Defender 90 Gearbox

[LeeGray]

Having a right chew on trying to get a good gearbox to replace my LT77 for 200tdi in an old 90. Clutch has been on the way out for ages, finally got the new one in last weekend but although all forward gears select easily now i still can't get reverse. I'd hoped it was the clutch as it was almost impossible to get into any gear before i'd done that. 

 

Taken the top off to check reverse plunger/stop/guide selector bits and all seams well. With the top off i can manually select reverse on the selector shaft inside the gearbox and it feels positively selecting as in no grinding or jumping but still no drive.

 

Bit the bullet after messing about with it on and off all week and ordered a recon box from ashcrofts on exchange via the website, paid online, etc thought that'd sort it. They got back to me saying they can't do it as they have no 50g prefix boxes and have offered a R380 at additional cost or the possibility of rebuilding mine depending on what they find when they strip it.

 

So looking for thoughts on what next..

 

go with a R380 instead? more money and is it direct fit on 200tdi or a complete pain in the arse?

 

buy a 'cheap' unkown quality box of ebay/breaker and trust the seller when they say 'removed from a vehicle with 1 lady owner who serviced it everytime it went to the shops and only had 4 miles on it when we broke it'..

 

send my box to ashcrofts and hope they can do something with it and i haven't wasted money, labour and 6-8 weeks lead time..

 

Split the box and have a look myself? I'm not a mechanic in any way but happy doing clutches, top ends, pumps etc on my own. Had plenty of bike boxes in bits but is it a land rover special tool job? looks like you can get all the bits separately. 

 

better still have any arbtalkers got a box laid around at the back of the shed they want sell?

 

or finally, set it on fire, walk away and never, never, ever buy another defender!!

 

 

[htb]

If you go for R380 you would need bellhousing linkages etc, so more expense, unless you had one you could nick bits off.

[LeeGray]

1 hour ago, htb said:

If you go for R380 you would need bellhousing linkages etc, so more expense, unless you had one you could nick bits off.

Ok, I’ll avoid that then cheers 

[htb]

If you strip yourself there are some special tools that you do need, hence why i have just put an ashcroft R380 into my TD5 rather than rebuild myself.

How much do you need the L/R could you wait the 6-8wks whilst they do your box, if its repairable.

 

I have a LT77 but its in one of mine as got sick of breaking santana  boxes(supposedly unbreakable ).

 

There are some other rebuilt lt77 boxes on the bay, but how good ?

[Matthew Storrs]

R380 is a very good box IMO, actually it’s not my option, I think it’s widely regarded as one of the best boxes LR ever put in the defender.

 

im afraid I know little about mating one up with a 200tdi though,

 

 

[htb]

R380 were fitted to 300Tdi's but used the long bellhousing.

200tdi's used the short bellhousing lt77.

So if going to fit a R380 onto 200tdi you need to move engine forward or use the special shorty R380 gearbox from ashcroft which I think is special order IIRC

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, htb said:

got sick of breaking santana  boxes(supposedly unbreakable ).

LT85? I never managed to break mine but I know they don't stand the vibration/chatter of a diesel as it eats the first motion shaft.

[dumper]

Ashcroft  are not the only gearbox rebuilders

 

[LeeGray]

Ashcroft are the only people I’ve dealt with in past and have a good reputation, but I’d happily take suggestions if anyone knows others that are good..as above there are a few on eBay but if something’s wrong will they still be there?

 

im probably selling it as soon as it’s motd so will a buyer appreciate the extra expense of an r380 do you think or am I just throwing money away. It’s about £1250 all in where as the lt77 I ordered was under £800.

 

i don’t need the vehicle just wanted to get it sorted as it’s sat for months, so suppose could send box away and cross fingers the bill isn’t massive and it can be repaired.

[aspenarb]

There are a few old lt77`s in the container Lee, sort out the carriage and you are more than welcome to one. These are the long input shaft boxes but the short shafts can be put in them easily enough, nothing scary inside an lt77 and they are very cheap to rebuild. The only special tool needed is the one that removes the collar on the rear of gearbox mainshaft, dont wreck the collar because they have been discontinued and are not the same as the later boxes ( unless someone has run a batch off since ). Have a homegrown slide hammer tool I knocked up for this if you get stuck. They either fall off or they are a bitch.

 

Bob

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2018 by aspenarb