TD5 Defender gearbox options

[Parker]

My 2006 TD5 Defender has a Disco transfer case fitted. 100km/h at 2200 revs according to my Nanocom and that is my touring speed. Works nice, even going up to 120. But in 3rd/4th at around 60km/h it is not so nice - it revs too high in 3rd and too low in 4th at around 60km/h). Also cold and taking off in 1st is not perfect, especially on dirt.

So I’ve been thinking. A new clutch will be in order not that long from now, and it will be time to do the gearbox. Ashcroft has all the bits. Could I do this better? Also, I have a standard transfer case and could recondition that and then….

Ashcroft have two options. Using the 1.100 ratio gear set made for the LT230T or to to fit the 1.301 gears and raise the 5th gear to the V8 ratio of 0.731. Both options should give me decent cruising speed at low revs, plus better performance in 1st and at around 60km/h. So I could:

1. Keep the Disco T/C and recondition that and the gearbox as is, plus hope that a ECU re-map will help out in 1st and 3rd/4th
2. Go back to the standard T/C and change gears either in that or the gearbox, plus do the ECU

What do you think I should do?

[AK83]

The 1.3 TC ratio plus V8 5th gear sounds like a decent compromise.

But if you want to work it out for yourself and see differences using this gear and that widget .. have to played with the Ascrofft ratio calculator for yourself.

Ashcroft Ratio Calculator. (https://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/calc/ratio_calc.html)

There's probably some COVID lockdown time wasted(dunno where moonlight flat is!) just playing with the various permutations this little widget is capable of. [thumbsupbig]

[shack]

Could you do it better? Dunno...maybe, but you could do it different.

I'd look at fitting an auto if you are gonna go to all that expense/bother, much nicer drive and probably more robust if done properly. But definitely $$$

Cheers
James