help please!

[UMTdisco]

Got a question for all you westerners around Montana.. I just moved out here to Univ. of Montana from South Carolina and ofcourse my trusty ol 97 disco rear ends falls out.. Probably my fault owell... but any how i am up the creek without a paddle bc. there is no garage around for a couple hundred miles (so ive been told) that can fix it.... anybody have any suggestions on garages????? HELP PLEASE PLEASE...

 

[JMyerz]

Get a tighter belt?

what do you mean your rear end fell out?

JM

 

[UMTdisco]

what i mean when i say my "rear end fell out" NOT MY ASS, but my ASS end of truck.. yeah i am still running 3.54 gears with 33's... so after driving 3200 miles to Montana I was going faster than i shouldve like 75-90 and it chipped some teeth off the spider gear... it happened before and i didnt learn my lesson when it cost me $900... SHOULDVE PUT 4.10 AFTER THAT HAPPENED!

 

[NVRover]

not sure where exactly in MT you're located but here's a link to a Rover mechanic in MT.
http://www.bushducks.com/landrover/landrover.htm#MT

Maybe that will be helpful, or they may know of someone closer.

 

[Axel]

Did you have a locker in that rear end, or was it a standard Rover diff? If it was a standard diff, i bet your center pin was the culprit, and I'm not so sure it had anything to do with speed.

I also assume that you have a nice, big hole in your diff housing now where the gears got spit out? You will have to find somebody to weld that up for you.

For the diff itself, I would get a complete Third member from Bill at Great Basin Rovers, set up with a Detroit and gears. You can pop that right in after you have gotten the diff housing fixed. But don't put 4.11 in the rear unless you also change the front, of course.

What about the splines on the axle shafts, are they damaged too?

 

[Axel]

Get a tighter belt?

what do you mean your rear end fell out?

JM

Justin: Keep your smartass remarks to yourself. Consider this your first and last warning.

 

[Sergei]

Well if spider gear is goner and no good shops around, then you pretty much looking at new carrier.
Of course you still can try to go to 4x4 shop and ask them if they can rebuild/machine it, but its sort of patch-up.
Or you can buy parts and try to fix it yourself. I think britishpacific.com had spider gears on list at some point.

If not you options are:
You can get truetrac or detroit (thought with your style of driving and stock half-shafts it will be disaster again ) for under 400$. You can get ARB for around 560$. Either one will be stronger option.
If you stranded on cash to do that (being student) - you can try to get used carrier. They are going in range from about 100$ to 400$, depending where you looking.

And yeah running 33" with stock gearing in there is not good idea Your halfshafts will get all twisty and turny from that. And putting lower gears will not help to preserve stock spider gear from breaking btw. In fact it will happen sooner.

 

[Steve83]

New diffs are at an all-time low price from LR, but they're also on intergalactic subatomic backorder. My dealership accidentally got one (we still haven't figured it out because the day it arrived it was still listed as NOT AVAILABLE), so if you want it, I can give you a phone number. I think they're going for less than $400, but that's NOT a quote!

 

[UMTdisco]

OK another question.. I do alot of highway driving as well as a little off roading on the weekends.. what would yaw recomind... LOCKERS or GEARS?

Thanks NVROVER for the garage update...

 

[Shawn M]

I live in Calgary, Alberta just a few miles North of the Montana border. If you're in a bind and are going to stay stock for now I'll sell you the stock gear carrier from my '96 for cheap. I just put in a rear TT, and the LR carrier is sitting on the shelf.

If you can at all swing it, go with Great Basin, I bought my TT from Bill there and was treated very well. He has a wealth of Rover knowledge and seemed more interested in making sure I got what was best for my use rather than selling me whatever he made the highest margin on.

Good luck

Shawn

Email me off board if you're interested.
shawnmckenzie at shaw dot ca

 

[NVRover]

Hey no problem Murray, I hope it was somewhat helpful. After reading the other posts, I have what may be classified as a dumb question...the differentials don't appear to be too mechanically complex, therefore couldn't just about any certified (and hopefully competent) mechanic replace the rear differential? I don't think Rover differentials are that unique are they?

I'm kind of in the same situation as you, being out in "the middle of nowhere." So, I'm learning here too.

 

[scrover]

OK another question.. I do a lot of highway driving as well as a little off roading on the weekends.. what would yaw recomind... LOCKERS or GEARS?

Thanks NVROVER for the garage update...

My stock rear diff recently did the same thing - grenaded on the freeway . Don't worry about putting in weaker 4.10 gears, just get a truetrac and put it in yourself if possible. It's a learning experience - a really dirty one but you'll have a greater understanding of your drive-train If you don't want to tackle it, any competent drive-train shop should be able to do it - just tell them the manual says 'nominal backlash'

SC

 

[curtis]

(Edited) After reading the other posts, I have what may be classified as a dumb question...the differentials don't appear to be too mechanically complex, therefore couldn't just about any certified (and hopefully competent) mechanic replace the rear differential? I don't think Rover differentials are that unique are they?

Well, the anser is yes and no from what I understand. Based on the serial number stamped on the third member your diff may have a slightly different pinion preload than others. This means that you should research at least this element before setting the pinion preload. Too many thousands and you can end up with an uncomfotable growl. I can't say this for sure from experience, but this is what Bill at GBR relayed to me once in an unrelated conversation...

 

[Sergei]

the differentials don't appear to be too mechanically complex, therefore couldn't just about any certified (and hopefully competent) mechanic replace the rear differential?

Yes. Generally speaking any shop that dealt with differentials setting on regular basis can do it for you. Most of specialized 4x4 shops can do it. Its not that hard, just takes some tools and ability to figure out how to put things together and also ability to explain to customers certain things about break-in period.

If you feel adventurious you can do it yourself. You may need some new/extra shims to set up pinion in accordance to numbers grinded on pinion head and crown ring (table is in shop manual to my recollection)) to set up preload correctly. And new bearings on carrier and may be pinion will be good idea. Other than that - its all about having tools and patience, and breaking some sweat

 

[Steve83]

I just built one last week, but I didn't have to worry about pinion depth (bearings only). I don't remember the exact preload spec either, but 17 in-lb seems to stick in my memory. It's adjusted by the length of the collar between the pinion bearings.

To set the gear mesh, install the carrier & both adjuster wheels (loose). Advance the ring-side wheel until the ring gear has NO freeplay (full mesh with the pinion). Advance the carrier-side wheel until that bearing is seated in its race & recheck the mesh, adjusting both wheels as needed. Once the ring is fully meshed & both bearings are fully seated, install the dial on a ring gear tooth & advance the carrier-side wheel until there is .004-.007" of freeplay.

DONE!