R380 gearbox questions??

[Defendozer]

The gearbox in my 95 110 is on its last legs, quite bad bearing noises and getting very hard to select gears
I don't have the money at the moment to get it rebuilt so i'm looking at putting a second hand box in just to get by for a while. I've heard that the later R380's were stronger? Suffix K/L?? What year did they change?
If I can use and get one that is stronger and still fairly ok I will put it in now and get it rebuilt early next year sometime and sell the other one..

Any advice welcome.
Thanks in advance.

[slug_burner]

According to the Ashcroft web site the K suffix came in 99 for brief time before the L was introduced.

Ashcroft Transmissions - R 380

[Defendozer]

So do the K and L models fit a 300Tdi or are they a TD5 thing??

[slug_burner]

I think that the Td5 box would of come out at about that time, the L most probably would be the Td5 one. I'd say that the K would be more likely 300Tdi. Using a parts catalogue you wold be able to establish the change over date. I think the input shaft is different on the Td5 box.

[Defendozer]

Yes as far as I know the TD5 has a different length shaft. So if I find one I could possibly use a very early K model? Might just go for a suffix J and be done with it!!

[wrinklearthur]

I have just got off the phone to a chap with a 130 TD5 ( he's not sure which motor !!!!! ), His Defender has an automatic box fitted so he is after a complete manual gear and ancillaries because of where he has to climb up to where he lives, the auto struggles to do the climb and has had issues with the transmission oil cooler not coping.

I have a TD5 L suffix box that I want to install along with a 1.22 ratio transfer into my 110 300 TDi and have already brought a input shaft to suit from Ashcroft Transmissions.

To tidy up my collection of LT230 transfer and R380 gear boxes, I still need a bell housing so to fit the L suffix into my 300 TDi 110.
That will leave me with a spare TD5 bell housing and input shaft, that I can fit to an old but good J suffix box, but I will still need, the clutch, clutch tower, dual mass flywheel, etc, to help to other bloke out.

Is there much of a demand for auto boxes that fit into Defenders?
.

[wrinklearthur]

I think that the Td5 box would of come out at about that time, the L most probably would be the Td5 one. I'd say that the K would be more likely 300Tdi. Using a parts catalogue you wold be able to establish the change over date. I think the input shaft is different on the Td5 box.

Not that easy as the 300 TDi was still being fitted for some markets, after the TD5 run was finished.
.