anyone fitted a LT230 Crossed drilled input gear

Hi All
Has anyone fitted the replacement cross drilled input drive gear from Ashcrofts ??
and if so how easy was it??
And any tips would be appreciated

If the box is out, it's nuts and bolts to do, but you'll end up thinking about the bearings inside the box while it is stripped down, so one thing leads to another....

At the minimum, I'd fit new output flange bearings, these are a doddle to do and cheap to buy. The inner ends of the output shafts are supported in the centre diff so no bearing to worry about.

The O-ring(s) on the intermediate shaft pin should be renewed, that always leaks, and the seals on the output flanges and the seal on the input shaft should be done.

I've got a load of pictures of when I did my spare box, I'll find them and post them.

It's not a huge job to get the box out, you don't need to take the main gearbox out either, propshafts, handbrake, hi/lo range control and the wiring loom.

Peter

cheers Peter
Sound like this is going to get technical

if its 1.410 defender and not 1.22 disco you can just remove pto cover and pull gear out swap bearings and refit if bearings are good otherwise its best to drop box and replace both gear and bearings ,you can check load on gear by dropping sump and feeling effort to turn it

The only two critical bearing sets are the centre diff and the input shaft bearings, they are both taper roller sets and need a bit of care when stripping the box. If you're going to replace the input gear, you'll need to disturb that shaft and bearings to get the old gear out and the new one in.

Better than me trying to talk you through it, get into RAVE and read up on it. Note that early TL230's had a crush spacer for the taper roller bearings in the input shaft, later D2 boxes have selectable spacers.

I've found most of the pictures, I'll post a few here so you can get an idea of what is inside the box.

First picture is the REAR output shaft and housing. Nothing too special there, that bearing is retained in place by a BIG circlip:


Next is the centre diff as it came out. I didn't disturb any of that:


Next is the intermediate shaft, note the O-ring on the bearing pin, you need to seal the other end where it goes through the case. The input gear is just out of shot on the right. Selectable spacer (D2) by the bearing pin, D1 has crushable spacer.


Next is the FRONT output shaft, bearing, circlip and the diff lock fork. Note that there is a selector ball and spring involved, plus those two flimsy circlips. That spring in shot is NOT the detent spring:


Next is the diff lock selector shaft showing where that large spring and two circlips sit:


Next is inside the FRONT output shaft housing looking at the output shaft end that would normally be inside the centre diff, and the centre diff front bearing track:


Next is the REAR output shaft and housing, assembled:


Another view of the same housing:


Picture of the stripped and cleaned housing:


Picture inside the housing, you can see the REAR centre diff bearing track top right:


Front output side of the centre diff without the housing, bearings are greased ready for assembly:


Front housing bolted to the main casing. The detent ball and spring etc it not fitted:


Front housing from the other side:


Almost finished!


There are two selectors and two sets of detent balls and springs that are hidden away by flush grub screws that can be difficult to find if the housing is dirty.

Hope the above helps. If I can find the originals (these are reduced) I may have more on the input gear.

Peter

i thoiughts you can do them all apart from 1.003 (as that dont fit past cog)..sure you can as i have done disco auto before insitu...

Holy sh**

Cheers Peter
That looks like a big job
I only wanted to fit an oil feed plate, but got told the cross drilled input gear would be better to fit instead
Now it looks like a strip down and rebuild job

Thank you for the guide though if it has to be done so i guess i better get stuck in
I feel ill

zen said:

i thoiughts you can do them all apart from 1.003 (as that dont fit past cog)..sure you can as i have done disco auto before insitu...

Click to expand...

1.222 isnt either as both gear sets on intermediate are the same height ,1.4 been 1/2 a tooth height and 1.6 a full tooth height at least in my experience

greyhair said:

Holy sh**

Cheers Peter
That looks like a big job
I only wanted to fit an oil feed plate, but got told the cross drilled input gear would be better to fit instead
Now it looks like a strip down and rebuild job

Thank you for the guide though if it has to be done so i guess i better get stuck in
I feel ill

Click to expand...

read post 4 , and fitting the oil feed plate is simple it just requires pto cover removal if r380 ,though cross drilled is a better solution oil feed plate works well

The problem being addressed is wear on the input shaft splines caused by lack of lubrication and condensation causing rust fretting.

The oil plate directs more oil to the gear, but as James says, the cross-drilled gear is the ultimate solution and is fitted to late LT230 boxes and all D2's.

It isn't such a drama to take out the box, and it's worthwhile doing the other bearings and seals while it's on the bench.

That's my spare box in the pictures, but I'd always try and do as many jobs on the unit in one hit as possible. It also gives you the opportunity to free up the diff lock pivot shaft which doesn't get much if any lubrication and if it is unused will rust and seize in the alloy housing.

The two detent balls and springs are worth looking at as well, although not used very often they still need to be dug out and cleaned/greased. The heads of the grub screws are well hidden! A bit of Loctite (not too much) on the threads when assembling.

Peter

morning Peter
would it be possible to just change the main input gear while the box is still fitted ?
After reading a thread on here ref fitting an oil feed plate, i wanted to do the same but fit the new gear and bearings
basically fit new gear with new bearings and that's it
I will possibly get the transfer box rebuilt at a later stage.

anythings possible but youd really struggle to change the front bearing race,so you can either remove box and change both bearings and gear or leave box on and just change gear and reuse old bearings

Are you changing the gear because it is damaged? or just want to fit the later gear?

As James says, you won't be able to get the front input shaft bearing outer race out, so realistically, wait until you have the time to pull the box out.

It isn't a bad job, you need four decent axle stands to get it up high enough to work underneath, don't try it with jacks and bits of wood!

Peter

No i am changing it just to install the later gear, just to future proof it i gues while i do everything else
As for jacking off wood, i see what you mean makes bum hole twitch when it starts to move

I just changed the gear for the later cross drilled one on my Defenders 1.410 transfer box, the gear just pulls out, left the bearings etc as is.