Evening all. Just bought my Freelander 2. It’s an SD4 with 90k on and 2013

It has an almost bearing noise that seems to be coming from the front. It’s louder in lower gears and more noticeable on acceleration, but the frequency doesn’t increase it constantly stays the same. The faster you go it’s almost impossible to hear/noise wears off. Can’t hear it from outside the car. Doesn’t do it in neutral, only in drive. I’ve checked today and the prop shaft is still moving to the back wheels.

Previous owner said it’s done it for a year (8,000 miles) and she never did anything with it, and just ignored it.

You can hear it in the background of the video below, it does get slightly louder when accelerating.

https://youtube.com/shorts/xwOQ8azzhrc?feature=share

Is it a common transfer box symptom? Really sounds like it’s coming from the front which is why I haven’t thought of rear diff

Is it a common transfer box symptom? Really sounds like it’s coming from the front which is why I haven’t thought of rear diff[/url] FL2 GS

Could be wheel bearings. Lift the front and spin the wheel each side, while lightly holding onto the middle of the spring, which will often vibrate if you have a failing bearing. The PTU is known to fail too, in a variety of ways, but its likely down to the extended service intervals used. 2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Soon to be sold.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Ultimate on order.
Gone. 2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE.

Thanks Nodge68.

The noise disappears when the car is free rolling so assumed it wouldn’t be wheel bearings? FL2 GS

From my recent readings, I've found that the PTU fails in one of two main ways.

The first (which I think mine has) is that the PTU splines wear and this stops it driving the rear wheels.

The second is that the main bearing wears, which may well cause the issue that you are experiencing.

Unfortunately both of these result in the same outcome which is a replacement refurbished PTU.

Bell engineering consistently get recommended for both diagnosing these issues correctly and for doing the work but you are looking at close to a grand for them to replace the PTU.

If you can do the job yourself, then you are looking at £500-£600.

As yours is auto, the options are slightly different (the main PTU is identical) but the sleeve that connects it is different on the auto and Bell's method of refurb is different for an auto. You may also need the sleeve as you may have some spline wear.

From what I have read so far, you need to disconnect the hub from the wishbone to allow it to move out of the way far enough, then remove the driveshaft from the hub, then remove the driveshaft support bearing, then withdraw the driveshaft from PTU as it passed through and stops it coming out. Now you can remove the rear prop shaft from the PTU and finally unbolt and remove the PTU itself.


Of course, this is all in the assumption that it is the PTU!

Thanks for that. I have been assuming PTU/Transfer box in all honesty. I’m going to book it in to be diagnosed this week at Bell engineering as they aren’t to far away.
Will update once I know what the issue is, for any future forum readers. FL2 GS