Heavy clutch in Ninety

Pappasmurf · Dec 5, 2019

My knees are getting worse. I'm getting huge amounts of pain in my left knee while operating the clutch. I know there is the clutch servo jobbies that make the clutch easier to operate, but just how much easier is it? It's on an 89 Ninety with a Disco 200tdi on an lt77 box.

I may have to contemplate changing vehicles. Is a Disco 2 TD5 any better, or am I best off with an automatic. Are Defender autos any good?

Europa486 · Dec 5, 2019

I am resurrecting my old Discovery 200tdi, usual welding and stuff, But when I brought her in 1990 the kind of work I was doing meant a lot of stop start traffic and was killing my left leg,
So I put on a remote servo in between the master and slave with a vacuum pickup, very simple job,
It certainly reduce the pedal effort by 2/3 and makes driving her in traffic a doddle,

Turboman · Dec 5, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
Are Defender autos any good?

As far as I know, there are no factory Defender Autos.
There were some factory V8 Auto Nineties made, but they are scarce now, and sell for very good money when they do come up for sale.
There will be others that people have retro fitted with auto boxes, but I don't know how many, and quality of the conversion may be variable.

neilly · Dec 5, 2019

What style return spring has your clutch pedal got?

If it is the long tension spring then the LR std assist springs help a heck of a lot, and the LOF sroing is an improvement on those.

Cheers

marksman · Dec 5, 2019

I'm fitting a powermaster cylinder to mine during my refurb (as well as an LOF assist spring). to see if it lightens it noticeably I'll report back when I'm back on the road

Disco1BFG · Dec 5, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
My knees are getting worse. I'm getting huge amounts of pain in my left knee while operating the clutch. I know there is the clutch servo jobbies that make the clutch easier to operate, but just how much easier is it? It's on an 89 Ninety with a Disco 200tdi on an lt77 box.

I more or less answered all that in the thread I did:-

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/servo-assisting-the-clutch-300tdi-r380.301335/

But, in summary, pedal effort went down to less than half with 2.3:1 servo - and higher ratio ones are available...

You can come and try SWMBO's D1 clutch if you want - If you are out this way

Pappasmurf said:
am I best off with an automatic. Are Defender autos any good?

Of course you are better off with an auto - SO much easier - and no more knee pain whilst driving

. Quite a few threads on here, all, IIRC, very pleased with the result.

Pappasmurf · Dec 6, 2019

neilly said:
What style return spring has your clutch pedal got?

If it is the long tension spring then the LR std assist springs help a heck of a lot, and the LOF sroing is an improvement on those.

Cheers

It is completely standard. I wasn't aware there were any upgrade return springs avaliable for the lt77.

Pappasmurf · Dec 6, 2019

I'm looking at the Ashcroft conversion. It looks really nice, it uses the NAS console. Issue is, its £2500. Which I suppose is cheaper than buying a good condition auto Disco 2, and definately cheaper than an auto Defender.

Disco1BFG · Dec 6, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
I'm looking at the Ashcroft conversion. It looks really nice, it uses the NAS console. Issue is, its £2500. Which I suppose is cheaper than buying a good condition auto Disco 2, and definately cheaper than an auto Defender.

Better the devil you know - if you get on with a deafener, then stick with it - As you say, an auto will make it worth more, so this can only be better IMHO.

IIRC, @Litch did the conversion himself using the Ashcroft kit a little while ago - and did a thread on it anorl - but I can't find it - hence tagging him

Pappasmurf · Dec 6, 2019

Disco1BFG said:
Better the devil you know - if you get on with a deafener, then stick with it - As you say, an auto will make it worth more, so this can only be better IMHO.

IIRC, @Litch did the conversion himself using the Ashcroft kit a little while ago - and did a thread on it anorl - but I can't find it - hence tagging him

I'm tempted to try and find a Disco 1 300tdi auto, rip the engine and gearbox out and chuck that in, with the NAS centre console.

Disco1BFG · Dec 6, 2019

Found the thread by Litch:-

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/300tdi-auto-conversion.299535/

Pappasmurf said:
I'm tempted to try and find a Disco 1 300tdi auto, rip the engine and gearbox out and chuck that in, with the NAS centre console.

Only issue is that the disco will probably be EDC - so you either have to keep that ( with the parts unavailability issues inherent ), or swap over to standard FIP and Injectors.....

Pappasmurf · Dec 6, 2019

Disco1BFG said:
Found the thread by Litch:-

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/300tdi-auto-conversion.299535/

Only issue is that the disco will probably be EDC - so you either have to keep that ( with the parts unavailability issues inherent ), or swap over to standard FIP and Injectors.....

Yeah probably go for the easy option.

Disco1BFG · Dec 6, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
Yeah probably go for the easy option.

Always

Turboman · Dec 6, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
I'm tempted to try and find a Disco 1 300tdi auto, rip the engine and gearbox out and chuck that in, with the NAS centre console.

I liked my Auto V8 Disco 2. Auto, smooth, comfortable seats that didn't knacker my back, and I only paid £1200, and sold it for £750 four years later.

Pappasmurf · Dec 6, 2019

Turboman said:
I liked my Auto V8 Disco 2. Auto, smooth, comfortable seats that didn't knacker my back, and I only paid £1200, and sold it for £750 four years later.

Not sure I could justify a V8, as much as I would love one. Need those few extra mpg's from the diesel.

Turboman · Dec 6, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
Not sure I could justify a V8, as much as I would love one. Need those few extra mpg's from the diesel.

At the time, the fuel was a business expense.
But even for the average owner who doesn't do many miles, the difference in purchase cost may make up a lot of the difference in fuel cost.

neilly · Dec 6, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
It is completely standard. I wasn't aware there were any upgrade return springs avaliable for the lt77.

Take a picture and post it on here of your clutch pedal and the return spring, if it is the long tension spring a £20 mod can make a heck of a difference.

Cheers

Pappasmurf · Dec 6, 2019

neilly said:
Take a picture and post it on here of your clutch pedal and the return spring, if it is the long tension spring a £20 mod can make a heck of a difference.

Cheers

Yeah it's just the standard long squeaky spring.

Turboman · Dec 6, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
Yeah it's just the standard long squeaky spring.

Is it the spring squeaking, or the bushes in the pedal box?
If the latter, a few drops of oil, applied from above with an oil can, will stop the squeak, and may make the pedal fractionally easier as well.

neilly · Dec 6, 2019

Pappasmurf said:
Yeah it's just the standard long squeaky spring.

You willl need to check the pedal itself can accept the assist spring, it need to have the cutouts in the arm, which some of the models had and some did not, I am not sure if the 200tdi had the correct pedal fitted. My 300tdi had the correct pedal but was originally fitted with the longer spring, so I was able to mod it.

Cheers

Heavy clutch in Ninety

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