Thread: Making a 2WD drive DEFENDER

Your driving style has the biggest influence on economy. Pat

IF you're going to put a landrover front axle under a jeep with the landy tcase its not worth the money or effort to convert the Tcase. the landrover front axle is designed to be driven at all times and will deal with it happily, (the caveat being if it wasnt a permanant 4x4 jeep and the handling goes screwy for you but doing the temporary conversion trick fies the handling then you convert it, dont panic you can do the conversion with the Tcase bolted up, well you can in a landy anyway)

all your going to wind up with is a non standard Tcase that will be more frustrating to adjust and repair later if it breaks because it doesnt use off the shelf parts Save the money from converting the Tcase and spend it on sorting the axle install.


If your going to put the lt230 into a jeep and keep the jeep axles. Very roughly.

if you have coils all the way around leave the tcase alone
if you have leafs on the front convert the tcase to 2wd with selectable four wheel drive
if you have the open steering knuckle axles convert the tcase

really shortly

• no you dont get any improvement in economy by converting the tcase
• you will increase rear tyre wear
• if you have the auto select jeep freewheelers or convert the landrover drive flanges to selctables you will flog the slip joint on the propshaft
• If your jeep was a permanent 4x4 variant and you convert it to 2wd you're in for a new experience in bad handling

Here is the kit: Ashcroft Transmissions

Thxs again, I imagine part of the reason for the bad handling is the t-case has a 50-50 split as opposed to part time t-cases being less than a 50-50 splt?? Another reason for doing what I'm doing is the scarcity of LR Defender parts for an axle. Do you know what type of axles this Defender has?? I was told a P-38 in the front and ??? in the rear?? Thx for the input. The reason I ask is because I understand that the Defender functions the way it does BECAUSE of all it's components, I can't keep the frame and therefore I am stuck with having to do other mods.... It's probably getting leaf springed 1 Ton axles.... In terms of rear wheel wear I am used to rotating so again that is a problem with 99.9 % of vehicles here anyway. We just keep rotating if we keep logging the miles. THX for all input, IT IS appreciated, Landies are new to me and my shop.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

IF you're going to put a landrover front axle under a jeep with the landy tcase its not worth the money or effort to convert the Tcase. the landrover front axle is designed to be driven at all times and will deal with it happily, (the caveat being if it wasnt a permanant 4x4 jeep and the handling goes screwy for you but doing the temporary conversion trick fies the handling then you convert it, dont panic you can do the conversion with the Tcase bolted up, well you can in a landy anyway)

all your going to wind up with is a non standard Tcase that will be more frustrating to adjust and repair later if it breaks because it doesnt use off the shelf parts Save the money from converting the Tcase and spend it on sorting the axle install.


If your going to put the lt230 into a jeep and keep the jeep axles. Very roughly.

if you have coils all the way around leave the tcase alone
if you have leafs on the front convert the tcase to 2wd with selectable four wheel drive
if you have the open steering knuckle axles convert the tcase

really shortly

• no you dont get any improvement in economy by converting the tcase
• you will increase rear tyre wear
• if you have the auto select jeep freewheelers or convert the landrover drive flanges to selctables you will flog the slip joint on the propshaft
• If your jeep was a permanent 4x4 variant and you convert it to 2wd you're in for a new experience in bad handling

Originally Posted by cj7mexicodefender

...Do you know what type of axles this Defender has?? I was told a P-38 in the front and ??? in the rear?? ...

If it is a 110/130 defender with a tdci engine it will have a P38 type diff in the rear and a rover type diff front.

They are pretty mediocre in strength and if you have a D44 or stronger in the jeep you should keep them.

The P38 type diff has the pinion bearings spaced a bit too close together. Also the version fitted to the defender suffered from manufacturing quality issues. Dave Ashcroft has a fix.

The diffs and axles are OK for up to 33" tyres if you are gentle.

There is also a problem with the gearbox-t-case adaptor. Again Ashcroft transmissions have a part which fixes the problem.

If I were you I would put the engine/gearbox/tcase in but stick with jeep/dana axles as long as you have D44 or D60s

Originally Posted by cj7mexicodefender

Thxs again, I imagine part of the reason for the bad handling is the t-case has a 50-50 split as opposed to part time t-cases being less than a 50-50 splt?? Another reason for doing what I'm doing is the scarcity of LR Defender parts for an axle. Do you know what type of axles this Defender has?? I was told a P-38 in the front and ??? in the rear?? Thx for the input. The reason I ask is because I understand that the Defender functions the way it does BECAUSE of all it's components, I can't keep the frame and therefore I am stuck with having to do other mods.... It's probably getting leaf springed 1 Ton axles.... In terms of rear wheel wear I am used to rotating so again that is a problem with 99.9 % of vehicles here anyway. We just keep rotating if we keep logging the miles. THX for all input, IT IS appreciated, Landies are new to me and my shop.

Isuzurovers info is more or less on the money, with regards to the axles, the parts for them are fairly common you just need to order online. A copy of the manuals for them can be had buy buying a RAVE CD. its worth it but most of what you need for info to get axles sorted is in the forum somewhere and most people will happily type out the odd bits of info and part numbers if you need them.

you're about on the money for the handling problem we may have different definitiions for how the torque split works out of the Tcase but essentially without the drive on the front end to pull it around the corner it'll wash wide, and you dont usually have the power to break the rear end traction to flick it around and even if you did if you dont have an 8HA under the back edn you generally dont have the drive line strength to deal with it.

If you do have the 8ha down the back and youve done the 2d conversion unless you have the 4bd1 up the front its going to be like driving a porsche, Theres 4T trucks getting around with lighter rear ends in them than the 8HA.

Originally Posted by isuzurover

If it is a 110/130 defender with a tdci engine it will have a P38 type diff in the rear and a rover type diff front.

They are pretty mediocre in strength and if you have a D44 or stronger in the jeep you should keep them.

Most stock 44s are more or less the same strength as a Rover axle. Both can and need to be built.

Bigger question, is the front axle a right side drop?

Originally Posted by isuzurover

If it is a 110/130 defender with a tdci engine it will have a P38 type diff in the rear and a rover type diff front.

They are pretty mediocre in strength and if you have a D44 or stronger in the jeep you should keep them.

The P38 type diff has the pinion bearings spaced a bit too close together. Also the version fitted to the defender suffered from manufacturing quality issues. Dave Ashcroft has a fix.

The diffs and axles are OK for up to 33" tyres if you are gentle.

There is also a problem with the gearbox-t-case adaptor. Again Ashcroft transmissions have a part which fixes the problem.

If I were you I would put the engine/gearbox/tcase in but stick with jeep/dana axles as long as you have D44 or D60s

Thank you!! VERY useful information. I was advised by somebody that knows a lot more than I do about Defenders as to the durability and strength of these axles and you confirmed that point in spades.... My jeep has a dana 44 in the rear, but I have Ford F-350 front and rear that I am gonna mate to a flipped DANA 300. I have 2 300s and they are bulletproof... Too bad I am not in Au, as I think there is a market for the Defender axles and t- case there! i have seen a lot of issues for the MT82 in th e Mustang but hopefully its an inherent problem to the Mustang and if its in the Defender I saw the fix.... I had guesstimated 33 inch tires for the Defender axles and you also confirmed that, much appreciated. I understand that what makes the defender what it is is the combination of all the parts.... and I know that if I abuse some components on their own I will be sorry later. I think the Combination I am hoping to achieve will work.... then later stretching WB to 105-110 inches is the next project as I dont think I can do everything right now $$$$$$$$, my pesos budget is meager........

Do you know what years other LR vehicles had these axles and this transfer case too?? Anybody??