THE ROVER SD1 FORUM

THE JJ · SD1 User Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 116 Location: wirral

Hello all ,i am after an lt77 28A suffix 'd' box for my 1985 vitesse.It has the wrong box fitted (of an early 2300 17a 'b' suffix.If anyone can help i would be very grateful jj

JayDeeVDP · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:00 am Post subject: difference?

Pardon my ignorance JJ, but what's the difference?

Rimmers list one 5-speed box for all cars apart from the 2000 and the 2400 diesel which have different axle ratios

Presumably the (original) Vitesse 'box is toughened or different ratios?

Would the LT77 box from early discoveries be suitable, they must have been "beefed up" some?

Jay

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THE JJ · SD1 User Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 116 Location: wirral

hello jaydee,i found that my vitesse has an incorrect early 2300 box.It has slightly different ratios and smaller input bearing me thinks.I was gutted after id stripped down and bead blasted the casing ready for a rebuild to discover the 17a 'b' suffix number under the crud.jj

v8driver · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:32 am Post subject:

I know your not really into 'modding' (or as I prefer 'customising') an SD1 but have you considered a R380 'box? it is supposedly a tougher unit and is (roughly) a straight fit.

Food for thought.

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JayDeeVDP · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:11 pm Post subject:

THE JJ wrote:

hello jaydee,i found that my vitesse has an incorrect early 2300 box.It has slightly different ratios and smaller input bearing me thinks.I was gutted after id stripped down and bead blasted the casing ready for a rebuild to discover the 17a 'b' suffix number under the crud.jj

Thanks JJ, I learn something new every day Very Happy

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Lifelong SD1 fan - 1983 Rover 3500 Vanden Plas

chris_derby · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:40 pm Post subject:

So if your Vitesse has a 2300 box, does it go slower or faster? Or is the 2300 box just not strong enough?

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THE JJ · SD1 User Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 116 Location: wirral

its very slow at the mo!im in the middle of a full rebuild.The car did go very well but the box just isnt the one for a vitesse.It looks good as ive stripped it down and cleaned the internals,needs new oil pump gears(20 quid).The ratios are slightly different i think .The main thing is that i want a vitesse numbered box.Also the main bearing is slightly smaller,this box will do someone proud with an early 2300 or 2600.So i will continue to look for a 28a suffix d,cheers chaps jj

THE JJ · SD1 User Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 116 Location: wirral

oh sorry v8 driver in answer to your question the r380 box is even better.This is the type i gather used on later landy tvrs etc.the price for these is dearer than a leyland transmission 77mm box(LT77).If i found one at the right price then maybe ! Wink

jj

THE JJ · SD1 User Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 116 Location: wirral

no vitesse boxes out there by the looks of it!any leads anyone

savagewidearch · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:19 am Post subject:

I THINK we may have one at work (RPI Engineering)

I think we may have a R380 box coming up for sale soon aswell, as we are fitting a T5 box in place of a R380 on our Morgan.

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londonbabe · SD1 User Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Posts: 81

As far as I have heard, the box fitted to diesels was beefed up to cope with the low down torque. I'm not aware of any difference in ratios on any of the boxes though. It was all down to the back axle ratio.

I have heard that Sherpa vans have boxes that are tougher than the Vitesse box, but I do not know what suffix to look out for, and of course the R380 is better still.

Can an R380 or LT77 out of a Range Rover or Discovery be mixed and matched with existing LT77 parts to turn it into an RWD box?

v8driver · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:43 pm Post subject:

The unit in Land/Range Rovers is in physically the same shape,the main difference as far as we are concerned is the Transfer box attached to the back.course we just unbolt it and carry on. Smile

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Half Poly bushed 3.5 Twin plenum VITESSE(Waiting patiently for better weather)
Baby Blue D889 MOJ Daily driver

D131OVP · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:26 pm Post subject:

I always understood that the ratios are the same in all the boxes fitted to the SD1 - only the final drive ratios were changed.

The boxes got stronger with the revisions, the D being the strongest (as I recall)

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Chris P · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:17 pm Post subject:

I think a longer 5th gear was used either from series 2 or the series 1
spruce up in 1980/81. Just found the info:

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'D' was the last suffix for SD1 LT77 boxes. But the box continued to
be used in Sherpa vans, Land Rovers and probably British sports
cars like TVR and Morgan (though I think they switched to the similar
R380 or T5 box at some point). The last LT77 suffix was 'H', this suffix
have improved synchromesh. Info here:

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The box in my Vitesse is 'H' suffix, though I've no idea how it got
there. The history I had with the car included lots of stuff, but nothing
on what must have been a replacement box. I found a posting on the
web from someone else who had a 'H' suffix box in their Vitesse, so
maybe they were Rover replacement boxes at one time.

THE JJ · SD1 User Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 116 Location: wirral

your a lucky man chris,how is the h suffix box in your car does it drive ok?