Thread: Driving Rangie Classic 2WD

It has been used by people since the introduction of the Rangerover when they have had diff or propshaft damage. The only problem is that it will alter the handling, almost certainly for the worse, and will increase the likelihood of damaging the active differential and axle, although this is not very likely if you do not use low range. There is no danger of damaging the centre diff, but note that if you are using front wheel drive and you unlock the diff, you have no handbrake.

It is worth noting that when the 110 was introduced, it was initially available with selectable four wheel drive (but not on the V8). This was rapidly dropped as an option however, because nobody wanted it.

John

The Santana (Spanish) Land Rovers were sold with selectable 4wd. The 2wd driving the rear Salisbury.

You can fit the Santana output shaftset to any LT230 but you lose the constant 4WD, with the choice being rear WD or locked 4WD.

Diana

Originally Posted by JDNSW

It has been used by people since the introduction of the Rangerover when they have had diff or propshaft damage. The only problem is that it will alter the handling, almost certainly for the worse, and will increase the likelihood of damaging the active differential and axle, although this is not very likely if you do not use low range. There is no danger of damaging the centre diff, but note that if you are using front wheel drive and you unlock the diff, you have no handbrake.

It is worth noting that when the 110 was introduced, it was initially available with selectable four wheel drive (but not on the V8). This was rapidly dropped as an option however, because nobody wanted it.

John

I suspect it was dropped because it came behind the 4 cylnder petrol option (probaly a Series 3 box) and no one wanted that.

Its OK to do once in a while if you feel like a bit of tail sliding or some donuts which is otherwise hard to do with constant 4WD. As others have said, the handling suffers a bit. Have driven a long way on the front axle also and its doable but not particularly pleasant.

Originally Posted by mark2

I suspect it was dropped because it came behind the 4 cylnder petrol option (probaly a Series 3 box) and no one wanted that.

I would actually suspect that the 110's with the 2WD option were those fitted with the LT85 tansmission, this is also a Santana gearbox and it was the LT230's by Santana with the optional 2WD. Once the R380's were introduced the whole transmission was UK built and not outsourced to Santana. Hence no 2wd.

Santana Land Rovers still have the 2wd (and parabolic leaf springs).

Diana

When I have had to drive my RRC with the front tail shaft off I found it handled like a pig
The front end feels loose ..... as a AWD it is great

I drove my original one for years with a G60 Transfer case and LSD 9" rear, I prefer the constant 4WD and will never return to RWD

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

I would actually suspect that the 110's with the 2WD option were those fitted with the LT85 tansmission, this is also a Santana gearbox and it was the LT230's by Santana with the optional 2WD. Once the R380's were introduced the whole transmission was UK built and not outsourced to Santana. Hence no 2wd.

Santana Land Rovers still have the 2wd (and parabolic leaf springs).

Diana

As far as I can find out the initial box for the four cylinder ones would have been the LT77/LT230 not the LT85/LT230, but apart from that you are correct. But the 2wd option was dropped very early in production, well before they stopped using the Santana gearbox.


Mark2 - The four cylinder petrol and diesel engines were available on the 110 and the later 90 right up until the introduction of the Defender in 1989 (but not in Australia). Initially they were identical to the late S3 2.25, but were enlarged to 2.5 for both petrol and diesel in 1985. I get the impression that in the UK the four cylinder petrol engine remained a fairly good seller particularly in the 90 as it provided better performance than the diesel without the fuel costs of the V8 (most of the time I don't believe the V8 was available in the 90), although the majority of sales were probably the diesel or turbo diesel. The Australian situation was quite different, with the 90 and both four cylinder engines not offered, and I am guessing the majority of sales were Isuzu engined, or possibly V8.

John