Okay, so I was repositioning the Rover so I could back it into the garage to do some tinkering with it, and something in the front axle unceremoniously gave out.
The back story:
A few weeks ago, I started noticing that the CV joints had begun to pop when maneuvering in parking lots, etc. This truck doesn't get driven a whole lot, so I didn't feel a great sense of urgency to do much about it. I just drove the Mazda for the most part. So last weekend I finally get her in the garage and service up the swivel ***** with 00 grease. It sat all week, then yesterday I finished up swapping out new spark plugs and wires. I took it out for a drive today and it ran great, but the swivels were still popping, but not quite as bad. So tonight I went to turn the Rover around so I could back it into the garage to work on a few nuisance problems. I backed out into the street, turned and moved forward a little, turned the wheels, then put it in reverse to back on up into the driveway, and nothing happened. It had made a very slight, sort of tired, clunk when I turned the wheels just before I shifted into reverse. Anyway, so figuring that a CV joint had just **** the bed, I tried putting it into difflock so I could at least get the truck out of the road, but I got no love with the difflock. No light on the dash, no nothing. No matter what position the t-case lever was in, I could put the tranny in gear, look under the truck and watch the front drive shaft spin. Also, with it in park, the truck would still gradually roll.
So my father-in-law came over with his truck and pushed me back into the garage. At this point, how can I pinpoint the diagnosis, to make certain that it's not actually the front diff. Or how can I determine which CV went bad?
I jacked up the front end, and each front wheel pretty much spins freely and independently, no matter where the drive levers are positioned. And when spinning each front wheel, neither turns the front drive shaft(tried in park and drive).

 

Oh man, that sounds like something more than just a front axle. It sounds like something in the transfer box **** the bed to me...will it still roll in park with the diff lock engaged?

 

That's the thing, the diff lock never actually seemed to engage. The lever FELT like it went into the engaged position, but I got no light, and it still wouldn't move in any gear. I could also still watch the front drive shaft spin while in gear. I have to admit, I've never had the diff lock engaged. I've hardly even had a chance to drive this stupid truck on any sort of a regular basis. If the t-case is gone, I might just push into the backyard and light it on fire.
EDIT: I'm fairly certain that the diff lever was NOT in the locked position when it was rolling in park. We were concentrating on getting the retarded thing out of the street at the time.

 

LOL Don't do anything hasty, I'll trade you for my SE7 with the fuxored clutch!

If you've never had the diff locked, it's probably safe to bet that the linkage is seized.

Get a good bright light, and look underneath while someone moves the transfer case linkage back and forth. Get some liquid wrench and some goggles, and spray the ever living hell out of the linkage. THEN see if it will engage the diff lock.

 

That's what I figured I'd do, but my window for Rover maintenance for this week got used up just trying to get it into the garage. So is it safe to say that a diagnosis here would be much more simplified if I got the diff lock engaged? Assuming a non-busted t-case, of course.

 

Yeah, for sure. Don't discount that it could be a broken front diff too.

 

If it knows what's good for it (which it doesn't seem to), it'll be a busted CV joint. Because that's all I'll be able to afford. Otherwise, it's a driveway ornament for a while.

 

Yep same boat.. except I can drive still. Hopefully my diff doesnt die on me before I replace it 0.0

 

You have a busted CV joint.
Because the front prop shaft turns while in gear your t-case is good.
With the front of the truck jacked up and on stands remove the front driveshaft and spin the diff by hand.
Which wheel turns?
The one that does not turn is the busted CV joint.


You need to listen to your truck guys, if she's making noise there's a reason.
Unless you are trying to escape from a axe wheedling mad man park it and investigate the noise before you cost yourself more time and money.
These truck are cheap to fix and very forgiving as long as you stay ontop of things.

 

That's what pains me so much about these things, Spike. It's not like it's been popping and making crazy sounds forever and I've ignored it and gone off-roading and balling around for weeks on end. It started fussing, so I didn't drive it much and at the first convenient time I brought it in and serviced it. I test drove it to check it out, then tried to get it back in to work on it some more and, bam...failure. I don't know if I'm feeling the backlash of PO neglect or what the case is, but I have found my Disco to be anything BUT forgiving. My plan with this thing was to stay on top of the maintenance and bring it up to good reliable condition, but I feel like it comes up with new problems faster than I can fix them.
That being said, I'll look into disconnecting the drive shaft and finding the bad joint. If I can afford it, I'll probably just change out both, and do the wheel bearings and whatever else needs done up there while it's apart.