Thread: 30 or 49% lower low range ?

Hi Rick
To further my original post and to respond to a comment you made about descending: I went to the 30% gears also while my transfer case was apart, and because I was going to the 255/85s. I was afraid of losing the low crawling abilty by going to the bigger tyres with the stock 300tdi.
I have done extensive touring/travelling in the high country, simpson etc. with the 30% gears and have found the gearing to be well suited to the vehicle. It is low enough to climb all but really steep, technical stuff in 2nd low, and is very, very controlled descending in 1st low.
I feel the 49% gears would be too low for what I do.
Having travelled extensively with a mate in a Puma, the gearing in first low seems very similar.
Hope this helps, Cheers, Martin

Hi Rick,

I don't have a 130 - just the 300tdi 110 Station Wagon. I have the 30% reduction gears in her - when I had them installed Mal hadn't come up with the 49% reduction gears yet. I do not have aircon so cannot use it as engine breaking. I am now looking at increasing to 49% or the underdrive as I am still braking when descending. Uphill is fine, downhill is still too fast.

Ok, I have converted to ZF HP22 auto but even before that felt the Defender was too fast downhill.



Hope this helps.

Oh - and that's with both 235/85R16's and the 255/85R16's

Are the 30% gears straight cut? Wondering if they're noisy. Other option I considered was to fit 4.1 diffs and 1.22 high range gears (300 Tdi 130).

Originally Posted by 2stroke

Are the 30% gears straight cut? Wondering if they're noisy. Other option I considered was to fit 4.1 diffs and 1.22 high range gears (300 Tdi 130).

Yes, both 30% and 49% are straight cut gear sets. Noisy, yes somewhat, but in a Defender its just a noisy truck anyway

Yes, the 30% gears are straight cut too, so will whine.

Originally Posted by 2stroke

Other option I considered was to fit 4.1 diffs and 1.22 high range gears (300 Tdi 130).

Problem is neither this nor the low range gears fix what I see as the main problem that 1st gear is simply too tall, much worse now with the 255s.

Originally Posted by 2stroke

Problem is neither this nor the low range gears fix what I see as the main problem that 1st gear is simply too tall, much worse now with the 255s.

Yep, the MT82 in the TDci is so much better in this regard.