Driveline Clunk in early '94 D90

[Hans]

Been suffering from a coming and going clunk in my drivetrain somewhere. Some days it's a lot worse than others, and normally shifting easy can avoid it. Sometimes it gets real loud and metallic sounding, even when shifting real light. Seems to be coming from the tranny hump. Doesn't matter what gears I am using.

I changed the U-joints in the front, with no results and there seemed to be no slack on the rear driveshaft when I had it up on a lift.

I am thinking something either in the tranny or transfer case, but figured I would ask if anybody has any experience with this problem.

-Hans

[Chris Cox]

Sounds like mainshaft wear. Common up until mid-95 models, and even later in some cases. Will more than likely need to replace the mainshaft of the transmission, and get the crossdrilled input gear for the LT230. If I am not mistaken, you can remove the input gear from the back of the Tcase, and check the mainshaft for wear. Where's Ron? He should know.

Chris

[scot]

Hans, What transmission do you have?

[Hans]

The original tranny still, Lt77 and just over 75,000 miles so far.


-Hans

[Glenn_Guinto]

Is this common on the R380 as well? I seem to have the same issues as Hans do but on an R380 tranny.

Hans do you know a Frank with a Yellow D90 from LI? He's a friend of mine and currently experiencing the same issues as well. Please keep us posted on your tranny issues and good luck!

Glenn

[scot]

Forgive me if you already know this...but that tranny was supposed to be replaced under warranty by land rover years ago. the reason is they didn't get enough lubrication on the shaft that inputs from the tranny to the transfer box...I had a truck that failed in a similar way..and the sound it made was exactly as you describe. I didn't know about it when I bought it and the original owner never had it fixed so I had to pay big bucks for a new tranny. They are fixable however, and many people think the original LT77 is actually a better transmission, but that lube problem proved to be the death of them. I now have a different '94 with the R380 and it ate its second gear synchro. If I had it to do over...I would have fixed the LT77 on my first truck.

scot

[Hans]

So is this a recall issue that I can still go to a Land Rover dealer for? I only bought the truck a few months ago.

Nice thing is that I bought it used from a non-rover dealership and got a warranty on it... Maybe I should check if I can go to a LR dealership, since supposedly I can go anywhere with this warranty.

I haven't gotten a chance to meet any other D-90 owners out on here yet, but I have seen a couple around. Some guy in my town has a zebra striped series rover for sale too.

-Hans

[scot]

It was a recall issue ten years ago...and, I think was only for original owners...but not now. However...your independent warranty might cover it....which would be great.

[Neo]

I have a 95 with a similar sounding klunk. Ron helped me check my gear a few monthns back. It is pretty simple. There is a cover on the T-case right behind where the transmission bolts tot he other side. I believe there are five bolts holding the cover on. It is round, and pretty easy to spot. You simply remove the cover, and possibly a little bearing plate/oil plate and the gear will back out with the tranny in neutral. My splines were fine on both the trans and the inside of the gear, but I cross drilled the gear anyway. My noise is significantly less when the center differential is locked up. With the rear wheels off the ground and the tranny in gear and the transfer case diff unlocked, there is about 1 to 1-1/2" of rotation on the parking brake drum circumference, if you lock the center diff, it reduces to about 1/2" back and forth. I may have a t-case issue, but it works for now. I can post picktures of the gear/splines if it would help.
JBR