Chassis difference questions

Hi all,

Apologies if this has been covered before, I've had a bit of a hunt around and haven't been able to locate a similar thread.

My Defender 110 needs a replacement chassis. It started life as a V8, but is currently running a 200tdi from a Discovery, and I can only assume it's running the LT77 gearbox that would have originally been mated with the V8.

When I've looked on various websites, there are two chassis options - 200tdi / 2.5TD chassis and a V8 chassis.

My question(s) are:

-- What are the differences between the two chassis? (I'm assuming engine mounts?)
-- If the chassis are indeed different, what should I be looking out for on my current chassis to indicate if it was modified to take on the 200tdi?
-- OR does a Disco 200tdi mount differently to a Defender 200tdi? (I can't see how it would, as the block is the same between the two engines!)

Thanks in advance,

My 1984 110 V8 had a different gearbox, think it was LT95 or 85
Was geared different, I put a disco transfer box behind it and it was doing 90 in third and still going !!!!


gearbox mounts will be in same place, disco bellhousing longer pushing engine forward but otherwise the same

landowner said:

My 1984 110 V8 had a different gearbox, think it was LT95 or 85
Was geared different, I put a disco transfer box behind it and it was doing 90 in third and still going !!!!


gearbox mounts will be in same place, disco bellhousing longer pushing engine forward but otherwise the same

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Hmm, well, I've googled and the lt95 was a 4 speed, and mine is a 5 speed, but I suppose it could be a lt85 - any idea how to tell the difference?

Obi_110 said:

Hmm, well, I've googled and the lt95 was a 4 speed, and mine is a 5 speed, but I suppose it could be a lt85 - any idea how to tell the difference?

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Sorry no
It was ten years or more ago, mine was 5 speed but not LT77 and was an unmolested 110 1984

landowner said:

Sorry no
It was ten years or more ago, mine was 5 speed but not LT77 and was an unmolested 110 1984

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No worries - it looks as though the serial number will help me ID whether I have the 77 or 85. I'll do some homework on whether it's the dimensions are the same and just the gearing is different.

just on my original Q, aren't the engine mounts different between the chassis then?

Engine mounts situated to suit engine, there will be an engine mount expert along shortly

Have a look at your mounts and see if they have been cut off and welded in a different place.

Discovery gearbox has a long bellhousing and gear lever ŵould be in a different place, slightly.
Lt77 reverse gear is to the left and forward I do believe.

Anaconda said:

Discovery gearbox has a long bellhousing and gear lever ŵould be in a different place, slightly.
Lt77 reverse gear is to the left and forward I do believe.

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Yep, my reverse is left and up, having had a quick look a think it's going to be a lt77, as the lt85 looks a lot different.

is there an easy way to tell the difference between disco and discovery Bell housing and flywheel housing?

Obi_110 said:

Can you mate a defender lt77 to a disco 200tdi?

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yes you can, this was the standard gearbox for the 200tdi out of the factory, and was the gearbox used for all diesel defenders until the end of the 300tdi. This combination is what I have in mine. If you have a 200tdi and an lt77 you should be ok to order the tdi chassis. have a quick look to check you do not have the disco box (very obvious gear lever positions difference with a quick google for pics), but as long as a defender configuration should be no problem.

Obi_110 said:

Hi all,

Apologies if this has been covered before, I've had a bit of a hunt around and haven't been able to locate a similar thread.

My Defender 110 needs a replacement chassis. It started life as a V8, but is currently running a 200tdi from a Discovery, and I can only assume it's running the LT77 gearbox that would have originally been mated with the V8.

When I've looked on various websites, there are two chassis options - 200tdi / 2.5TD chassis and a V8 chassis.

My question(s) are:

-- What are the differences between the two chassis? (I'm assuming engine mounts?)
-- If the chassis are indeed different, what should I be looking out for on my current chassis to indicate if it was modified to take on the 200tdi?
-- OR does a Disco 200tdi mount differently to a Defender 200tdi? (I can't see how it would, as the block is the same between the two engines!)

Thanks in advance,

Click to expand...

I assume you didn't do the conversion?

Really you need to know more about your vehicle and be prepared that any chassis swap may require some fab work.

A V8 110 would not have had an LT-77 as standard. Much more likely to be the LT-85. But who knows what it is now.

Defender and Discovery 200Tdi's are slightly different, as is the bellhousing and while both used the LT-77, there are also differences in the top plate and link/lever layout.

One option is to buy a V8 chassis, as that is what you would have had/have currently got. But if your current chassis was modified to accept the engine and/or transmission. You'd then need to make these same mods to your new chassis.

Option Two. If your vehicle has been converted to match what a factory 200Tdi Defender would have been. Then you should be able to order a Tdi chassis and just swap it all over. The big 'but' here is. You really need to know what has been done and what gearbox and bell housing you are running. This really translates to where the engine and gearbox are mounted more than anything.

I am sure if you post up a photo of your engine location in the engine bay and picture of you bell housing the more experienced can advice better.

dag019 said:

yes you can, this was the standard gearbox for the 200tdi out of the factory, and was the gearbox used for all diesel defenders until the end of the 300tdi. This combination is what I have in mine. If you have a 200tdi and an lt77 you should be ok to order the tdi chassis. have a quick look to check you do not have the disco box (very obvious gear lever positions difference with a quick google for pics), but as long as a defender configuration should be no problem.

Click to expand...

Thanks - from what I could see, the disco variation of the lt77 had the high / low / diff lock in front of the gear stick? My secondary gear stick is behind the main gear stick, but that doesn't rule out its running an Lt85 I guess

300bhp/ton said:

I assume you didn't do the conversion?

Really you need to know more about your vehicle and be prepared that any chassis swap may require some fab work.

A V8 110 would not have had an LT-77 as standard. Much more likely to be the LT-85. But who knows what it is now.

Defender and Discovery 200Tdi's are slightly different, as is the bellhousing and while both used the LT-77, there are also differences in the top plate and link/lever layout.

One option is to buy a V8 chassis, as that is what you would have had/have currently got. But if your current chassis was modified to accept the engine and/or transmission. You'd then need to make these same mods to your new chassis.

Option Two. If your vehicle has been converted to match what a factory 200Tdi Defender would have been. Then you should be able to order a Tdi chassis and just swap it all over. The big 'but' here is. You really need to know what has been done and what gearbox and bell housing you are running. This really translates to where the engine and gearbox are mounted more than anything.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply. No, I didn't do the conversion, was all done when I got the vehicle, and it's in a poorly old state, so I'm facing a rechassis / re-bulkhead as well as rebuilding the 200tdi, so wanting to do my homework ahead of time to know what parts I'll need to go for.

I just had a really quick scrabble around underneath, and just going on the look of the gearbox casing, it looks like an LT77. I've googled the LT85, and from what I can see, there are large sections of flat metal on those, whereas with mine, I have the ridges all over it like an LT77 - I'll try and find some serial numbers off it, it's covered in grime at the moment! Does that ring true though from a visual perspective? Are there any other ways to tell, like where the filler holes are or owt?





I think you're Option 2 is the best path really - I wouldn't want to buy a galvanised V8 chassis then chop the mounts off.

Are the core differences in the chassis the mounting points for engine and gearbox, there's not anything else different?

That's is from a Discovery, you can see how long the bell housing is.
I would hazard a guess the gearbox will be in the standard position, engine fitted to it, V8 mounts chopped off and 200tdi ones welded on to the chassis.

Anaconda said:

That's is from a Discovery, you can see how long the bell housing is.
I would hazard a guess the gearbox will be in the standard position, engine fitted to it, V8 mounts chopped off and 200tdi ones welded on to the chassis.

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So the "second" gear lever is closer to the engine than the main one for a disco?

Mines the "normal" layout for a defender, I just don't know for certain if it's lt77 or lt85

Obi_110 said:

So the "second" gear lever is closer to the engine than the main one for a disco?

Mines the "normal" layout for a defender, I just don't know for certain if it's lt77 or lt85

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Yes the smaller one to the front.
Guess you will need to find the gearbox number.

Instead of chopping mounts of my chassis I made up some plates from Disco engine mounts to carry the mounting point 4 inches further forward which was the amount required to put disco 200 tdi in a 2.5 N/A chassis.
The plates were then bolted to the chassis mounts and disco 200 engine mounts

Anaconda said:

Yes the smaller one to the front.
Guess you will need to find the gearbox number.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll have a scrabble around at the weekend to get some numbers

landowner said:

Instead of chopping mounts of my chassis I made up some plates from Disco engine mounts to carry the mounting point 4 inches further forward which was the amount required to put disco 200 tdi in a 2.5 N/A chassis.
The plates were then bolted to the chassis mounts and disco 200 engine mounts

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I'm so confused

I looked at Richards chassis, they sell an na / td / 200tdi chassis, and the defender 200tdi and disco 200tdi use the same block.

So is the 4 inches difference just down to the bell housing and flywheel housing? So if I ensure my flywheel and bell housing are defender, I should be golden?