Thread: Towing with a Defender

Gearing is more important than power. Not much point having a big V8 if the gearing is wrong.
Are those Toyota V8s still burning oil, blowing alternators and breaking suspensions or have they fixed those problems?

Yes. Pat

Originally Posted by PAT303

Yes. Pat

X2 - plus see the post on "2.2 Defender voice your issues" thread.

There is a lot more wrong with them than anyone dare admit...

Cheers,

Lou

Don't worry about the Ford Dura-toque TDCI (2.4 or 2.2) it's a great engine, it's the MT82 that's made out of cheese........just say'n

Drover

Very very few actual issues with the MT82 - stats on them are solid although I imagine there has been the odd isolated issue with them which has been vocalized out of proportion.

The issue is that adapter shaft between the LT230 and the MT82 and specifically the splines on the MT82 side.

The Ashcroft solution for that shaft has so far got a 100% success rate (or 0% fail rate) and Land Rover themselves are now assembling them differently as well.

Cheers,

Lou

Hey Lou,

The issues is 6th gear, more specific the actual gear on the lay shaft. This gear is fast developing a reputation for shearing teeth off. To the point that it is being recommended not to use 6th on even the slightest uphill slopes.

The MT82 uses very small teeth in comparison to other proven boxes and herein we find the problem.

Next issue is the MT82 is not easily to rebuild and will only be touched by a hand full of gearbox specialists and you pay for the privilege.

I agree the adaptor from the MT82 to LT230 is poorly designed and Dave Ashcroft has sorted it out in true Ashcroft fashion.

It's been a sharp learning curve for me on MT82's and I am unfortunately not even slightly impressed.

Drover,can you give me some clue were to look for the gearbox problems?,yours is the only Getrag box I know about failing,the Chinese knock offs are a regular thing but thats a different story. Pat

Hey Pat,

Can't help. My box had its oil changed every 10,000k's without fail. Never missed a beat and as far as I knew was bullet proof. I would never labour 6th and really thought I was taking good care of it.

Then without any warning, while traveling a 100km/h near Byron Bay it went. the other 5 gears were okay.

My mates transit did the same and Chook73 box just went too. Mine went at 76,000k's, Chook73 went at 110,000k's and my mates transit at 240,000(much more respectable).

There has been seven models of the MT82 since my 2008 and my mechanic said there are obvious differences between the 2015 version I fitted and one that came out.

So there it is confidence lost.