R380 mainshafts, selectors and bellhousings

[Jurriaan]

While fitting a HS TGV to my dad's Ninety, we found out it doesn't fit on the LT77 gearbox because it sits too close to the bulkhead to get the exhaust fitted. Now we want to know what R380 to fit best. The Disco R380 we have laying around would have the ideal length for the engine sitting as much back as possible with the exhaust not touching the bulkhead. The only thing is when mounting gearbox at the same place as the LT77, the gearchange would be in the cubby box.

Can we now just change selector units from a Defender R380 to the Disco one? Or is it better to get a complete Defender R380 300Tdi gearbox? Is mainshaft and bellhouse the same length as the Disco 300Tdi R380 box, or is it longer? On the Td5 Defender of a friend he measured the bellhousing is longer than the Disco 300Tdi R380 bellhousing. A Dutch trader told us that Td5 and 300Tdi Defender should be the same in mainshaft length, the only thing to change is the bellhouse. Is he right?

[Jurriaan]

Just called Ashcroft with the same question. Their reply was that the mainshafts of both Defender 300Tdi and Discovery 300Tdi are the same, and the bellhousings are also.

To fit a Defender gearchange mechanism on a Discovery gearbox is possible, but needs some changes within the gearbox... Unfortunately.

[ashtrans]

Hi,

for the 2.8 you ideally would want the stronger R 380 suffix L,

the TD5 and 300 pinion shafts are different and you need the defender long stick not the disco short stick type shifter,

cheapest way would be to get a good used defender TD5 box and change the pinion shaft for the TDi one and fit the 300 bellhousing,

[Jurriaan]

Hi,

for the 2.8 you ideally would want the stronger R 380 suffix L,

the TD5 and 300 pinion shafts are different and you need the defender long stick not the disco short stick type shifter,

cheapest way would be to get a good used defender TD5 box and change the pinion shaft for the TDi one and fit the 300 bellhousing,

Hmm, had to be more specific on the phone that the 2.8TGV was going to power it. Now only asked gearbox questions Thing is we now got a used R380 300Tdi box on the way from the UK, so we just have to be gentle with it When it fails in the future we'll pick the Td5 option on an Ashcroft recon box