Big.Mike Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Hi All, I'm looking at buying a Defender after many, many years of driving many other cars and have a general question. I had a test drive of one yesterday, a TD5, and the gear change was like stirring a bowl full of jelly. Is this normal? I'm going to try some more over the next few weeks, but I do want to know what to look for. Cheers, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Thats sounds more like a very well used Series.....my 109 for instance! I've never known a defender gearbox like that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 might be a broken bias spring or the cup the bottom of the gearlever fits in is slack on the selector shaft, normally just a grub screw to tighten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneandtwo Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 It is usually easily sorted by replacing the plastic cup on the selector shaft which wears, under a fiver, plus the gasket. Sometimes the shift turret wears aswell where the crosspin goes through which causes radial play in the gearlever, again the housings are not very much money and are the same as the LT77 box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 The Defender can't be compared to a modern car in so many respects. While the various gearboxes fitted to Defenders over the years have their own characteristics none of them can really be compared to say a modern eurobox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big.Mike Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 The Defender can't be compared to a modern car in so many respects. While the various gearboxes fitted to Defenders over the years have their own characteristics none of them can really be compared to say a modern eurobox. Hmmmm... @Happyoldgit I guess you're right, I have been spoilt by modern gear boxes, it was just such a surprise. Still if it is broken, it's never going to be a big fix! I'll see if I can't drive another one and let you know the results...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 The Defender can't be compared to a modern car in so many respects. While the various gearboxes fitted to Defenders over the years have their own characteristics none of them can really be compared to say a modern eurobox. I concur. We all think they are OK but getting out of the Ranger (my daily drive) and into the Defender to the delights of a cold R380 always makes you think, even though my R380 has been looked after and sympathetically driven from new (20,000 miles) and is a decent example of the breed. I used to run a hire fleet with Defenders on and it wasn't uncommon for people to claim gearbox problems on perfectly serviceable vehicles! Even the Puma completely fails to be a vehicle you just get in and shove the gear lever in the direction you want it to go, like you would in any other light vehicle on the road these days. In fact some of the worst boxes I have tried in recent years have been the supposedly wonderful Puma units and they can be thoroughly notchy, crunchy and horrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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