5th gear, to tow or not to tow, that is the question!

DaveM-sport said:

My main and layshaft bearings threw in the towel 4 or 5 months after I got the Defender and about a year and a half after the gearbox was reconditioned by previous owner (how well it was rebuilt is another question however)

Must rebuild the gearbox now soon but unsure as to get the bits myself and do it or just get a recon Ashcroft box with the uprated bearings as they won't sell the bearings to me on their own.

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uprated bearings isnt necessary ,genuine bearings ie timken and regular oil change is

jamesmartin said:

uprated bearings isnt necessary ,genuine bearings ie timken and regular oil change is

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Even with a heavily modded TD5 that does loads of heavy towing and worked hard?

chilipepper said:

Hi, I'm after some impartial advice.

I've used the search function and have found conflicting advice on towing with a Defender. I have an old (Heavy) double axle Avondale caravan, I tow it down to Devon at Easter each year 240 miles in one hit (been using my Amazon 4.2 for the last 5 years).

I've swapped the Amazon for a Defender 2004 110 TD5, now I realise it will feel a little underpowered but I've read that I should avoid using 5th gear unless I want it stripped!

Is this true

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Not heard this myself. I don't have a Defender, but my 90 has a five speed box, with a heavy trailer there isn't the power to pull fifth except on a downhill, but its never done any damage. I know lots of people who tow with Defenders, usually near on 3.5 tonnes and they use fifth if possible.
If youre really worried you could always use fourth, you aren't supposed to go over 60with a trailer anyway.
If youre doing a lot of towing, change the gearbox oil a bit more often than recommended might be sensible.

DaveM-sport said:

Even with a heavily modded TD5 that does loads of heavy towing and worked hard?

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ive a customer runs a fleet of defenders towing daily at max loads,6 ton train weight,he has no gearbox issues

I reckon the bit from the Ashcroft site could be abit of marketing spoof although my gearbox did sh!t itself while towing... in 5th
Mine has the torque to pull in 5th from about 30-60mph no problem so it might have been putting alot of pressure on it too.

DaveM-sport said:

Even with a heavily modded TD5 that does loads of heavy towing and worked hard?

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plus another farmer running max weight and speed with a disco 2 ,i fitted over drive and 1410 ratio t/box so he can pull to market and travel back fast in overdrive , its oil changes

DaveM-sport said:

I reckon the bit from the Ashcroft site could be abit of marketing spoof although my gearbox did sh!t itself while towing... in 5th
Mine has the torque to pull in 5th from about 30-60mph no problem so it might have been putting alot of pressure on it too.

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most likely

Cool. That's that settled so then

Will pull apart my gearbox next week and see what's needed... hopefully it's not just the dust pan and sweeping brush