ally exped top and roof tent
Post #858523 28th Sep 2020 9:55am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16808

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
A latent defect or stress.
Post #858536 28th Sep 2020 11:37am
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