What changed for MY02 Defenders

**DarrenW** · 13th March 2006, 06:37 AM

Hi all,

doing general research on my next vehicle (post paying for the wifes new car) and keep seeing references to Defender parts that dont find models past 2002 or 2003.
eg - Spare Wheel swing away mount,

What happened ???

Whilst I haven't studied them side by side cant see any obvious changes

Darren :?:

**loanrangie** · 13th March 2006, 08:35 AM

There were some differences in the 2003 models like rover style diff ( no salisbury anymore), the rear door was improved to help with water and dust sealing, the roof was painted body colour (not white as previous). Someone else will know what the other differences were although mostly minor i believe.

**hiline** · 13th March 2006, 09:04 AM

they also have a different dash pod

electric windows and centrel locking

air vents for air con are better placed in cab

round rear fog/ reverse lamps

not much really

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 13th March 2006, 09:10 AM

having a nice lay-in/labourday hiline?

**hiline** · 13th March 2006, 09:12 AM

Originally posted by Pedro_The_Swift
having a nice lay-in/labourday hiline?

i wish mate :roll: :roll: :roll:

been up for hrs

bloody kids :wink:

**Scouse** · 13th March 2006, 09:45 AM

'02 might have been around the time they came out with the bigger tyres.
This might have a bearing on the spare wheel carrier.

**noddy** · 13th March 2006, 10:11 AM

Alright, I will have a lash!!! :wink:

MY02 -- still had the salisbury, but received the new centre dash, electric windows (front) and central locking. They also got round reversing lights. The rear door was completely new, with different hinges and internal suports (meant to make stronger and fix sealing issues :wink: ) Body coloured roof. Still built/assembled in the UK.

The new rear door meant that some aftermarket wheel carriers needed mods as the central locking and internals of rear door were now different. However they still can be fitted with no dramas. Just need different strengthening bracket on the door.

MY03 -- changed to Suid Afrikan assembly and lost the salisbury rear diff. There are some minor differences as to how the body is attached to the rear cross member, but they are really subtle. Everything else pretty much the same.

I am sure there are some other differences, but they are relatively minor.

**Captain_Rightfoot** · 13th March 2006, 12:33 PM

While we're going... 05 they changed back to maid in England. The design of the front doors is different, and they all have white roofs again. They lost the standard bull bar, sidesteps, and rear steps that the SA units had. Colours changed too.

**Mudnut** · 13th March 2006, 12:36 PM

Just a quick side track. What is the difference between the salsbury diff, and the rover diff? Whis is considered better?

thanks,
Ken

**JDNSW** · 13th March 2006, 12:47 PM

Originally posted by Mudnut
Just a quick side track. What is the difference between the salsbury diff, and the rover diff? Whis is considered better?

thanks,
Ken

The construction is different - the Rover diff is built as a complete assembly which is bolted to the axle housing through a hole in the front of it. The Salisbury diff is built as one item with the axle housing, so that the axle housing is stronger. In addition, the Salisbury is just plain bigger, with the pinion bearings further apart, and the pinion and crown wheel both bigger, and the diff centre bigger. All Salisbury axles have four pinion diff centres, Rover diffs come in both two and four pinion form.
The drawback to the Salisbury diff is that they are harder to work on than the Rover one, but they rarely need attention.

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