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To Overdrive or not to Overdrive, that is the question....


Arjan

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88: Series Hybrid

200 Tdi

Pulls well

Max Speed about 75 km/h.

Could do with a bit higher cruising speed every now and then - not going the higher ratio diff route.

Overdrive ?

Where to get one.....

Let me hear what you think please.

 

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I think they are well worth it. The reduced noise is a blessing and who doesn’t want an extra gear lever 😂

By reputation I think Roamer Drive is the way to go.  I put a fairey on my 80, but I was fortunate to have one that is literally like new - whereas I think most of them are rough and noisey these days - so for any guarantee of performance I think it’s a Roamer Drive. 

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I've a similar dilemma. I've a couple of overdrives and a high ratio box in storage. The truck is great, highly responsive when driving around lanes and around town. But on the motorway it's slow. Do I sacrifice the low speed drivability for high speed? 

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Thank You All.

- Taller Tyres : I run 235/85 R16 and they are just fine for what i need.

- Ashcroft HRG are not an option for me for various reasons.

- France has now a lot of 90 km/h. roads and the Series is comfortable in 4th around the 75 km/h. mark and that need to be a bit more.

@ Gazzar : what sort of money is an overdrive these days, do they need a rebuild before fitting ?

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£350, but that was unusually complete (no missing bracket, lever or link rod).  It has been sitting untouched under my little workbench since I got it from you.  Seemed extravagant to spend a fortune reconditioning it as a spare for the Roverdrive, but yes, it’d be folly to fit one now without at least stripping it for inspection and fitting new seals.  You might not need many new bearings if you’re lucky, but chances are you will, and a new clutch sleeve too.  The real swine is if the input splines on the main shaft are worn like the clutch sleeve splines - main shafts are a little expensive.

Syncro Gearboxes seem to be the most convenient source of parts for them now.

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On 5/2/2022 at 9:15 PM, Anderzander said:

I think they are well worth it. The reduced noise is a blessing and who doesn’t want an extra gear lever 😂

By reputation I think Roamer Drive is the way to go.  I put a fairey on my 80, but I was fortunate to have one that is literally like new - whereas I think most of them are rough and noisey these days - so for any guarantee of performance I think it’s a Roamer Drive. 

Plus 1 for a Roamer drive really smooth and has a dipstick that replaces the transferbox filler plug so if the level is right the roamerdrive is right to oh and i have 3.54 diffs as well really quiet 👍

Edited by Cornish Rattler
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Hmm.... Roamerdrive.

€ 2.890 roughly by the time it is here from Canada or about € 2650 from Synchro.....

Plus, officially, the import duties and VAT when entering the Continent.

 

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Just now, Cornish Rattler said:

Still worth it over a fairy or alike.

A fairy is 25% over geared and a roamerdrive is 28% over geared same as 3.54 diffs but 3.54 diffs on thier own will still make it under geared with a tdi hence why i fitted a roamerdrive, i did have an Ashcroft HRTC before the roamerdrive but that was well over geared with or without 3.54 diffs would just touch 100mph ( just to see what it would do ) but 1st was like 2nd o/d ☹️

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+1 for Roamerdrive, a million miles from a screaming Fairey of 1930's design.

Or just upgrade to 5-speed + LT230 and have a choice of final drive ratios in high range with what will be a very low low range on 4.7 diffs.

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13 hours ago, Anderzander said:

Personally I hated 3.54’s in my series - it was fine on bigger A roads, but I found it awful on the little B roads where it had previously been a real pleasure to drive. 

Yes if i did a lot of towing and town work then the 3.54 diffs would be coming out but as i mainly do Mway work when i'm out the diffs work fine, don't get me wrong there has been time i wish i had the 4.7-1's in but overall the 3.54's are better for me 🙂

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The Series tows....

image.png.3f0baf0a46c4c75cd29bb844515fd598.png

Greenlaning...

image.png.afc0ea1c97d746ef9fcc9df0e3c86497.png

That's why Higher Ratio Diffs / High Ratio Transferbox are not really the route I want to go on

The Roamerdrive is obviously interesting but I keep hearing about the quality of parts (bearings) and for that sort of money I'd expect differently.

 

 

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On 5/10/2022 at 11:48 AM, Arjan said:

The Series tows....

image.png.3f0baf0a46c4c75cd29bb844515fd598.png

Greenlaning...

image.png.afc0ea1c97d746ef9fcc9df0e3c86497.png

That's why Higher Ratio Diffs / High Ratio Transferbox are not really the route I want to go on

The Roamerdrive is obviously interesting but I keep hearing about the quality of parts (bearings) and for that sort of money I'd expect differently.

 

 

I was the same but comparing with a Fairy that is possibly well worn i decided on a Roamerdrive, with my last S2a 88 tdi it was std gearing but with a new old stock Fairy o/d ( new) and it was great the vehicle did everything i wanted it to do and more so if you are running yours without an o/d then fitting either a recon'd Fairy or a new Roamerdrive but personally a Roamerdrive  would just transform your landy 😉

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Just to add - for heavier use like towing I'd suspect a Fairey is going to wear out faster, they're a very old design and were never renowned for strength. If you're putting it behind a more powerful engine & making it work hard it's going to be marginal.

Also, whichever route you go - the extended sump for the transfer box is well worth it, holds more oil & helps keep things cooler.

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I'm obviously missing something here.....

Why is the fitting of an overdrive making the gearbox weaker when it is not in use in 1,2,3 & 4th gear ?

"extended sump for the transfer box" - I was not aware the were around for the Series gearbox ?

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