LT230 Transfer box refurb

Looks like front output bearings are shot was making a clicking noise on deceleration and on closer inspection does appear to have some play in it. Fairly recently fitted a recon Ashcroft LT77 gearbox and at the same time fitted a new input shaft and bearings to the transfer box so hope no damage to them.
I am thinking I will just remove the transfer box on its own which looks simple enough. Thought I would just give a shout out to see if anyone has done this and if there is anything I need to be aware of when doing this. I have got the hood off and have the weight taken up on a block and tackle ready to remove the bolts and hopefully slide out.

if your just doing out put bearings you can do those with box insitu

Ahh right that might be easier then I watched the bearmach you tube which was an on the bench removal. Would the difflock mechanism come out also though or would it stay in place?

stays in place ,if you remove flange then seal then circlip replace flange and nut loosely and prise bearing and shaft out

Cheers James will give that a go then.

Forgive me but just in case you are unaware, there is supposed to be a small amount of radial play in the front output shaft bearing because it’s a non-taper roller unit. If the play gets excessive due to the bearing breaking up then there’s usually a fair oil leak too.

No oil leak and not a great deal of play but enough to see it when I was checking for play in the UJ's. Maybe its something worse than the end bearings then or I have noticed it before leaking has started (hopefully)
The noise was still present in neutral with engine off and rolling downhill pretty sure was coming from transfer box. Will pull out the bearing and see what I find. Thanks.

Got the front bearing out no problem as suggested. The bearing though does not look too bad but the small gears on the shaft that came out are burred at the end so I suspect this is what was making the noise under deceleration. It also feels that the difflock is jammed nothing seems to move in the transfer box when I operate the lever.
So do I strip it and attempt the rebuild myself or would it be just as cost effective to get a recon box at £500 - £600 from Ashcroft.
Also how do I tell what ratio box I have ?

Rob 90 said:

Got the front bearing out no problem as suggested. The bearing though does not look too bad but the small gears on the shaft that came out are burred at the end so I suspect this is what was making the noise under deceleration. It also feels that the difflock is jammed nothing seems to move in the transfer box when I operate the lever.
So do I strip it and attempt the rebuild myself or would it be just as cost effective to get a recon box at £500 - £600 from Ashcroft.
Also how do I tell what ratio box I have ?View attachment 179450 View attachment 179452

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if diff locks adjusted right and all free the dog teeth wont create noise you could prove it by trying in diff lock, the burring is a sign diff locks been engaged whilst a wheel is spinning,does the nut on diff lock spigot turn the spigot if you put a spanner on it

Thanks James
Just spotted a transfer box on ebay from a 91 ex MOD defender (20D 1.667 ratio) mine is an 86 ex MOD would this fit mine being an older vehicle?
Will try and see if the spigot moves with a spanner Cheers

all the lt230s will fit except disco 2, which fits but often has no diff lock or speedo fitting