Land Rover Driveshaft seal replacement

How Do I Know When My Land Rover Driveshaft Seal Needs to Be Replaced?

The differential and gearbox in modern Land Rover's rely heavily on lubrication to operate correctly.

Specific gearbox and differential oils are created to properly lubricate all the moving parts as well as provide protection from wear and tear.

These components receive inputs from the engine and have to output to the wheels to allow the Land Rover to drive. It is the job of the driveshaft seals (or axle seals as they are also known) to seal off these openings while allowing drive to pass through.

Driveshaft seals are most commonly found on front-wheel-drive cars, where the seal is mounted into the differential case at the point where the driveshafts lock into the differential and transmission.

There is no replacement interval for these seals, so when they start leaking it’s time for a technician to replace them.

The driveshaft seal is similar to a number of other seals on the vehicle, including the rear main seal and camshaft seal, as they utilise a solid outer ring and a rubber inner ring with a thin spring to hold tension on the seal.

This is fitted into the differential or transmission housing, and the driveshaft joint passes through it to locate on the inside of the transmission or differential.

Symptoms your Land Rover's driveshaft seal may have failed:

• Oil leaking from the transmission area onto the ground
• Low transmission or differential fluid
• Erratic transmission operation due to low fluid

Some 4WD models will have front and rear driveshaft seals, so correct diagnosis is imperative to ensure the right repair is carried out

It is best practice to replace the differential or transmission fluid when the seal is replaced, in case any contamination of the fluid has happened

Having a differential or transmission that is operating correctly is crucial to the everyday operation of your Land Rover.

Having a leak from a driveshaft seal may increase wear and tear on these components and if it is not rectified quickly you may end up with a massive repair bill when the transmission or differential fail.

Replacing a leaking Land Rover driveshaft seal will combat these problems and keep you and your family safe on the road.