Series 3 Wheels and Tyre sizes !! + other questions !

Hi,

New to this great group - just bouht my second Landy after a gap of 18
years - 1980 Series 3 SWB diesel hardtop with new galv. chassis and
supposidly 55k on clock with old MOT's

Can anyone tell me if the following wheel tyre combination is ok - it
came with 15" alloys and LT 235/75 R x 15 tyres - Are these ok for it
and what difference with these have over the 'standard' fitments ?

Secondly, steering is heavy as f*** when at slow speeds and it wanders
alot when driving at 35+ mph - Is this normal ? or have I been used to
ordinary cages for a long while ??

Lastly, gearbox seems a little noisey in first, second and third - but
very quiet in fourth - dosn't jump out of gear or anything - syncros'
appear fine but gear selection is very wide with the stick -
acceptable or should I think of re-coning the box ?

Thanks to all in anticipation

Kim

Kim T. English wrote:

> Hi,
>
> New to this great group - just bouht my second Landy after a gap of 18
> years

Welcome back to the fold!

> 1980 Series 3 SWB diesel hardtop with new galv. chassis and
> supposidly 55k on clock with old MOT's

Maybe 155, or 255 or 355 - who cares if it goes.

> Can anyone tell me if the following wheel tyre combination is ok - it
> came with 15" alloys and LT 235/75 R x 15 tyres - Are these ok for it
> and what difference with these have over the 'standard' fitments ?

I would have thought that 15" wheels would make it /very/ low geared -
and a Landy is low enough without that. Also will reduce your ground
clearance.

Standard wheel and tyre is 16" wheel with 6.00X16 Cross ply or 205R16
Radial. You could fit LWB wheels and fit 7.50X16 tyres.


> Secondly, steering is heavy as f*** when at slow speeds and it wanders
> alot when driving at 35+ mph - Is this normal ? or have I been used to
> ordinary cages for a long while ??

Sounds normal enough - fitting the right sized wheels and tyres might
imporve things a bit.

> Lastly, gearbox seems a little noisey in first, second and third - but
> very quiet in fourth - dosn't jump out of gear or anything - syncros'
> appear fine but gear selection is very wide with the stick -
> acceptable or should I think of re-coning the box ?


If it's a bit noisy, but doesn't jump out of gear then just make sure
it's full of oil and leave well alone!

On or around Sun, 21 Nov 2004 14:53:29 +0000, Kim T. English
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
>Can anyone tell me if the following wheel tyre combination is ok - it
>came with 15" alloys and LT 235/75 R x 15 tyres - Are these ok for it
>and what difference with these have over the 'standard' fitments ?

205R16 is standard size, in radial terms. 235/70R16 is about right for
diameter but wider.

15" wheels (are you *sure* they're 15"?) ar commonly fitted with either
30x9.50R15 or 31x10.50R15 which are american-style sizes. IMHO, unless you
plan on a lot of bog-trotting, 10.5 are too wide for a SWB; I'd not look st
going much over the standard 205 which is already the same width as a 7.50
crossply, near enough. As someone else has said, 600x16 crossply was the
standard for years, until they started fitting radials. The latest 90s are
being fitted with 235/85R16 same as the 110s, but that's only in the last
few years.

235/75R15 are going to make the vehicle lower as well as lowering the
gearing slightly, thereby reducing the clearance under the diff.

>Secondly, steering is heavy as f*** when at slow speeds and it wanders
>alot when driving at 35+ mph - Is this normal ? or have I been used to
>ordinary cages for a long while ??

Get normal-sized tyres and wheels on it and get the tracking checked, also
check all the ball joints for play.

oh and blow the front tyres up to a decent pressure - I'd be looking at at
least 30psi in the tyres you have. having the tyres soft (i.e. around 28)
takes away a little road harshness, but makes the handling soggy, IMHO.

discos here both running on 36lb all round, except when heavily laden when a
few more in the back.

Dunno about all the tyre stuff, execpt every S3 I've driven had heavy
steering, and they all wandered... But it'd be worse if they are rugged
offroad tyres, I fitted offroad's to one of my S3's and the steering was
very odd onroad afterwards. U sort of get used to it after a bit, and
compensate/don't notice it any more... Also, that advice about putting
30PSI+ in the tyre's is good, low pressure for offroad, so the tyres fold
over the ruts, high pressure onroad for smooth running.

Knocking, my 2.5TD knocked BADLY when one of the injectors gave up the
ghost, so it may be worth having a look, otherwise, I'd do the same as the
other advice, just make sure the oil is topped up, and don't worry about it,
Landy diesels can be very, very clunky, and U may be worrying about
nothing.. Is it showing any smoke? again I had lots of white smoke and some
black when the injector went, and recon injectors cured it (until as with
most 2.5TD's the engine expired, but that's just because 2.5TD's are weaker
than normal).

2.25D's are pretty solid, as are 2.5NA D's, my Landy mech describes them as
"bullet proof", so if it pulls OK, and isn't putting up a smoke screen U
can't see thru, I'd just leave it alone, it'll clatter on forver if U keep
it's liquids topped and changed., so meddling may just get U a lot of
unecessary expense and offroad of the wrong type (stuck off the road at the
mechanics, or up your drive)

On Sun, 21 Nov 2004 18:27:24 GMT, "Me"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>2.25D's are pretty solid, as are 2.5NA D's, my Landy mech describes them as
>"bullet proof"
A 2.5 D will go about 2 miles in heavy traffic without an oil drain
plug, and then not be seriously knackered afterwards! Thats fairly
bulletproof IMO!

On 21 Nov 2004 16:17:41 GMT, "Simon Atkinson" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Kim T. English wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> New to this great group - just bouht my second Landy after a gap of 18
>> years
>
>Welcome back to the fold!
>
>> 1980 Series 3 SWB diesel hardtop with new galv. chassis and
>> supposidly 55k on clock with old MOT's
>
>Maybe 155, or 255 or 355 - who cares if it goes.
>
>> Can anyone tell me if the following wheel tyre combination is ok - it
>> came with 15" alloys and LT 235/75 R x 15 tyres - Are these ok for it
>> and what difference with these have over the 'standard' fitments ?
>
>I would have thought that 15" wheels would make it /very/ low geared -
>and a Landy is low enough without that. Also will reduce your ground
>clearance.
>
>Standard wheel and tyre is 16" wheel with 6.00X16 Cross ply or 205R16
>Radial. You could fit LWB wheels and fit 7.50X16 tyres.
>
>
>> Secondly, steering is heavy as f*** when at slow speeds and it wanders
>> alot when driving at 35+ mph - Is this normal ? or have I been used to
>> ordinary cages for a long while ??
>
>Sounds normal enough - fitting the right sized wheels and tyres might
>imporve things a bit.
>
>> Lastly, gearbox seems a little noisey in first, second and third - but
>> very quiet in fourth - dosn't jump out of gear or anything - syncros'
>> appear fine but gear selection is very wide with the stick -
>> acceptable or should I think of re-coning the box ?
>
>
>If it's a bit noisy, but doesn't jump out of gear then just make sure
>it's full of oil and leave well alone!



Well thanks to all your advice...... - the wheels and tyres will be
changed probably to 7.50 x16 from a LWB - any suggestions for cheap
tyres in the Nottinghamshire/South Yorks or where ever would be
appreciated !!

As to the gearbox - I suppose the first thing is to do all the oil
levels/seals and see how we progress - would an additive or something
quieten it a little or would that cause more harm than good ?

The gear stick has alot of travel between 1&2 and 3&4 - 1 st gear
being a learning process to remember where it is exactly !! - Is there
a repair that can be done/part replaced to sort this without dropping
the 'box I wonder ??

Does anyone know any good Series 3 or Landrover Clubs in the above
areas ? - Any help appreciated !

Cheers again for all your help/replies

Kim

Kim T. English wrote:
>
> Well thanks to all your advice...... - the wheels and tyres will be
> changed probably to 7.50 x16 from a LWB - any suggestions for cheap
> tyres in the Nottinghamshire/South Yorks or where ever would be
> appreciated !!

Just scored a nice set of four wheels and tyres on Ebay...


> As to the gearbox - I suppose the first thing is to do all the oil
> levels/seals and see how we progress - would an additive or something
> quieten it a little or would that cause more harm than good ?

Just check the levels and top up if required. Only change the seals if
it's coming back out quicker than you can pump it in.

> The gear stick has alot of travel between 1&2 and 3&4 - 1 st gear
> being a learning process to remember where it is exactly !! - Is there
> a repair that can be done/part replaced to sort this without dropping
> the 'box I wonder ??

Sounds normal enough... You'll get used to it!

On Sunday, in article
<[email protected]>
[email protected] "Kim T. English" wrote:

> The gear stick has alot of travel between 1&2 and 3&4 - 1 st gear
> being a learning process to remember where it is exactly !! - Is there
> a repair that can be done/part replaced to sort this without dropping
> the 'box I wonder ??

One potential cause is wear on the bottom end of the stick, where it
engages with the selectors. I don't recall the exact details of how
things all fit together -- the Lightweight has a few slight differences
in the floor plates and transmission tunnel -- but once you get the
transmission tunnel off, the gear-stick assembly and selectors are
visible. I think there are four bolts holding the gear-stick assembly
pn the top of the box.






--
David G. Bell -- SF Fan, Filker, and Punslinger.

"History shows that the Singularity started when Sir Tim Berners-Lee
was bitten by a radioactive spider."

David G. Bell wrote:

> On Sunday, in article
> <[email protected]>
> [email protected] "Kim T. English" wrote:
>
>> The gear stick has alot of travel between 1&2 and 3&4 - 1 st gear
>> being a learning process to remember where it is exactly !! - Is there
>> a repair that can be done/part replaced to sort this without dropping
>> the 'box I wonder ??
>
> One potential cause is wear on the bottom end of the stick, where it
> engages with the selectors. I don't recall the exact details of how
> things all fit together -- the Lightweight has a few slight differences
> in the floor plates and transmission tunnel -- but once you get the
> transmission tunnel off, the gear-stick assembly and selectors are
> visible. I think there are four bolts holding the gear-stick assembly
> pn the top of the box.
>
>
>
>
>
>
Travel may be long compare to what you are used to but there are two things
that could be wrong and are external to the box. There is a screwed in peg
that stops the gearlever rotating - this may be worn or loose - easy fix.
Second, some S3 at least have a nylon knob on the bottom end of the
gearlever - if worn or missing it will make the gear shifting terrible.
JD