Thread: LT230 rebuild now has backlash after 10,000kms.

Originally Posted by Vern

Their one size, crush to fit.

Maybe ask ashcroft?

The intermediate shaft spacer are listed in Microcat as different lengths 58.350 up to 59.300 in .050 increments

Lots of stuff on google, found his post
Posted August 3, 2009 · Report post
The LT230T has the taper bearings and the collapsible tube. However LR now recommend replacing the collapsible tube with a non-collapsible one and i think there are 40 different lengths and the correct length selected by using a set up tool from LR. The gear and the bearings are set up on this tool and a measurement taken and a formula using the bearing thicknesses determines the right length tube to use to give the correct pre-load. I need to do this myself as I am rebuilding my box currently. As I don't have the tool and no one can tell me the critical dimension of the post on the tool to make the calculation... this what I am going to do!!!
Assemble the box with a new crush tube and set to pre-load. Remove crush tube and measure length. Obtain non-crush tube that length (will actually have longest length one on hand and machine down in lathe). Reassemble and test pre-load. May need to remove again and just lap slightly on stone and refit and try again until correct.
I think the reason LR no longer recommend the crush tube is that over time and tension the crush tube must give very slightly and the bearings lose their pre-load and thus wear into the shaft, as has happened in my case.
Hope this helps. Cheers.

Originally Posted by Roverlord off road spares

The intermediate shaft spacer are listed in Microcat as different lengths 58.350 up to 59.300 in .050 increments

Hmm interesting, every lt230 i have rebuilt has just come with a crush tube in a kit. Thats a very big size difference

Originally Posted by Vern

Hmm interesting, every lt230 i have rebuilt has just come with a crush tube in a kit. Thats a very big size difference

I edited the last post, see the edition, it's not my expertise rebuilding, I leave that to the professionals.

Originally Posted by Roverlord off road spares

I edited the last post, see the edition, it's not my expertise rebuilding, I leave that to the professionals.

Haha that makes more sense.
The one ashcrofts supply is a collapsible one from memory

Yes the Ashcroft one is collapsible. Maybe I can measure mine and order the correct length tube? I was reminded tonight the LT230 must be fitted and going again this weekend as the following weekend we need the Disco. So I'm buggered anyway, i might just put the crushtube back in, it's a bit unreasonable to expect Mario to find me one by tomorrow arvo.

'Q' or quiet, was in reference to the LT230. Such gears were cut to run with less noise and backlash at the expense of strength, and I'm not sure if they were standard for the TD5. Maybe the 1.4 ratio was not a 'Q' cut and gives more backlash than used to, combined with some problem in the diffs?

Can't remember exactly who (AM?), someone writing about transfer case rebuilds, queried whether the use of calculated lengths of solid tube spacer (rather than the crushable tube) was the cause of some transfer case failures. As the bearings wear you can always nip up the crush tube some more compared to a solid spacer. The centre gear is always landed/home on the rear side of the transfer case, sitting on the rear bearing; crushing the tube draws both the front bearing and the centre shaft to the rear (the centre shaft is not anchored both ends, just the tension nut end).

Your diff rotation angle still seems to be of concern?

I think you would be safe to install using the old crush tube and just ensure the stake mark on the bolt lines up as before, or a shade tighter, at least for the immediate future. Diffs?

Originally Posted by workingonit

I think you would be safe to install using the old crush tube and just ensure the stake mark on the bolt lines up as before, or a shade tighter, at least for the immediate future. Diffs?

This is what i'm doing tomorrow, i hope it helps if nothing else. Someone else mentioned axle spline wear a possibility, i'm confident the rear splines are OK. But I've never had the front out.

I guess we will find out tomorrow.

OK so I've refitted the transfer case. It definitely does not have any end float anywhere now, which is obviously a good thing. Turns out the intermediate shaft was not done up tight enough and there wasn't enough pressure on the intermediate shaft bearings. I've now got 3kg of force to spin the output flange when in high range with the CDL engaged, in neural it is just over 1kg.

Ironically Murphy's law states this could have been fixed in 10mins without even removing the TC. But that is the way it goes, if i had have done it right in the first place I wouldn't have had to pull it out.

It seems to have resolved the issue for the most part, there is still some backlash but much less than before I pulled it out. I'm guessing what back lash is left might be in the front diff, which has never been out and has done 385,000 kms.

I'll upload some video if i work it out, of some stuff i took interest in.