Thread: COUNTY 5 SPEED

Originally Posted by bv73

Hey guys spent a bit of time searching for info here but i couldn't find. What gearbox and transfer is under a county Isuzu 5 speed ?


Have i got a r380 under my 95 300tdi 130 defender?

The plan is get the defender isuzuerised
Trying to way up all options.
Cheers Des

the county would have a lt85 gearbox with a lt230 transfer case. the lt 85 comes in two variants heavy duty and split case.

the early model defenders had the lt77s that could be the 200tdi, I think they changed to r380 with the 300tdi

The Isuzu won't bolt straight up to the R380. The lt85 bellhousing ( if you can get one) needs to be sent to Qld to get modified to suit the R380. I recently converted a 5 speed Isuzu back to 4 speed - very little drama, but I needed a different bellhousing.
Also, dont put a Discovery R380/lt230 combination in as its geared lower. It sounds like you can get a 5 speed Isuzu county as a donor vehicle??

The LT85 is a very fragile box behind the Isuzu. They can be strengthened in the bearing and lubrication part how ever the Isuzu can still eat them.

Be very gentle with fifth gear and they seem to stay together for a wile.

Originally Posted by DeeJay

The Isuzu won't bolt straight up to the R380. The lt85 bellhousing ( if you can get one) needs to be sent to Qld to get modified to suit the R380. I recently converted a 5 speed Isuzu back to 4 speed - very little drama, but I needed a different bellhousing.
Also, dont put a Discovery R380/lt230 combination in as its geared lower. It sounds like you can get a 5 speed Isuzu county as a donor vehicle??

You can get the bell housings made up at KLR in Penrith (Sydney) as well.

Also, you may actually /want/ to use the Disco / RR 1.2:1 gears if you are connecting an isuzu to an R380 otherwise you will find your self idling at 100km/h in 5th. Quiet, but impractical.

I'm running a 4db1 -> R380 -> 1.003:1 LT230 at the moment and it is too tall. I have 1.2:1 in the garage which will be swapped in in the near future.. ie before I fit 33s.

With the current setup the engine is happiest at 120-130... a speed at which I'm not happy at all. Give me a month or so and I can report back. C H T also runs 1.2:1 transfer ratio...

I was running an LT85 before the conversion, and as I do a lot of highway miles decided I didn't want to loose 5th. The conversion turned out much better than I imagined, making the 110 a dream in traffic and better off road. It changed the whole nature of it for the better.

The LT95 is very good gearbox (esp w the TRB kit) but still very agricultural and 1st is very tall.

Originally Posted by DeeJay

The Isuzu won't bolt straight up to the R380. The lt85 bellhousing ( if you can get one) needs to be sent to Qld to get modified to suit the R380. I recently converted a 5 speed Isuzu back to 4 speed - very little drama, but I needed a different bellhousing.
Also, dont put a Discovery R380/lt230 combination in as its geared lower. It sounds like you can get a 5 speed Isuzu county as a donor vehicle??

thanks deejay, im researching what is best / easiest/ economical at the moment. do i buy a whole county/ stage one or buy the "bits" as i find them.
Id hate to wreck a county though (unless i can get it cut down to a 90 !)

C H T did the conversion from a 300tdi to a 4BD1t from a truck:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/isuzu-land...onversion.html

Most economical way is to get a 110 already I think.. all the bits add up.. fast.

Originally Posted by flagg

C H T did the conversion from a 300tdi to a 4BD1t from a truck:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/isuzu-land...onversion.html

Most economical way is to get a 110 already I think.. all the bits add up.. fast.

i cant find the bits!!!! looks like ill searching for a county , sorting out gbox and transfer decision later on.

Yeah its a tough call between swapping the Isuzu into a defender or getting a 110 County and working it / restoring it.

After much deliberation I decided on the latter and don't regret it at all. IMHO find a sound isuzu 110 without rust and spend the money on a turbo, g/box and transfer rebuild, king springs, billies, dynomat, new bushes and an IRAN and you will have a very very nice LR indeed

You will most likely have money left over for other upgrades as well.

Don't forget also that there are 120" 110s Still, that's not 130 (or 127?) so in your case it may not work.. but if you just get a 110 and wreck it nothing will go to waste.. just PM me and I'll be happy to take whats left over off your hands