Transmission Fill Diagnosis

[Shackleton]

After scratching my head wondering why my transfer case was swallowing a vast amount of oil and not filling I discover (on here) that I've been trying to fill it through the wrong hole. (Us guys just can't help ourselves).

I've yet to see just how overfull the transfer case is now that I know which is the actual filler plug but the last time I give her a topping up is about 2 years ago and I have a vague recollection of using the same - wrong - filler.

Question is this; if I overfilled the last time would/can the oil make its way into the main gearbox? AND if it did and the gearbox was then overfull could/would the oil get pressurised out of the breathers? This didn't happen but I did crack open the main gearbox filler yesterday too and oil came out with a vengeance.

POLY BUSH

I've just gone round the truck with a set of Britpart poly bushes (I know that will recieve mixed reactions but it's done so I'll suck 'em and see, if they do 20k miles I'll be happy enough, they couldn't be worse than my outgoing ones).

Just a few tips, I got this wrong and I'm sure I'll pay for it.

Firstly the Britpart bushes for the upper end of the rear shocks on the early (to '86) Range Rovers are basically useless. Use the standard upper bushes that come with the shocks. The Britpart ones are just the wrong shape in all sorts of ways.

Secondly. With the likes of the A-frame and trailing arm bushes the original units are probably going to be of the metalastic variety. I.E. Metal sheath housing rubber which in turn houses one or more sandwiches of metal and rubber again. I was without a press and getting the old bushes out became A. Very difficult and B. Very dangerous.

I used a small blow torch to heat the metal sleeves which made it much easier to get everything out. BUT!

I mistook the very rusted in outer bush metal sleeves for part of the rear trailing arms and then was dismayed when the Britpart bushes were too big. I had already shaved the bushes down when I realised what I'd missed. I have a very snug fit with the bushes now but they're probably a little thin - we'll see. Moral of the story - make sure you have all components of the original bush out before you do anything. Sounds elementary and yes I'm a retard but **** happens.

A FRAME BALL JOINT

If you're renewing yours try and clean the threads and throw some WD in the two bolt holes on the bracket before you put the new unit and bolts in. One of my new bolts sheared and now I'll have to drill out the bolt/hole and put a longer bolt through with a nylock nut. Pain in the tits.

[Ratty43]

I've got the Britpart bushes everywhere (Britpart all round as far as suspension goes although I did go genuine on the ball joint since I don't want to do it again) and they've lasted 12,000 miles so far with no problems, if it doesn't last for years then at least they are easy to change! I haven't had a problem with Britpart stuff so suspect that half the bad comments are courtesy of the volume they shift (I shall await a slaying from others!) added to which people seldom write good reviews. I'm sure the upmarket kit is better but it's out of my budget.

[Les Henson]

You would have to fill the transfer box pretty-much right up in order for oil to get into the gearbox, as the only place it can get in is behind the input gear where there should be an oil seal. If the seal fails - gearbox oil usually goes into the transfer case and then overfills it.

Les.

[landybehr]

Let´s hope for the best for your Britpart bushes.

I once had a bad trial with IronMan bushes. They didn´t fit very well, especially the panhard rod bush chassis-side was a problem. The mounting brackt cut in it. No idea how it would want to behave like a common rubber bush and allow "rotation". The front axle radius arm suffered a bit from rust in the eyes and the polys "grinded" out the eye. Not much. Not enough to not make an OEM rubber bush fit tight enough. Still ..

Well, I resumed to rubber. But that´s just my liking.

I´m afraid it is a common mistake to compare well-worn rubber with a newly installed polybush. With my H/D-springs the rubber lasts 60-70k miles. I can live with that.

Even though it pays not to buy the cheapest rubber.

This one were posted on a german LR-biased forum and it had just two days of offroading behind it after it has been put in.