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B1_D130



Member Since: 15 May 2022
Location: Scotland
Posts: 18

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 130 Td5 HCPU Chawton White
Strange and worrying noises
Morning all,

I am after some more advice please.

My 05 TD5 130 is making some strange noises.
Every so often, it sounds like something is stuck in a tire, that sort of loud "buzzing" type noise. However, there is nothing I can see. Other times, I get a horrific "Bang, crunch" type noise. It all seems to come from the front end somewhere.

I have a 40 mile round trip commute to work. Sometime I get no noises at all, everything works as expects. Then out of nowhere, I will get one of the above noises. The "Bang, crunch" noise is just that, a sudden loud noise, but thats it. There is no steering wobble, no weird or unusual behaviour. The car does not pull in any direction.
For the rubbing type noise, it sounds very much like something is stuck in the tire treads, unlike the Bang, this noise can hang about for 5 10 mins before disappearing again. This noise is directly proportional to the road speed, as in, if I slow down the noise slows, and if I increase speed, the noise gets faster. Again, there is no pulling of the steering or any other signs of problems.

I got this noises a while ago, but I put it down to a worn clutch, as I also experienced a loss of drive. The clutch was replaced some 2000 miles ago now. The noise's went away for a couple of months, but they seem to be back with vengeance now. It seems to happen regardless of road speed, as in, it can happen at 30mph or it will happen when I am on the duel carriageway.

At no point does the car feel unsafe or unstable, but the noise is horrific. It sounds like something is getting stuck in a prop or a tire, but when checking round the vehicle, I cannot see anything obvious. Everything is tight and there is no signs of anything rubbing.

I would say it sounds louder in the cab, than outside.

Has anyone heard of such things before? It is quite hard to explain weird noises, so before I pop it into the garage, I thought I would ask.
I am thinking about draining the front axle to check for swarf, I might also check the front CV's, but I would have thought if it was one of them, the noise would be more permanent.

Could it be gearbox/transferbox related?

I can go 40+ miles and not hear any issues, or I can drive 5 mins and it makes a noise, then nothing for the next 40 miles.

Cheers
Lee
Post #1059353 3rd Feb 2025 8:35am
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landy andy



Member Since: 15 Feb 2009
Location: Ware, Herts
Posts: 5832

2006 Defender 110 Td5 USW Zermatt Silver
I would start with dropping the diff oil, checking that and also the diff via the fill hole.
Post #1059355 3rd Feb 2025 9:08am
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TexasRover



Member Since: 24 Nov 2022
Location: Paris
Posts: 1182

France 2002 Defender 110 Td5 DCPU Chawton White
If the sound is directly related to roadspeed and there is no change coasting clutch in or neutral or with transfer in neutral then you are left with the transfercase output shaft, the prop shafts, diffs, cv, and bearings.

I agree drain the diffs and look at that first. Bearings are quick-ish to inspect. Propshafts you should feel, in fact I would check for play in the TC output shaft and diff pinions. CV joints can be pulled fairly easy too.
Post #1059359 3rd Feb 2025 10:09am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17639

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
The front diff is a notorious weak spot, especially on a 130. I would drop the oil as a matter of urgency and also see what you can see through the filler hole. It is no fun at all if the diff or axle locks solid at speed! Shocked
Post #1059370 3rd Feb 2025 12:34pm
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B1_D130



Member Since: 15 May 2022
Location: Scotland
Posts: 18

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 130 Td5 HCPU Chawton White
Evening all,

Just an update on my weird noise issue. It is still happening and I am really not sure what is causing it.

It is absolutely connected to the forward movement of the vehicle, as it sppeds up/slows down as I brake or increase speed. The noise is loud enough to be heard in the cab very clearly, even over the radio. It can be heard outside as well. I can only liken the noise to a playing card in the spokes of a pushbike. That sort of noise, but way louder.

I have drained the diff oils front and back. No metal or anything untoward found. I have checked wheel bearings all round and replaced the front hub bearings. Rear half shafts have been replaced, as has the rear drive members. The last ones had lots of play in them. The front drive shafts and CV joints have been replaced as well. along with the front drive members.
I have spun all 4 wheels off the ground and there are no untoward noises from bearings and no excess movement in any of the wheels. CV joints are brand new, along with the one shot grease and all new diff oil.
The clutch has recently been done, but these noises were there before, they were part of the reason I replaced the clutch.

The noise is not constant, it comes and goes. You can drive 30 seconds and it appears, but can then disappear for several miles. Other times, I can do several journeys and not hear anything.

My next stop os to remove the rear prop and take off the handbrake drum, I am wondering if something is binding in there.

Failing that, I wonder if I need to look at the gearbox or transfer box, but the noise sounds wrong for either of those, as it does not seem fast enough, if that makes sense. I would have thought anything in the gearbox would have made a faster, higher pitched type noise, where this is much lower pitched, and seems to be related to the road speed.

Any thoughts or advice gratefully received.
Post #1061359 25th Feb 2025 5:52pm
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rustandoil



Member Since: 08 Sep 2012
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 802

England 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS DCPU Bonatti Grey
You've replaced a lot of parts yet still have the noise..... Can only be the propshaft?
Post #1061363 25th Feb 2025 6:39pm
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B1_D130



Member Since: 15 May 2022
Location: Scotland
Posts: 18

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 130 Td5 HCPU Chawton White
The props seem to be fine to me. There is not a lot of play in them, but thats not to say they are not at fault.
I might strip them off and have a look to see if there are any issues with them.

The halfshafts etc were badly needing doing anyway, both front and rear propshafts had more than a quarter turn before the wheel started turning Shocked Some very lax maintenance by myself to blame. Embarassed

Everything is nice and tight now and when I checked the bearings etc, I could not find any issues, so I do not think the issue was bearing related.

Thinking about it, I have not checked the bearing in either diff nose. Something else to check perhaps.
Post #1061372 25th Feb 2025 8:02pm
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B1_D130



Member Since: 15 May 2022
Location: Scotland
Posts: 18

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 130 Td5 HCPU Chawton White
Another wee update on my issues.

Found the noise..
Front diff is shot.

I think the reason I didnt see anything untoward when I changed out the oil was because the bits were too heavy and had sunk to the bottom of the pan.











Post #1061744 2nd Mar 2025 4:26pm
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4RF RDS



Member Since: 19 Jul 2015
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 965

Canada 2000 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Epsom Green
Crown bolts failed?? 2010 Range Rover MkIII Autobiography Super Charged (Idris)
2003 Range Rover Mk III (Desmond FitzWilliam)
2000 Defender 110 CSW TD5 (CTX)
1992 Range Rover Classic (Lizzy)
1972 Series III 300 Tdi (Stanwood)
1967 MGB GT

Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats.
H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
Post #1061760 2nd Mar 2025 6:00pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17639

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
blackwolf wrote:
The front diff is a notorious weak spot, especially on a 130. I would drop the oil as a matter of urgency and also see what you can see through the filler hole. It is no fun at all if the diff or axle locks solid at speed! Shocked


I don't like to say "I told you so" but .... I told you so.

Glad you found it before it locked solid on you. That's never a good day.
Post #1061764 2nd Mar 2025 7:28pm
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B1_D130



Member Since: 15 May 2022
Location: Scotland
Posts: 18

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 130 Td5 HCPU Chawton White
@Blackwolf, Yes, you did warn me, I was trying to be optimistic and really hope it was something else.
Alas, it was not to be. As I am working on the driveway, I needed to wait for a half decent weekend, and this was it.

I did drain out the oil and I even spun the wheels, all sounded ok. There was no sign of anything untoward in the oil. So I was hoping for something else being the culprit.

Thankfully, the couple of runs I did with the truck were just to try and isolate the noise, so no fast driving and there were not a lot of miles involved.

What a workup getting it out, why could it not have been the rear that failed Laughing So much easier.

To be honest, I am not sure of my diff anatomy, so I am not sure what has failed. I've not had a much closer inspection. The bulk of the damage is up in the diff nose, the only visible damage is the damage to the teeth. However, why I try and turn it by hand now, it makes a lovely grindy noise.

A new one has been ordered from Ashcroft and I will send them this one in return.
Hopefully get the landy back on the road next weekend.

Thanks to all who have helped. Hopefully this is the end of the noises... till next time.
Cheers
Post #1061773 2nd Mar 2025 8:52pm
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TexasRover



Member Since: 24 Nov 2022
Location: Paris
Posts: 1182

France 2002 Defender 110 Td5 DCPU Chawton White
Excellent you found it so now you can concentrate on repairs.

There is quite a few bits there. Surely there must be some obviously missing pieces of steel. You have a picture of the diff zoomed out?

I know this is not nice for you, but for us keyboard warriors we just love some proper mechanical carnage! Show us your naughty pictures... (the ones from the diff, not the other ones)
Post #1061852 3rd Mar 2025 4:02pm
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rustandoil



Member Since: 08 Sep 2012
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 802

England 2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS DCPU Bonatti Grey
The only good news is that you've found the problem..... I would be wanting to know where all those bits came from 😉
Post #1061873 3rd Mar 2025 5:05pm
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