Hi folks,

Searchin for gearbox tech and in current threads somebody mentioned something about cross drilled shaft problems, can anybody elaborate.

And has anybody had an attempt at fabricating sump, steering guards etc, found a drawing on web for rear guard but it seems that the tow bar protects tank, and a front one digs in if you have to get towed out backwards. What's the ones to fit for off road.

Is a winch a get you out of jail essential or can you get by with turfer, a bandalerro of ropes, and one of them plough thingies, unless of course there's a tree or a telegraph post, or some well trained cows.

Cross drilled shaft was introduced, i think, in 1997 models due to wear on the gearbox output shaft and transfer input gear. They are a sliding fit and on early models there were no oil holes so the shafts chattered and wore out causing servere slack in the drive train and clonking when pulling away and changing gear. There was a recall on early models for this and a modified input gear (with oil holes) was fitted in the transfer box.

I have made sump gaurds in the past and to be honest, you need to be a competent metal fabricator to get it right, bending machines to bend metal upto 10mm thick would help, lamp posts wont do!!!

Winch is not essential and I never had one. Just used ropes and another car if I got stuck. A winch is good in one way but bad in another, yeah it'll get you out but also your approach angle will be reduced. All depends, i spose, on where you're going as to whether you'll need one full time.

Am I right in thinking that the wear problem only happens with manual gearboxes? I've not come across it with an auto-box.

DiscoJoe said:

Am I right in thinking that the wear problem only happens with manual gearboxes? I've not come across it with an auto-box.

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Yeah, you don't get the chatter with auto because when in drive, it's contantly under load even in stop/start conditions, plus gear changes are smoother.

DiscoJoe said:

Am I right in thinking that the wear problem only happens with manual gearboxes? I've not come across it with an auto-box.

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It can happen with an auto box.

If your transfer box has a suffix 'F' it was made with the cross-drilled gear, though if it is an earlier box the gear may have been changed.