My wife bought a 1998 Discovery she wants me to fix up for a field truck for her like my 2004. She picked it up last week while I was gone. She drove it a few times and said the only issue was once when going up a hill it felt sluggish. This week when I got back I plugged in my ultra gauge. Engine temps are good around 194 and only codes were for the O2 sensors. The ABS light does stay on for a few minutes after you take off but then goes away.

I have tested it out driving a few hundred miles this week. Once during acceleration it felt sluggish but I did not drive far when it happened due to I was almost back to my Office. Today one of my employees was going to use it and about a half mile away it locked up. The engine was running fine and temps never got over 210 he said. He also said it started to slow down no matter how much gas he gave it. He said it was also smoking out the front. When I arrived engine temps were around 194 and it ran fine. When I put it in gear and gave it gas it wanted to move but would not go. You could feel the car lurch forward but stop. I went to get a tow rope which took about 45min. When I came back I tried to drive it again just to see. It drove fine all the Way back to the Office. The area by the rims smelled similar to hot burning wires. Only thing I can think of is the brakes locking up or the wheel bearings going out. I find it hard to believe both bearings would go out at once. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

 

the smell you describe sure sounds like brake problems,
but hey....you probably should service all four wheel bearings anyway....so one at a time get them apart and the problem will likely be more obvious at that point...let us know how it goes

 

You better hope its the calipers seized up and not the bearings.
It sounds more like brakes to me.
If its the bearings the inner races will be welded to the stub axles.

I had that happen on mine, driving to work, bearing noise started, driving home...had to grind the race off the stub axle.
It went from slight noise to welded in 20 miles.

 

There was no noise prior or after, just the slow lock up and smoke. I figure the breaks as well but figured I would get opinions. If it is breaks I am wondering if it is ABS related since they both locked up? Thanks for the responses.

 

No its not ABS related, the ABS does not lock up brakes, it unlocks them.
Thats how ABS works, it releases the brake pressure at each wheel by closing a valve inside the ABS valve block, with that valve closed there is no brake pressure going to that caliper.

Seized calipers or bad master cylinder.

 

There have been reports of people replacing the master cylinder with an aftermarket unit and the aftermarket unit caused the brakes to lock up.

 

I would check the front calipers

 

You left your wife unsupervised and she bought a Land Rover? Be sure to keep that one.

 

LOL, heck she has a 109 Series IIa which is nicer than my 88. She wanted one to do up similar to my DII for work so she does not beat up her new car. Overall the engine seems strong along with the transmission. Drivetrain feels tight as well. Main issue was O2 sensors, some interior switch items and now the brakes. I wonder if it is not the master cylinder since both breaks locked up instead of just one hanging up.