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Bluericky



Member Since: 26 Jun 2014
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 647

United Kingdom 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Keswick Green
New axle or repair the original
Hi Guys

I’m looking to pick everyone’s brains as it appears I need yet another front axle.
The first one failed on the weld and my current axle has somehow become bent , I’ve no idea how as I really haven’t abused it. I discovered it when pulling the front half shaft , it was stubborn to remove but I didn’t think much of it at the time. When re inserting it , I couldn’t get it in at all ! Tried another half shaft , it was the same, changed the Diff , again no joy . Shone a torch down inside and it’s like a friggin banana !

So being pretty fed up with changing axles etc , who should I purchase a NEW axle casing from ? Did they sort the weld on the axles and is there such a thing as a reinforced axle ?

Or

Should I take my old casing (not the bent one) with the failed weld into a fabricator and get it done properly ?! If so anyone know of any reputable place in Cornwall / Devon up to such a job ?

Thank you

Rich https://www.instagram.com/hustynminepark/
Post #795940 29th Sep 2019 9:40pm
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hank



Member Since: 12 Sep 2016
Location: South Wales
Posts: 2290

Wales 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Sounds like you've been unlucky. If it were me I would get hold of a decent used replacement and swap the lot on > 110 XS Double Cab
Post #795953 30th Sep 2019 5:23am
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Bluericky



Member Since: 26 Jun 2014
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 647

United Kingdom 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Keswick Green
I’m pretty reluctant to buy secondhand but if I do, then I will have it shot blasted , reinforced and then repainted .

Is a TD5 axle identical to TDCI ? https://www.instagram.com/hustynminepark/
Post #795954 30th Sep 2019 5:41am
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williamthedog



Member Since: 29 Dec 2012
Location: south wales
Posts: 3441

2011 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 PU Tamar Blue
You can get the axle support brackets that stops the swivel departing company with the axle. It gives a bit of support to the end as well and peace of mind. Can't think of the part numbers at the moment. I paid £25 for each side. Thumbs Up
Post #795956 30th Sep 2019 5:51am
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Bluericky



Member Since: 26 Jun 2014
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 647

United Kingdom 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Keswick Green
Thank you William , I probably will but frankly I’d prefer a more robust solution that stops it happening in the first place ! https://www.instagram.com/hustynminepark/
Post #795957 30th Sep 2019 5:53am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17320

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Bluericky wrote:
... Is a TD5 axle identical to TDCI ?


As far as I know the axle case is (except that the ends don't fall off the TD5 one), but remember that a TD5 110 axle is likely to have a 2-gear diff which doesn't last well with the TDCi motor (later TDCis having the vastly superior 4-gear diff).

I think that the military TUM vehicles have reinforced axle cases, if so one of these would be an option but finding them is not easy.

My personal preference would be to get a second hand replacement axle case (or use your original one) and sort it out properly:

  • Check for straightness
  • Blast clean the outside
  • Crack detect (MPI)
  • Reinforce the end flange welds (collar the weld, fillet the flange, or maybe both)
  • Reinforce the axle tube (weld in webs between the diff case and radius arm mounts)
  • Might as well reinforce the diff pan while you're at it
  • Recheck for straightness
  • Paint


This is what I have in mind should my axle ever develop these problems (and I do have the "catch brackets" mentioned above on the ends - I really don't want the hubs breaking off!). In my case it helps that I also have access to facilities which regularly work on pressure vessels and have coded welders (you'd just need to find a competent welder, no coding required), but none of the above is difficult. A good fabrication shop could do it.

Do you think your current axle was bent before you bought it? Although the late Defender front axle is a bit of a joke in terms of durability, they are not particularly easy to bend.
Post #795976 30th Sep 2019 8:16am
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Bluericky



Member Since: 26 Jun 2014
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 647

United Kingdom 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Keswick Green
Hi Blackwolf

Thank you for your thoughts . I may well take the old axle with the broken weld and get that one bolstered instead of buying new, my concern is making sure it’s welded parallel with the other side .
Otherwise I’ll be buying new and having it collared as you’ve suggested, the cheapest I can find is £700 for OEM

The bent axle is a bit of a mystery as it did drive fine for 3000 miles until it gradually started to cause the vibrations and tightness when cornering that I’ve been experiencing.
The excessive lateral pressure placed on the front differential by the half shaft was causing it to lock up , this was confirmed when the front wheels were off the ground and they turned together rather than in an opposite rotation (rotated by hand)
A new diff and half shaft created the same outcome .
The half shaft can only be inserted into the diff when at an acute angle to the swivel flange , then trying to centre it requires significant force , enough to damage the diff.

These really are terribly made axles , they seem unbelievably weak . Six defenders and never a problem with an axle until this Puma !
Having said that a lot of people have never had a problem so perhaps it’s my driving or the fact I’m using it as a “utility” vehicle ! Not a word the modern JLR are familiar with https://www.instagram.com/hustynminepark/
Post #795979 30th Sep 2019 8:37am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17320

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
It should be relatively easy to check the end flanges for parallelism with the axle case removed from the vehicle simply by bolting some (relatively) long straight edges (a couple of lengths of angle, for example) across each flange and measuring the difference at either end. The flanges should be parallel, so any difference in dimension indicates a problem. I'd repeat for each diametric pair of holes. It doesn't need to be a precision measurement in this case.

The Puma axle case does seem to have suffered particularly badly from Landrover's "value engineering" and it is really not up to the job.
Post #795981 30th Sep 2019 9:26am
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Retroanaconda



Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2635

Scotland 
A later Td5 axle (2002-on) would be the way I would go.
Post #796068 30th Sep 2019 7:13pm
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hank



Member Since: 12 Sep 2016
Location: South Wales
Posts: 2290

Wales 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Another way to check parallel... Set up a level base, stand the axle case vertically on its flange and check the other end for level > 110 XS Double Cab
Post #796079 30th Sep 2019 7:52pm
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Bluericky



Member Since: 26 Jun 2014
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 647

United Kingdom 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Keswick Green
Thanks chaps

At what point does the TD5 axle go from narrow to wide radius arm brackets ? https://www.instagram.com/hustynminepark/
Post #796088 30th Sep 2019 8:02pm
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Retroanaconda



Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2635

Scotland 
That changed with 300Tdi in 1994 - so all Td5 axles were for wider arms.

The 2002-on distinction is because the bolts for the panhard rod went from M14 to M16 for that year. Though as that’s the only difference you could just run an M16 drill through the holes on an older axle.
Post #796098 30th Sep 2019 8:18pm
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jst



Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 7987

 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
Make a jig, reweld it in square and brace it. Or sleeve it. Cheers

James
110 2012 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop
Post #796113 30th Sep 2019 8:40pm
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BogMonster



Member Since: 05 Feb 2008
Location: Stanley
Posts: 400

Falkland Islands 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Corris Grey
williamthedog wrote:
You can get the axle support brackets that stops the swivel departing company with the axle. It gives a bit of support to the end as well and peace of mind. Can't think of the part numbers at the moment. I paid £25 for each side. Thumbs Up


That's a new one to me. Got a pic or link?

I have seen swivels come off but only blue box jobs that have snapped off. I wouldn't use anything other than genuine now for that reason, but I'm interested to know what this other idea is? ---
2006 Defender 110 SW 300Tdi • 2011 Ford Ranger XLT crewcab • 2015 Defender 110 Station Wagon Utility TDCi
Post #796156 1st Oct 2019 9:42am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17320

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
^^^ Take a look at these threads, they'll tell you all about the fault, Landrover's pathetic response, and you'll find the brackets pictured on page 6 of the first link.

Part numbers for the brackets are LR068818 (for the LH bracket), LR068822 (for the RH bracket).

They don't reinforce the axle or stop it failing, but they do (probably) stop you dying in a blazing fireball when the axle fails.

https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic33029.html (See page 6 for pictures of the brackets)

https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic55655.html

The most disturbing thing about both threads is that most of the failures discussed in them have occurred on vehicles which are outside the VIN range specified in the recall, clear evidence that this is a much bigger problem that JLR acknowledges. Personally I would not drive a TDCi of any age or any wheelbase without the catch brackets fitted.


Last edited by blackwolf on 20th Jun 2022 2:10pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #796168 1st Oct 2019 10:52am
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