LT230 2WD conversion

[minivin]

To follow on from my problems with the Bearmach kit in the below link, I have now redesigned and had made the bits to solve my problems:

http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=25087&hl=

I have now had the parts machined, involving having made an alloy spacer, two thrust washers and having the original "inner race" machined down to fit inside of the centre diff outer housing.

With the parts now here (I'll just note now that the outer housing had the bottom machined to remove a chamfer, and now has a flat region for the bottom thrust washer to sit on!), I inserted the first thrust washer, the inner race and then the top thrust washer as follows:

The spider was then placed into the alloy spacer, this was done to locate the race and thrust washers so that they could not move out of the outer housing in service:

I then had a slight hiccup! the main diff housing has a sun gear fitted inside that then normally has the planetary gears work against it by their location on the spider. With the Bearmach kit, these planetary gears are ditched and a shadow gear is fitted and locks the sun gear to the diff housing. This locking is provided by the shadow gear being retained by the spiders locating into it, however what I didn't twig at the time was that the rounded recesses for the spider where not a 180^o recess, but a very deep recess that impinged on the area where my new alloy spacer would be!. After some swearing I took to it with a slitting disc in the angle grinder, having marked the cutting point on my surface table, and got the following finished parts for the main housing area:

Now, what else could go wrong.... luckily nothing else! the alloy spacer, spider and shadow gear were fitted, followed by the sun gear, and the main housing offered down onto the front housing assembly, and the retaining bolts done up and torqued to provide the resulting centre diff:

I have been running the vehicle over the past week and a half, having covered over 100 miles and can happily say that my front prop vibrations have now disappeared and it is running a treat.

Modifications to the idea..... I am thinking of buying another centre diff at some point and rather than modifying the Bearmach items, I would machine down the front sun gear to remove its gear portion and once again have either an alloy or steel spacer to locate it, so as to provide the free-wheeling front output, and then coming up with another method of locking the rear output sun gear. However that project can wait as the 101 needs some time spent on it

[Jon White]

Rob,

So would you advise against buying the bearmach kit??

I ask as I'm running mine in permanent 4wd at the moment and I've been toying with buying the part time kit. Frankly mine doesnt kick back through the steering too badly (only really when on full lock) so I'm not entirely sure its worth bothering with.

Jon

[ROGUE TROOPER]

Cool! Mine is SORN now as it needs work!!!

[ROGUE TROOPER]

Rob,

So would you advise against buying the bearmach kit??

I ask as I'm running mine in permanent 4wd at the moment and I've been toying with buying the part time kit. Frankly mine doesnt kick back through the steering too badly (only really when on full lock) so I'm not entirely sure its worth bothering with.

Jon

Saving fuel has to be the biggest advantage.

[minivin]

Rob,

So would you advise against buying the bearmach kit??

I ask as I'm running mine in permanent 4wd at the moment and I've been toying with buying the part time kit. Frankly mine doesnt kick back through the steering too badly (only really when on full lock) so I'm not entirely sure its worth bothering with.

Jon

I have to say Jon, that the kit is not worth spending th money on as it is not up to the job particularly in a Series application where the front propshaft is much longer than standard. If your thinking of going 2WD with selectable 4WD, let us know and I'll try and assist you with the info on how to go about it.

Rob

[minivin]

Cool! Mine is SORN now as it needs work!!!

It needs work????? You aint done enough mileage to need it

[FridgeFreezer]

Can't say I've had issues with mine, came from Ashcrofts but is the bearmach kit. I do get vibes at ~80mph but I think that's due to the fact the props are doing silly rpm by that point thanks to my gearing.

Edit to add: Your kit does look better though Rob, the BM kit is disappointing for the money. And a good writeup to boot

[minivin]

Can't say I've had issues with mine, came from Ashcrofts but is the bearmach kit. I do get vibes at ~80mph but I think that's due to the fact the props are doing silly rpm by that point thanks to my gearing.

Edit to add: Your kit does look better though Rob, the BM kit is disappointing for the money. And a good writeup to boot

Cheers John! I forget how much I paid, but it was certainly only worth it for the shadow gear, that seems to be the best part of the kit....... and that's saying something when even that item is a rough sand cast item!