110 gearbox options

[phibbzy]

Hi all,

This is for my '95 300tdi 110 Defender.

Due to the symptoms I'm having - being unable to downshift into 1st or 3rd without grinding gears (syncros) and difficulty shifting into 2nd when cold as well as our intention to do a 7500 1 month trip upto the NT/Simpson next April I have decided to have the box replaced or rebuilt!

I just want to see what you guys think of the options I have in front of me so i make the best decision!

1) Ashcroft gearbox. I have heard great things about these guys and my mind would be completely at ease thrashing one of these boxes over dunes. The problem is at $2000 imported and $2400 locally my wife is NOT at ease with the idea!

2) Take a risk on the "spare in the shed". I have a R380 taken from a Disco & sourced from a wreckers. I don't even know how well it will go when in the defender and of course it will require parts chopping and changing to make it fit.

3) rebuild current gearbox with Ashcroft rebuild kit. A fraction of the cost and having it done by a great mechanic but who has not done an R380 rebuild before I'm guessing...

Thoughts?

[isuzurover]

Firstly, are you sure you are getting full clutch disengagement? Your symptoms could mean the clutch fork is on the way out.

2) IMHO, it is a huge job to turn a disco R380 into a defender R380, and not worth the hassle.

3) What suffix is your box? This may be a good option, but if it is an early model it will still be inherently weaker.

[goingbush]

Option 4 , put an Auto in it.

and I agree with Isuzurover , yours sounds more like a clutch fork problem .

I ordered an Ashcroft R380, it shipped Last Wednesday delivered today, With Heavy Duty rear support bearing kit , and a Td5 DMF and clutch kit ( ~$1000+ locally) , Door to door was $2750 , (you can save $250 by picking up from Airport) ,

should be good for another 200,000+ km when fitted

I think that is really excellent value, when you think it costs about $250 to fill the Tanks with Diesel every few days (on tour) $2500 is like 10 tankfulls , so sit still camped for a month and we have earned enough to pay for the gearbox. ;)

[phibbzy]

I can get any other gear fine and I can even downshift into third if I am careful enough with shift by going very slow into the gate. If I go, say, 10kmph down the road and move into first with the clutch down it will grind and then go in. If I move out of 1st into neutral and then back into first it does not grind. From my limited mechanical knowledge I'm assuming that would be the synchros and not the clutch itself.

2) Noted. Thanks. I can always sell the spare to cover the cost of an Ashcroft...

3) I cleaned the area with a bit of coke but cant get enough off to be definitive but it looks to be an I or MAYBE a J. Photo inlcuded...

[goingbush]

what gear oil are you using,

whats it like if you double de-clutch

[phibbzy]

Dropped what was in it 6 weeks ago for MTF then tried nulon treatment recently. Helped a bit but not much.

Same thing double clutching - still grinds the gear to a stop...