Rebuilding an LT230

[Turbocharger]

I've got a 1.222 LT230 on my (new ) workbench, and I've been told it had swarf in the difflock selector (although I'm not convinced it wasn't a ploy to save him changing it) so I'm going to take it apart and see what's inside. I've got the LR overhaul manual - any hints or tips? Is it full of big springs that'll go ping and scatter bits everywhere? Is there anything that's worth changing inside just in case?

[FridgeFreezer]

They're pretty basic things, the detent springs and balls (behind grub screws) can fall out but once you've caught them there's really not much to the rest.

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

There nothing particularly difficult about them ................. just a lot of fiddly setting up unless you are doing it all day long and have all the various size shims etc to hand.

Remember that one of the bearings has its torque set via a crush tube ............................... apart from that just a torque wrench, good feelers, dial guage, vernier and in/out micrometers and pin punches are all that is required.

Mine was well worn so I just gave it to Dave Ashcroft to fix ....................because if you need to buy a bucket load of bits its get quite expensive.........

Ian

[gruntus]

There nothing particularly difficult about them ................. just a lot of fiddly setting up unless you are doing it all day long and have all the various size shims etc to hand.

Remember that one of the bearings has its torque set via a crush tube ............................... apart from that just a torque wrench, good feelers, dial guage, vernier and in/out micrometers and pin punches are all that is required.

Mine was well worn so I just gave it to Dave Ashcroft to fix ....................because if you need to buy a bucket load of bits its get quite expensive.........

Ian

Hi Ian,

What is and how does a crush tube work?

I'm sure someone else is thinking the same question and don't mind looking a pillock!

Cheers

Grant

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

Here is a pic of the area concerned.............the intermediate gear shaft

Crush tube (20) slides over the shaft (26) and sits between the bearings (18)

Doing up the nut on the end of the shaft crushes the tube, thus applying preload to the bearings ........... the preload is normally checked as a rotational torque.

You only get one chance at getting this right, so it is best to tighten at 1/8 of a turn intervals.

This system used to be used in wheel bearings and is often used for diff pinion bearings (not LR).

Ian

[Turbocharger]

I've got most of the measuring bits but I don't want to spend a fortune on shims. The swarf was in the difflock cross shaft housing (although it all looks clean in there now and it's not been apart). I'll clean up the outside so I don't get more carp into it and then pull it apart selectively for a look at the bearings.

[FridgeFreezer]

You can pull the centre diff as a unit and split it to inspect the shafts/planet wheels, as far as I'm aware if you are just doing that there's no shimming involved - just take the front output housing off and pull the diff. You may need to rotate the gears a few times to allow it to pop out, can't remember...

[ashtrans]

this may help :

LT230 rebuild manual

[Bush65]

Later LT230T's use a selective length spacer, instead of the crush sleeve.

The LT230T overhaul manual has a caution that says a selective length spacer must be used instead of the crush sleeve. It uses all upper case to emphasise DO NOT fit a collapsible spacer.

[Turbocharger]

Thanks Dave - I've already read that, I'm just wary of bits that don't mention 'wrap the unit in a sack or polythene so you don't lose all the bearings'. It sounds reasonably straightforward (and if it's knackered, I can't break it any further!)

[honitonhobbit]

It sounds reasonably straightforward (and if it's knackered, I can't break it any further!)

Wise words of wisdom my son

[Turbocharger]

Well, I pulled the diff off and there was swarf in there. Poking inside encouraged me to take the side cover off

and I spy big lumps of ground-up steel (it's magnetic)

Carry on stripping to find the ground up bit, or hook all the grindy bits out and hope for the best? It was running fine and quiet when it came out, I'm not convinced something hasn't dropped in and travelled through a few gears - the tooth contact surfaces are all in good condition.

[JimAttrill]

Later LT230T's use a selective length spacer, instead of the crush sleeve.

The LT230T overhaul manual has a caution that says a selective length spacer must be used instead of the crush sleeve. It uses all upper case to emphasise DO NOT fit a collapsible spacer.

This is rather like the TD5 Defender use of selective length spacers to 'adjust' the taper-roller wheel bearings (which are made to be adjusted, not so?) We replace the new stupid spacers with the old type two nuts and a lock washer, and in the gearbox we also throw away the selective length spacer and fit the crush sleeve. LR are famous for their 'great leaps sideways' (or even backwards) and this is just another example of this. Maybe they think it makes servicing easier for the sort of palookas they employ at the stealers. To us it just makes the job more time-consuming and therefore more expensive to the owner.