LDV Pilot gearbox (R380) or LT77 17A

TyroleanRover

Active Member
Dear community,

While having a little research about my "4.6+" conversion (starts on 29th of november) almost everyone tells me i have to change my standard gearbox to something stronger.
I found some information and a offers to LDV pilot gearboxes, because this should be the best ressource for RWD R380 gearboxes.
If i understood it right, the R380 RWD gearbox is the as the LT77 (same dimensions, fits to v8 bellhouse...) with other internals?
Where do i find a bellhouse that fits?
What about the "remote control"
And is the LDV gearbox the one i need?

Gearbox Assembly | LDV

best regards
Simon

Otherwise i found a guy in Austria selling a LT77.
790_1945424469.jpg

Unfortunatly the 17A should be Rover 2300/2600 box...
Not a good idea to change my 4-speed to this one?
 
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The RV8 bellhousing will fit that box, but I think the input shaft is longer on the LDV box meaning it won't fit the engine with the RV8 bellhousing fitted.
I suggest you research that before buying a box.
 
Thanks harvey

What do you think about the offered LT77?
Does it mean 17A127840C or 17A1278400

Some internet sites tell that there is no real difference between the prefix 17A and 19A boxes, only the suffix is important and that a C suffix means small bearings no matter if 17A or 19A...

Baron von Marlon once wrote:
"The first part of the serial number has no relevance to the strength of the gearbox - that's determined by the suffix, with different bearings fitted depending on age. The smallest bearings are fitted to the A (and possibly B suffix) boxes, with the C having a different, larger, input bearing. The next iteration was D, which has a different input pinion bearing again, with larger bearings fitted all round, as far as I'm aware (I've not had a D suffix box apart yet).
There are also later variants with even bigger bearings on E and F suffixes, but these are relatively rare."

 
I'd say that unless you're going to give the box a really hard time that LT77 box will be fine, providing it's in good condition obviously, and I'd agree with what baron VonMarlon wrote. You have to be a bit careful with suffixes as some apply to Land/Range Rover boxes which aren't any good for your application.
 
If possible and it makes sense, i would prefer the offered LT-77 because it is in Austria and I could see and buy.

I wrote Ashcroft an email with the numbers, let's see what they say...
 
I used my automatic bellhousing with a suitable DIY adapter plated to accommodate the dimensions.
We machined a hole in the side to locate the slave cylinder and made a bracket for it.
I used a box out of an SD1, and killed it in short order with a warmed up cam. Then used the bellhousing to fit a 4 speed overdrive Jag box before parking the car up.
 
Dear community,

While having a little research about my "4.6+" conversion (starts on 29th of november) almost everyone tells me i have to change my standard gearbox to something stronger.
I found some information and a offers to LDV pilot gearboxes, because this should be the best ressource for RWD R380 gearboxes.
If i understood it right, the R380 RWD gearbox is the as the LT77 (same dimensions, fits to v8 bellhouse...) with other internals?
Where do i find a bellhouse that fits?
What about the "remote control"
And is the LDV gearbox the one i need?

Gearbox Assembly | LDV

best regards
Simon

Otherwise i found a guy in Austria selling a LT77.
790_1945424469.jpg

Unfortunatly the 17A should be Rover 2300/2600 box...
Not a good idea to change my 4-speed to this one?

Bell housings are now made again by Rimmer, not cheap though. original ones are getting scarce. I sold one on a Dutch kind of ebay some month ago and it was gone in 1 day. These remote controls you should be able to find as a lot of boxes were robbed for parts or have poor main shafts. The main shaft has a sort of flying bearing so if you can move the input shaft, it needs a rebuild. I rebuild a few. Parts are relatively cheap and rebuilding is no rocket science. You need a set of bearing pullers. It has an internal oil pump with fiber gears which wear out. The best would be if they allow you to open the box. The gears of the rear speed often are chipped. Not really a big problem but if more pieces get off, they could wear out you bearings.
Peter
 
I have a British Leyland SD1 workshop manual and it has different paragragh's for the removal and fitting of the gearbox for the 2000, 2300/2600 and 3500 but the chapter with the gearbox overhaul is the same for all models and doesn't mention any differences. I ftted a B suffic to my MGB v8 conversion and after overhaul its done 30.000 km without problems

Peter
 
You have a B suffix?
So if C is very early, what about B then? very very early ;-) ?

I keep my eyes open for another box.
Would have been a good opportunity to change the gearbox while having the engine made.

The seller asked 400 EUR for the LT77 but could not answer if it really works or anything about the milage. That's not cheap either.
 
You have a B suffix?
So if C is very early, what about B then? very very early ;-) ?

I keep my eyes open for another box.
Would have been a good opportunity to change the gearbox while having the engine made.

The seller asked 400 EUR for the LT77 but could not answer if it really works or anything about the milage. That's not cheap either.

Might be an early one. Did this conversion approx 15 years ago when LT77's and parts were plenty available. I then payed Euro 225,- for a SD1 RV8 engine with an LT77 attached and picked up a driveable SD1 car with a poor body for Euro 350,-. Euro 400,- is not cheap but these are not cheap anymore especially when it comes with the bell housing. There are a lot of crap Lt77's around so be careful. If you can move the input shaft, it will still work but its rebuild time
You also have a look at TR7 and TR8 LT77. The later TR7's all had TR8 boxes
Peter
 
Those were the days....
I bought a 3,9 motor for the injection bits and paid 100 GBP. I asked the guy to strip all the bits off and told him he could sell the rest again as payment for the labour of stripping it.
Sadly, my injection bits never made it to Cape Town..
 
Mine's a 19A ****b and was supposed to be rebuilt when I bought the car - it wasn't though. I rebuilt it a few years ago and haven't had an issue with it, even though I have been tuning the EFI system, which means up and down through the gears flat out with a 4L and a host of tuning goodies.

If that's a 17A****c in a 5 speed, you should be fine with that. I'm more worried about the diff :oops:
 
Thank you guys.

@harvey: I really liked the overdrive in my MGB, it was just an idea that came up...
@quattro: Thanks for this info. I may ask ashcroft again, the box for sale should have had a rebuilt years ago but was never used. My plan is to be very gentle with the accelerator ;-) but i am not sure about my original 4-speed even though alex used his 4.6 with it and wasn't really very gentle...
His successor still kept the box with the supercharger on.

Yesterday a bell housing showed up on german ebay. Quite cheap... 50€.
There isn't much info from the seller, it just says:

$_72.JPG


Land Rover LT77 bellhousing from a 1993 V8.

Ususally they are for sale for around 200-400€...
What do you think.
 
I really liked the overdrive in my MGB, it was just an idea that came up...

You can get a MGB/Triumph/Jaguar/Volvo overdrive and fabricate a front housing with a flange to make a self contained unit to bolt in behind the gearbox, providing there's enough room in the tunnel to fit it.
 
You can get a MGB/Triumph/Jaguar/Volvo overdrive and fabricate a front housing with a flange to make a self contained unit to bolt in behind the gearbox, providing there's enough room in the tunnel to fit it.

I was thinking on this, and one side effect would be that the speedo will read correctly when the overdrive is off, but will also read low with the O/D engaged. Now i guess that the O/D should also have provision for a speedo drive, so perhaps it is just a matter of pairing the O/D speedo take off with the original cable, or install an electronic speedo drive device.
Anyway, i certainly realise that in such an installation the speedo will be the easiest part!
I never stop to wonder however why Rover never offered an overdrive as an option, especially when considering that the directly competitive Triumph model was fitted with an overdrive.
 
I never stop to wonder however why Rover never offered an overdrive as an option, especially when considering that the directly competitive Triumph model was fitted with an overdrive.

And considering many p4's had overdrive
 
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