As I'm not going anywhere soon in the car, have decided to carryout some maintenance.
Just finished cleaning up some surface rust in the wheel arches. Cleaned, treated, primed, painted, stone-chipped and waxoiled.

Next job was to be full service of the Haldex.
Car is off the ground on four axel stands.
Exhaust is off and out of the way.
Prop shaft disconnected moved out of the way and supported.
Couldn't get a good fit onto one of the 4 bolts holding the Haldex to the diff so had to remove the flange. Rudimentary tool made to assist.

Now I have a problem. I can't get the Haldex to separate from the diff. At first I thought there could be a 5th bolt I couldn't see, apparently not.
Wasn't sure if they were located with dowls as I couldn't get the Haldex to rotate, apparently no dowls.

It would appear that because of the salty sea air where I live and the fact that it hasn't been touched for over 10yr, the two aluminum units have seized together.
I started the job yesterday and spent the best part of the afternoon trying to separate the two units. Being aluminum didn't want to get too brutal. In the end gave up and gave the joint a liberal soaking of release oil and retired for the night.
Today I removed the pump in case I accidentally wacked it and tried again.
After making a very fine bladed chisel l have managed to open up a very small gap, no more than 1-2mm in places.
Still cannot pull it off or rotate it.
Have left it again with more release oil to soake in the gap.

Is there something I'm missing here or is it just aluminum corrosion.

Would appreciate any thoughts as it is now doing my head in.


 Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

Last edited by gasman on 8th May 2020 7:25 pm. Edited 2 times in total

When i did mine, after undoing the 4 bolts it basically fell off the differential after a tap with a mallet. So I think your problem is all down to corrosion. Jules

Same here - mine just fell off. Give it a few taps with a club hammer. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

As Jules said, the problem is down to corrosion.

Remember also that there is an o-ring around there which will be forming a tight seal.

When I fitted my first refurbished diff, there was a lot of corrosion around the diff / Haldex o-ring mating surface which I cleaned up before fitting.

Lastly, you need to try and get the Haldex out 'in line' or you risk damaging the pinion shaft/bearing ( ) - Maybe put the flange back on and try and pull / slide hammer that or tap the back of it. FL2 HSE Auto Galway Green
Evoque SD4 Auto Blue.
FL1 HSE TD4 Manual Black - Gone.
RR Classic V8 EFI - Gone

Block of wood and a few sharp blows with a hammer should shift it, I wouldn't go too mad with a chisel on the casing.  Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Bell Engineering are only a phone call away when they are open. Always found them helpful with advice.

Thanks for the replies.
Its definitely corrosion but how to shift it. I've tried the rubber mallet ( almost disintegrated the the rubber face ), tried the block of wood and club hammer, no joy there either.
Plan this morning, if the release oil hasn't worked, is to make a tool with some flat bar with two short bolts the size of the lower fixing holes and see if I can use that to rotate the unit.
I'll let you know how I get on.
Keep the suggestions coming in though, I'm open to any idears.  Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

🧨🧨🧨

Actually some heat may shift it.

Sorry for the late reply, just got back in.
Still can't shift it. Took a piece of flat bar and drilled two holes to line up with the lower Haldex fixing holes and fitted a couple of bolts.
Thought that would give me some leverage to turn the Haldex. No joy trying to pull down. Put a sizzer jack under the end of the bar to try and push up. That just resulted in the bolts bending.
I do have a small gap between the two faces, just enough to slide in an old butter knife.
I've soaked it again with release oil and will try again tomorrow.

As for using some heat, I was tempted but the fuel tank is just too close for comfort.  Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

Have you got any timber or plastic wedges, tap in and leave for an hour. Tap in leave, tap in leave might work. We use that method for stuck moulds.

^^^^^Solid idea! My opinion, wood wedges.

Sounds like a plan.
I have some plastic wedges for frame fixing, I could try them.
As for wooden wedges, can always make some.
The difficulty is getting at the top end as need to try and keep it square.
Will add these to the list for tomorrow and give it a go.
Will let you know how I get on. Thanks again for the tips.  Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

What about re attaching the prop shaft and rock it back and forward in first / reverse gear, with terrain response on to ensure drive to rear, or is it likely to just turn the shaft inside rather than move the casing? Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Hi Bob
I think it will just turn the shaft in side the unit.
It's a nice sunny morning again for lying under the car, so I'm going to have another faff around with it.

Think as a last resort I'll have to take out the complete Diff assembly then I can disconnect everything on the ground. Trouble with that is I'm working on my own, for obvious reasons, so will have to fabricate some sort of transmission jack to take the weight.  Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.