Shortest Auto for Rover V8 - TH350 info ?

[zim]

Evening,

I'm building an offroad buggy that will run a 4.6 rover v8.

At the moment i've got a 4hp22 in another buggy which is on the list to use. However with the new one i will mount the engine in the rear and run a reverse rotation transfer box.

I also have unimog portal axles, which unfortunately have really long pinions.

Hence - i would like to run the shortest possible automatic gearbox.

Can anyone on here tell me how long a TH350 is with adaptor to rv8 ? Shorter or longer than a 4hp22 ?

This is the length of a unimog pinion :


Thanks

Gordon

[DaveEFI]

I'd guess they will both be the same - using stock parts. The 4 HP installation in the RR is longer than it need be to fit between engine and transfer box centres.

[Eliot]

Hi - I guess you are the guy who emailed me - and my response was to ask on here ironically.

Perry runs a TH350, but from my googling on the train this morning - it would appear that the 4hp22 is the shortest box.

Only shorter box is a two speed powerglide.

[kiwicar]

Hi
Standard 'glide is 28 inches as stock, however you can get a shorty case (well tail section ) that brings it down to 18" have a look here http://www.coanracing.com/Catalog.asp?CatClass=01TR
I have a feeling that with a disc grinder and a shorty tail section off a 'glide you could shorten a th350 or 400 by a few inches (at a guess 5 for the 350 and 3 for the 400, I think the bolt patterns are the same on the tail shafts.
If you just want 2 speeds then a shorty 'glide is your brst bet.
Best regards
Mike

[zim]

Thanks for the replies.

The 4hp22 isn't all that short. I measured a 4l60 yesterday and that was shorter.

The 4l60 would give me better gearing but is quite pricey by the time you've fitted a controller.

The th350 seems the shortest.

Can anyone advise where to get an adaptor plate. I've seen the thread :
http://www.v8forum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1571

And have emailed aluminiumv8, so awaiting their reply.

Neither V8tuner or real steel could help. Any other suggestions ?


Perry, http://www.v8forum.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... 4bf303d1e0
Have you got one you wish to sell ?


What was the outcome with which torque convertor and flex plate to use ?

Thanks

Gordon

[Eliot]

My mate ran some volvo portal axles - the diffs were two-pin and seemed at least as weak as a std 2pin range rover diff.
(ignore that -you are using unimog axles, not volvo ones)


Have you got a picture of the transfer box and autobox setup - maybe there is scope to loose some distance there?

[zim]

Hi,

Thanks for the thought

It's a bit hard to explain what the layout is.

Basically with the engine mounted in the back, we want the rear axle to be behind the timing cover.

Working forwards, it'll then have a gearbox with prop output. Short prop or double UJ's and then onto transfer box. Speaking to Rakeway (manufacturers), he said the least distance between gearbox and transfer is about 6".

Here is a pic of the transfer case :


From the front of the one output flange to the rear of the other it's 190mm.
The input flange and the rear output flange are in line.


On a different note...... I hadn't even thought about it, but how long is a torque flight 727 ? From memory they're pretty short. They're strong as well aren't they ? and they'll go straight onto a v8 without an adaptor.

Gordon

This is a rough example from the USA. But he's on rockwell axles so the pinion length doesn't exist.

[ChrisJC]

The 4HP22 is pretty long. The 4HP24 is slightly longer (which you should really use with a 4.6 engine). The bellhousing is excessively long on the Rover V8, so if you made your own you could take a couple of inches out.

Chris.

[Eliot]

Here is a pic of the transfer case :


From the front of the one output flange to the rear of the other it's 190mm.
The input flange and the rear output flange are in line.

Rakeway make some nice parts. Part of your problem though, is using a 2wd box with a tailcone and prop-flange connecting to the propflange on the transfer box.
You could save considerable space by removing the tailhousing on the trans and prop adapter on the xfer box and attaching it directly - just like you would to something like an LT230.

On a different note...... I hadn't even thought about it, but how long is a torque flight 727 ? From memory they're pretty short. They're strong as well aren't they ? and they'll go straight onto a v8 without an adaptor.

TF727 is a very strong box - its designed to sit behind the mopar 440 big block. Landrover made a bellhousing adapter to fit the box behind the RV8, so you need to make sure you source a box that was actually fitted to the 1980's range rover and make sure you get the adapter and torque convertor.
Again, the 727 used in the rangie was designed to attach directly to the LT230 with an adapter and coupler shaft. i use the same adapter as the basis of my 700R4 adapter – see my gearbox faq at www.mez.co.uk/gearboxfaq.html
From the pictures I’ve seen, the 2WD version seems to have a massively long tailcone section on it – defeating your requirements.

[harvey]

From the pictures I’ve seen, the 2WD version seems to have a massively long tailcone section on it – defeating your requirements.

The early 4WD versions with the divorced transfer case in the Dodge trucks had a short tailshaft, and you can build that into the Range Rover casing and shorten things that way.

[Eliot]

From the pictures I’ve seen, the 2WD version seems to have a massively long tailcone section on it – defeating your requirements.

The early 4WD versions with the divorced transfer case in the Dodge trucks had a short tailshaft, and you can build that into the Range Rover casing and shorten things that way.

There's no "RR casing" - they used an adapter plate to convert between the mopar bellhousing patern to the rv8 pattern.
So the only thing that would need to be checked is that the bellhousing on the dodge version you mention, would align onto the adapter ring used on the range rover.
Getting that adapter ring may well be a challenge too. Although there's 1980's range rover TF727 on ebay now, you may be able to get the adapter ring from them too:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHRYSLER-TORQ ... 27c84c793e

Take a look at this ended auction, shows pretty good details of a the transmission and the adapter:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Range-Rover-Cla ... 7675.l2557

[harvey]

There's no "RR casing" - they used an adapter plate to convert between the mopar bellhousing patern to the rv8 pattern.
So the only thing that would need to be checked is that the bellhousing on the dodge version you mention, would align onto the adapter ring used on the range rover.

I know that, what I meant was if you have a RR box, (which is known to fit the RV8 with the adapter ring) or a 2WD Dodge box, you can make it a lot shorter by fitting the early 4WD tailshaft and housing into whatever box you've got.