R380 bellhousings

ChrisJC · Post by **ChrisJC** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 7:56 pm

Hi All,
I know the LT77 had short (SD1) and long (Range Rover) bellhousings.
The R380 came after the SD1, so I am not aware of any car applications with the RV8 for it.

But I am wondering if there was a V8 short bellhousing for the R380, if so, what was it fitted to? Clearly there has to be a matching input shaft to go with it.

Does the LT77 bellhousing and input shaft fit the R380?

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Chris.

tonio7# · Post by **tonio7#** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 6:08 pm

just for follow, I will change my lt85 for r 380 to

sowen · Post by **sowen** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 8:55 pm

R380 from an LDV Pilot isn't too far different externally from the LT77, the pinion and front cover are dimensionally slightly different, surely nothing a simple spacer shim couldn't sort if there were any clearance issues?

ChrisJC · Post by **ChrisJC** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:23 pm

Interesting. I wonder if I can find some pictures of the input shafts, or get one of each from eBay?!

My motive is to fit the R380 from a Discovery in my Landie, to the V8, but since length is a problem, I don't want to waste it in a bellhousing if I can avoid it.

Chris.

sowen · Post by **sowen** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 9:37 pm

I believe the R380 would not share anything internally from the LT77. One option would be to check if the 4x4 and rwd variants share the same layshaft, if so then acquire the pinion for a rwd 'box and swap it in. It could be necessary to make a bellhousing spacer shim if the end of the splined part of the pinion binds on the crankshaft when fitting.

I'm sure there was a 4x4 R380 short bellhousing variant, but couldn't say for sure or what it would have been fitted to?

It's something that I may do myself as I've had no end of people who say that I'll blow up the LT77 in my Land Rover, swb series 3 with 6 pot diesel. Disco gearboxes are so easy to come by now, got a spare R380 for my Disco too!

minorv8 · Post by **minorv8** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:16 am

I think at least Morgan and MG RV8 used a R380 box .

Commercials with R380 have different ratios so even if it physically would fit the ratios are no good. 1st gear is about 4.1:1 whereas saloons have something like 3.3:1

You can convert the commercial box to saloon ratios but it is not cheap. Been there done that

sowen · Post by **sowen** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 6:33 pm

Whats wrong with 4:1 1st? Just means people like me can have a nice tall final drive for low engine rpm's at fast cruising speeds and a usable 1st gear which doesn't need slipping the clutch on any hint of an upward incline or slow moving traffic

minorv8 · Post by **minorv8** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:19 am

Depends what you drive. SD1 has 3.32 1st gear and 3.08 diff ratio and it is a rather heavy car. 4.1 gear in 1st means that your box is basically a 4 speed box with more or less useless 1st gear. Note also that 2nd and 3rd gears also have a lower ratio.

My car weighs 1100 kg and has the 3.08. For my use the commercial ratios were not suitable. Matter of taste anyway

sowen · Post by **sowen** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:19 pm

I find that 1st gear in my SD1 is too tall, needs slipping more than I'd like when pulling away, crawls too fast in 1st so traffic is a pain in the backside. I'm sure it's still got the 3.08 axle, keep meaning to check, plans are 2.88 ratio axle with the LDV Pilot 'box and crawler 1st

, more useful to me as I've already used it for towing and recovery work, and do most of my driving on motorways so want a decent cruising top gear