Board logo

R380 gearbox - changing from 4WD to 2WD
Cheffy - 15/8/07 at 08:28 AM

Hi,

Is it a straight forward matter to convert a R380 gearbox from 4WD to 2WD?

I have an old LT77 2WD box - can I simply remove the transfer box and replace the end casing with the one off the LT77?

TIA,

Martin.

TGR-ECOSSE - 15/8/07 at 09:14 AM

I could be wrong (again) but i think the LT77 and the R380 are not the same casing. Its been a while since i played with the LT77 box.

Fatboy Dave - 15/8/07 at 09:35 AM

The casings are different, but they can be swapped. The R380 has different mounts to the LT77, which is about the extent of the diferences.

You're going to have to change the tailshaft and selector rods too; it's not a straightforward conversion sadly. Although, with a new R380 2wd at a grand, and a used 4x4 box coming in at about 250, with a scrap LT being 50, it's a cheap way to hybridise.

mark chandler - 15/8/07 at 09:59 AM

Best look for an LDV Van, later ones used these boxes so could donate the bits you need.

Find a V8 one and have the lump, an lt77s is pretty strong anyway.

Regards Mark

Cheffy - 15/8/07 at 01:04 PM

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies.

As I say, I've got an old LT77 but there's a lot of play in the input shaft so is gonna need rebuilding anyway. I was just wondering whether I would be better off investing in the newer R380 before I start spending money on the old LT.

I can't even identify the LT as it doesn't have the machined face next to the drain plug with a serial number on it like all the others I've seen. I even e-mailed a picture to the guys at Ashcroft Transmissions who don't know what it is either!

I've worked out the ratio's in each gear by counting the number of input shaft revolutions per one full turn of the output and the ratio's seem to match that of an early series SD1.

Being something of a gearbox novice I'm just not sure which way to go. I see you can buy rebuild kits for less than a £100. Do you think this would be the best way to go?

Thanks again,

Mart.

Liam - 15/8/07 at 08:27 PM

Slight hijack, but i just wondered what happenned to the 4WD plan?? Proving too headache-some?

Good luck with the V8...

Liam

scutter - 16/8/07 at 07:19 AM

Text message sent.

ATB Dan.

Cheffy - 16/8/07 at 09:43 AM

quote:

Slight hijack, but i just wondered what happenned to the 4WD plan?? Proving too headache-some?


Hi Liam,

All was going quite well until I realised I'd miscalculated and that the front prop shaft wanted to go through the side of the sump and the throw of the crank! I was so tight for space there was just no way to get round it.

If I'm honest I think I was being a little over ambitious and my design skills were not up to the job!

I would have had to rebuild the front end of the chassis completely which would have meant destroying all my work for the inboard front shocks (which I'm sticking with) and which I'm actually quite chuffed with.

How's yours coming on - not far off now I imagine?

Martin.

[Edited on 16/8/07 by Cheffy]