LT230 vs Borg warner

[trumpycam]

Converted my long suffering 81 2D RRC to 300tdi and R380 ~ 15 years ago and thought we would live happily ever after, but as my left knee isn't what it used to be about 18 mths ago did a ZF4hp22 conversion, which after getting shifting right, I find very good. But the shift from D to Rev and back is at times very harsh on the backlash. So the question is would the Borg Warner improve driveability. I did all suspension rubbers about 15k ago and ball joint at 20k and they seem OK. I know there is the rest of the drive train and it is the 10 spline, and all have 600+k on them so don't expect a miracle. However was talking to someone and he said the BW would eliminate all the transfer gears and would make quite an improvement, so the seed has been planted and hard to get rid of, hence this post. I know the 230 is stronger but don't do much heavy 4WD anymore and our Freelander 2 does caravan duty these days. Just happened to see a BW for $250 on gumtree! Finally would it be a reasonably easy conversion?
Thanks Joe

[bee utey]

I lose track of how many BW transfer cases I've given away, unless you have personally driven the one you're getting I would treat them as a fuse ready to blow. The two biggest points of back lash in a LT230 case are the centre diff and the gearbox output spline and the corresponding input gear. Both fixable. Also you wouldn't want to waste time on a TC swap without checking all the drive flanges/diff cross shafts first.

[PhilipA]

I admit it, I have turned 360degrees on this.
I had a 91 RRC with Borg Warner and was very pleased with it and used to rubbish the clunkety clunk clunk of the LT230 equipped cars .
My BW was really reliable and quiet. The only major problem I had was that the rear output shaft stripped . If this happens at about 200KK plus you lose all drive. It is a relatively cheap fix but the rear bearing is hard to find as a C3. It seems to happen to all of them.
I caught mine before it happened.
The Viscous coupling can seize particularly if you let the front wheels spin in mud or whatever and they are expensive if you can get one.
If you don't change the oil regularly the chain will stretch and start flogging the case.

If you were able to get a low mileage one or one that had been properly recod then they are fine.

I found the only limitation was that they do not lock up immediately on take off on sand and you are in 2 wheel drive at first until the VC locks.
Having said that the LT230 in my D2 is quiet , doesn't clunk, and starts easily in sand, so the changes LR made over time really made them much better. I now prefer my LT230, with the proviso that it is a 2002 D2 version.

My recommendation is to either have your LT230 rebuilt or buy a later one that has been recod.

I had a spare BW that I bought for $20 on ebay as the owner thought it had a stretched chain. When I got it home the only thing wrong was that the rear output shaft had stripped.

Regards Philip A

[trumpycam]

Thanks for replies, seems not much love out there for the BW, so will leave well enough alone for now. However after looking into them a bit more, the BW in theory should improve drive ability with the elimination of all those gears providing you were not looking for brute strength and control, where the 230 would easily win out?

[bee utey]

I suggest you stick up a wanted ad for a couple of these things, put one in and keep one for spares. You'll probably get them for next to nothing. As for backlash, I can't see a gear train having any more or less than a chain drive, it all depends on the wear. Me personally I'd just look for a late D1 case off a stock vehicle, the last couple I came across were great with very little backlash as they had hardly ever been in low range or CDL.

[Mercguy]

The only advantage I can say is the BW is quieter.
If one were to take a new LT230 and a new BWTC then I'd prefer to have the LT and live with the gear whine.

BWTC= :toilet:
I'm sure the BWTC has fans somewhere.... just not with people who have them in their RRC's! [thumbsupbig]

[Bradtot]

I still have one in my RR and I love it..so I am a fan.[smilebigeye]

[DoubleChevron]

I still have one in my RR and I love it..so I am a fan.[smilebigeye]

I reckon for 99.999995% of poeple that own 4wds .... the borg warner center diff combined with a couple of torque biasing diffs in the axles would be the perfect setup. They just steer and push the loud pedal, and be amazed at how good they are at 4wd'ing. The amount of poeple with 4wds that don't understand how to engage manual locking hubs .... or what a center diff lock is .... is frankly amazing.

I remember years ago (when all the middle aged women moved from volvo wagons to 4wds). My sister HAD to have a 4wd. Some horrendous ford thing. She got bogged one morning in the wet grass out the front of the primary school. She asked every women who pulled up in their 4wd "Do you know how to put it into 4wd" ..... none did. All the in the people in front wheel drive hatchbacks just drove on and off the grass like it was a sealed road. I think a tradie finally drove by and stopped and put it into 4wd so it could back out. She didn't ring me as she knows me well enough to know I'd be rolling around on the floor laughing so hard I wouldn't be able to make a sensible suggestion for quite some time [bigwhistle] [bigrolf]

Just before they sold it they decided to take it to Mildura ... they did a lot of 4wding around the Murrey River. I asked her husband did he find it hard to release the locking hubs, I find the damn things refuse to drop out. he said "what do you mean ? .... ". Yep, they had been 4wd'ing as the little lever inside was moved to the 4wd section..... You don't need to put those pesky hubs in right, especially if you don't know what they are and what they do?

seeya,
Shane L.

[Grumbles]

I still have one in my RR and I love it..so I am a fan.[smilebigeye]

Me too.[thumbsupbig]

[POD]

Definitely not a fan as it is the only thing that has ever made me walk out of the bush since I switched from asian 4wds. The conversion is very easy, not much more to it than taking the same box out and putting it back in.