Series 3 clutch wtd

[andy3542]

going to convert my 2a back to a manual. got series 3 gearbox and transfer case lined up so now i need a clutch for it. i need the whole lot as it currently has a 3spd auto.

or is there another clutch i should use?

also after a adaptor plate for a 245 hemi so i can connect everything up.

cheers
andrew

[Landynut]

I've got a couple of clutch plates, pressure plates, LR flywheel, adaptor plate for holden 6, s2a starter motor and some other bits n bobs floating around under the house somewhere.. would any of this be useful?
I was going to re-setup my 202 clutch/series gearbox with the new wider adapter plate, and heavier LR flywheel, to make the clutch easier to operate, and possibly gain a bit more torque...
probably will never get around to it, and when the 202 dies its getting a diesel conversion from memory the clutch plate had enough meat on it to make me believe it had never been fitted...
If you want I can dig them out and snap a pic 4 ya..
would probably be cheaper to modify a 202 adapter plate than engineer a whole new one from scratch wouldn't it ?

[andy3542]

Landynut

Yeah im sure it would be of help to me. im not totally sure of all the parts required for the conversion. all i know is that i need everything from the clutch pedal right through to flywheel housing and everything in between so i was looking for a wrecking landy that i could get the whole clutch taken off and then put onto my truck. but if youve got everything even if its in bits then id defiantly be interested.

Going to get someone to do it all for me so it gets done properly...

Cheers
Andrew

[Landynut]

well if its a series 3 gearbox your using, the slave cylinder should still be mounted in the side of the bellhousing, then you just need a master cylinder, hoses, pedal and linkages....
probably easier to get a donor setup that is complete than sourcing it part by part tho

I think most series 3 gearboxes get whipped out and replaced with 2a boxes tho, stronger gears and lower transfer case? not sure the exact reasons, most likely just lower gearing and strength....

anyone on here know the faliures of the series 3 gearbox?

[Landynut]

here is an interesting page of series gearbox and transferbox ratios:

http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/gear_ratio.htm

I'm no expert, just a weekend grease monkey - so i wont try to steer you wrong but I have to ask why the hemi?
with an abundance of holden sixes around for dirt cheap, with enough adapter plates to sink a ship, it seems an odd way to go, the hemi must be hard to get parts for in nz? also a 245 hemi has to be producing somewhere around 180-200bhp ?
your axles are the weak point that protects your diffs and tranny from damage, and I get the feeling they are not going to like you very much

[andy3542]

i wasnt aware the series 3 boxes were weaker.... maybe i need to rethink my plan of which manual box i should hook up to it. would putting a 2a box in be easier to cert as its already registered as a '63 2a?

anyone know of other manual boxes other then a 2a that i could possibly use?

it came with the 245 hemi which had recently been rebuilt and it has alot of torque that comes in handy. iv also read theyre a pretty solid motor to as well as being simple. 3touch wood i havnt broken an axel or diff yet but iv already got a spare if i do.

thanks for all the help landynut

[Landynut]

hey I didnt say _all_ series 3 boxes were weaker, people would probably crucify me for saying that, its just what i've been told more than once by different landy fanatics, "some" series 3 boxes are weaker, i think the newer ones are alot stronger.. the early series 3 boxes were weaker .. it might pay to do a little research, find the serial numbers & suffix stamped on the side of your series 3 box to find out the ratios etc and do a bit of research...
one thing i can tell you from experience is that its damn handy having a reverse gear thats much lower ratio than 1st, all the series boxes vary for this - and having the "extra-low" reverse gear has saved me in precarious situations a number of times... also quite useful for towing mates out of holes

cert i think is no issue at all, as you are not modifying any mounting points or structural/mechanical components to install it, i dont think it would even come up when certing - but im not 100% on this..

the hemi 245 from memory is putting out about 185bhp !
one serious ammount of torque, and torque is what will snap axles - but snapping axles is a good thing because its always the short one, and its a 15 minute fix......... certainly alot cheaper than a diff-head or gearbox.....

[Landynut]

stick to short tyres and you should never have a problem with axles, even with all that butchey torque 30x9.5 or 7.50x16 is about as big as you want to go, any taller and your risking your axles, any wider and it will chew the wheel bearings out..... SAT's have to be the best tyre ever made anyway, awesome tread and performance in all aspects of off-road - harder and harder to come by tho.....

thats my 2 cents worth, good luck with your project mate

[andy3542]

Cheers mate. ill look into the series gearboxes abit more. its already up and running with the 3spd auto (currently certed) so i just want to change it to the manual to give me more control and i dont have low range. figured going with series land rover gearbox/transfer case would be best to go with diffs cvs ect ect that are still land rover. just need to find/get made an adaptor plate....

as far as i can tell from looking under a mates series 3 the mounts look similar (ill get under there tomorrow with a tape measure) The firewall is obviously set up for a clutch and theres loads of room in the engine bay. so once i find a truck for the clutch (once i know what gearbox ill be running) then i should be away.

as regards tyres iv got 33' bfg m/t sitting on 15x10.5 (i think) rims. came with the truck. and so far no issues with axels but one is bound to go sometime soon.

Ill keep you posted in the new year.

cheers again

[Landynut]

sweet as, I cant say for sure it was the tyres but when i got my landy it was on 30x9.5's and had been for many years, pushing stock cars every other weekend and never had an axle go.... i got given a set of 32x11.5's and within one day it twisted off the rear halfshaft when i just gently touched the throttle at the bottom of the driveway may have been "ready to go" for awhile who knows, im still on 32x11.5's but i've put 3.54:1 rangey gears in the diffs so its not putting quite so much torque on the axles, delivering more rpms to the wheels but sacrificing some crawling power.... no more second gear take-offs, I actually have to use 1st for a change, 8 or so years later, still havent had another half-shaft snap....

so you've got a 3spd auto behind it, with no transfercase, no low-4wd at all?
if thats the case, I once saw a ford C4 4spd auto gearbox in a landy, with the landrover transfercase bolted upto the side of the auto somehow?? was an awesome 4wd, with a ford 250 motor...
went on heaps of missions with it and it was reliable and very smooth to drive - alltho the limitations of an auto as you say - is control, you have to make sure your brakes are in top condition if your going to do any serious off roading with an auto....

his engine died a few years later and he offered me that C4/landy frankenstein gearbox for $500 from memory.... should have grabbed it as there are certain situations where automatics are just great (cruising around the farm spot-lighting?)

You have got plenty of options to consider, that is the beauty of the land rover - you are limited only by your imagination !

[sibainmud]

as regards tyres iv got 33' bfg m/t sitting on 15x10.5 (i think) rims. came with the truck. and so far no issues with axels but one is bound to go sometime soon.

That dosen't include the front hubs coming loose on Sunday

Looking at the 202 one may be worth a look, andy

[Landynut]

hahah front hubs coming loose is a good way to twist off a front axle

202 is just a bulletproof motor......
well I should say, its fail-resistant....

[andy3542]

hahaha no simon that doesnt include the hub issue.-does the one you showed me have the original engine or a 202?

my biggest issue is space. id love to have a warehouse or even a flat outside space where i could park up a donor truck and steal parts off it and then sell the ones i know i wont need.

as for the 202 i may go down that route eventually but i dont see a reason to at the moment, the hemi hasnt broken anything and it was rebuild not all that long ago, i also just got a new exhaust put on and got it tuned which cost me abit. only reason i would change it is that its a bit thirsty...

and landynut as youre probably well aware as are most 4x4ers land rover drum brakes arent the greatest especially after youve filled them with mud or water. another reason to go manual and then maybe disc conversion down the line.

[Landynut]

yeah drums arent that great off-road, I used to find myself literally standing in the driver seat just to put enough weight on the brake pedal discs are definately the way to go....
being able to flick the key off, leave it in gear and know that all four wheels are gonna stay firmly locked is a great bonus too

there are plenty of ways to get around your parts issue... try landyheaven in napier, hes got dozens of em scattered around the place and a warehouse full of parts, I'm sure if you asked for a complete clutch setup he could help ya out, pedal and all

202 would not be a wise move if you want it to be less thirsty either.... unless you spend a lot of money on electronic ignition and very finely tuned carb/'s it will probably drink just as much as the hemi...

A mate of mine used to have an old valiant with a hemi 265 he managed to get running off the smell of an oily rag - it was some kind of petrol "vaporiser" system and i didnt believe it for a second until we went for a drive... "ahh thats gotta be a gimmick" i said..
20 bucks got us from palmerston north to new plymouth, and half way back again ! we worked it out to be roughly 5 litres per 100km, bout the same as my 1.3L mazda 323 runabout I had at the time

the only issue was that in order to start the engine, he had to spray some ethyr straight down the carb to fire it up, once it was running it purred like a kitten and had unbelieveable power, peeling the back wheels out on dry tarmac was effortless, second gear would get it drifting from walking speed and it never ever hiccupped or lost power.....

An easy way around the starting issue would be a primer button in the cab, like the solenoid primer on an lpg system...

I'm not gonna spend much on my 202 anymore, or fix it if it dies - i'll be going diesel when that happens.... probably a 250tdi minus the turbo.... at the moment I just tow it where I need to go on an a-frame, the diesel consumption of the 3 litre tow vehicle surprisingly only increases by a fraction....

[andy3542]

yeah iv had both feet pressing as hard as i can on the brake pedal and still been slipping backwards or forwards....

ill give him a call tomorrow and see what he can do for me... if hes got as many parts as you say then he sounds like he might be able to help for sure and itll mean i wont need to get a donor truck.

again thanks for all the help landynut!

based off that i think ill stick with my 245 then if a 202 will be just as bad on fuel. and then put a diesel motor in when my hemi dies.

that system on the 265 sounds crazy! haha bet you got looks peeling in a landy! id love to be able to do that on queens street on a friday night and shut all the boy racers up!

i think ill have to a-frame mine for abit when iv converted it. having said that my 40series landcruiser didnt like towing it a few weeks ago at any great speed. but ill cross that bridge when i get there. dont see the point in getting it certed if i know ill be doing more modification down the line. get alot of parts for the cost of 2 or 3 cert plates.

ill keep you updated on my progress... and thanks again.

[Landynut]

hey no worries mate thats what the forum is for....

I just love landies aye, they are the bees knees

was a valiant saloon doing the peeling out with a 265 in it too, not a landy, tho i've been known to do 360's when its wet or on loose metal in my swb landy

you will probly find your brake drums are full of oil/grease, mine were lots of degreaser/brake cleaner and brushing to clean em up - locks up the wheels now if i jump on the brakes, water and stuff shouldnt really affect them much - its when theres grease and oil in there slicking up the drum they get dodgy....
also ya gotta clean out the drain hole at the bottom of the drum every now and then, otherwise muddy water could cause ya some issues....

the guy at landy heaven is really quite good, he should be able to hook you up with everything you need no worries, reasonable prices too and mainfreight is not too bad if ORE express cant help ya out...

good luck with ya landy I hope u get rid of that awful 3 spd with no transfer box, sounds like its been landicapped

[andy3542]

yeah it really is a great site. wish i was able to help others out more but thatll come in time.

yeah im the same iv been into landys since i was like 7/8 and im only 19... they may not be the most flash, fastest, comfiest or reliable but theyre great and simple!

yeah i should probably give them a better clean then just a blast with water after a day out, ill do that this weekend, when i strip the front hubs down and clean them out. although i did replace rear slave cylinders not that long ago and i gave the rears a good clean then.

yeah ill give him a call tomorrow and if hes got everything see if hell hold onto it for me till the new year as im leaving the country for a couple months. if not ill just buy it all in the new year.

thanks again