After all of your advice and discomikes directions I checked my front drive shaft and ujoints... I then took it to a mechanic to examine the ujoints while the truck was lifted up. He and another guy both told me that it looked ok. I asked him to check the grease fittings as per your advice discomike, he said they looked fine and that I would be good to drive.

Now I am sitting in a hotel room in new mexico with my rover 20 miles away at a shop. With almost no warning, and i mean it didn't start shaking until seconds before it happened, my front drive shaft flew off and the rear ujoint (on the front drive shaft) broke! I was traveling on the highway at about 75 mph so the force caused the shaft to hit what i was told was the transmission case and put a hole the size of my fist in it.

While I will admit that I should be able to just look under there and know what the transmission case is I guess that I don't. I thought it was that shiny looking case that looked like it held a propellar, however that piece is just nicked slightly. The hole is (lookingfrom the back of the truck) to the left of the space where the drive shaft used to be in a different case. I don't know if that is part of the transmission or not. I do have to mention that I found a black rubber gasket and still have it. I don't know what it is but I do have it and its part number. Also the transmission fluid completely leaked out... I mean completely drained.

So the shop where the truck is seems a bit shady... I am 90 miles from Armarillo Texas. I know I can order the parts I need on roverlandparts and the shop quoted me at ten hours of work and about $850. I honestly don't know what to do or what parts to order.

 

please advise me

 

Sorry to hear this has happened and that you're stuck. As you now know, a visual inspection of the driveshaft and u-joints will not reveal internal wear and tear. Chances are that yours didn't have the zerks at the u-joints themselves.

In any case, you have 2 problems to contend with. The first is the driveshaft itself. A complete shaft assembly froma Dodge Durango is dimensionally identical and will work. http://www.discoweb.org/forums/showt...ngo+driveshaft

You can also get a complete Rover replacement shaft from roverlandparts.com for $650. The Durango part is usually cheaper and probably more readily available in Amarillo.

The second problem you have is the transmission itself. There is bound to be shrapnel inside the transmission, so even if the case could be repaired (unlikely), the transmission will still need to be removed and disassembled. Most people end up putting in a used transmission. Roverland parts has good used units for $1250 and can ship them to the shop. Not a bad deal, considering the alternatives.

There is a Land Rover dealer in Amarillo at 806-359-2886. If I were in your spot, the first thing I would do on Monday morningis call the dealer and ask if there is an independent Land Rover shop in the area they canrecommend for "non-warranty" work. If so, I would call that shop and have it towed there. If you have AAA plus, you get 100 miles of free towing with your membership. You may also have roadside assistance on your insurance policy which may cover it. Check with your agent.

Best of luck and let us know how it works out.

Dave

 

Call me.
303-862-7680
Colorado before 8 pm

 

I know a guy whos insurance company covered the repair, he told them that he ran something over on the highway and that it damaged the driveshaft which in turn...$7000 at the dealer, cost him his deductable.
Good luck to you man.

 

I'd be careful with that. Aside from the ethical questions it raises, it's definitely insurance fraud to misrepresent the cause of the failure.

Dave

 

I'm not saying to do it, I was just telling a story.

 

Didn't mean to imply that you were. Just wanted to caution the guy against doing it.

I would also rather see people take responsibility for their negligence rather than asking the rest of us to pay for it with our premiums.

Dave

 

For all this guy knows, he probably DID run over something. People everyday run over things when they are on the highway. Good luck.

EDIT: Oh and the guy did say that he had the driveshaft and U-joints inspected previously and that there were no vibrations until seconds before the incedent happened, would that disprove negligence?. I'd say it's a pretty likely story that he ran over something on the highway.

 

you need not worry about my integrity or your premiums. I did have the drive shaft inspected by a europen/land rover shop. I haven't been able to call him yet. I am going to the shop today to look at the under carriageto try to determine the cause ofthe problem. I thought thatI ran something over initially but then lookedand saw the drive shaft missing so I assumed it failed. If in fact evidence is found that i ran over something than i will probably file a claim. if not i will deal with it.