QuestionQUESTION: Dear Sir,
I have a well maintained 2000 Disco 2 that I have owned since new with 290,000 km on the odometer. now for the third time in last 50,000 km it has developed a distinct mechanical vibration at 100 km/hr that for all money feels like a bad universal joint. First time the front prop shaft was replaced with greasable type, second time it was fixed under warranty (I believe after-market front prop shaft was replaced again) and now the vibration has started to return. This time I had some time to look myself, so first I removed the front prop shaft and drove with center diff locked, and no improvement. I then had the four wheels dynamically balanced very carefully (new Michelin tires had recently been fitted all around so this was not expected to be a problem, and proved to not be a problem).
What seems to be left to me is to remove the rear prop shaft and see how that goes, but there appear to be no slop or damage to the rotoflex doughnut or the front universal joint. Assuming I end up replacing some parts in this area, my only question is whether to stay with the factory standard rotoflex or change to an after-market drive shaft with universal joints both ends. I prefer to stay with factory spec unless there is a really good reason not to, so just after your advice.
ANSWER: The rear prop shafts to not usually go off center. It's the double jointed front ones that give all the trouble. I'd guess your problem is in the tires, despite the fact you had them balanced. We go round and round in tires here.
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QUESTION: Dear John,
Thank you for that advice that the rear prop shafts are generally reliable - that is very useful to know. The only small problem is I don't understand what you mean when you say "we go round and round in tires here"? Do you mean to rotate the wheels to a different position on the vehicle, or something else?
kind regards
ANSWER: What I mean is that we get wheels balanced four or five times here, before getting someone to do the job right.
In America tire balancing is done in big chain tire stores by poorly paid poorly trained people on equipment that is long overdue for calibration.
In that environment the fact that they use a $10,000 wheel balancer does not mean anything.
If you have a shake without the froth driveshaft it would be easy to swap the front in and take out the rear shaft. If that leaves a vibration you are back to the supposedly balanced tires.
Hope that helps
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QUESTION: Thank you John,
That is exactly what I will do. I was unaware of that issue with poorly calibrated wheel balancing equipment - will need to find a place that does wheel balancing properly in Brisbane area.
AnswerGood luck and let us know what happens. Removing the rear prop shaft will verify the issue is not in the driveline.
I was in Brisbane last September for the Writer's Festival. Very nice place. I really liked the river walk and the Koala park. I liked seeing all the diesel Rovers as we do not have them in America. I should be back there next year . . . I am coming to the Pan Asian Autism Conference in Adelaide in August.
