Time for a tranny change.

[Greg S]

My E series transmission in my 2A has been telling me for some time that it wanted to go on a vacation. And not with the rest of the vehicle. I decided to pull it out and with Victors help we got it taken out Friday night and Saturday morning. On dissassembly we found that second and third gears had a uniquely adjustable clearance. Not only did they have the distance piece between them but of their own accord they could add about another inch. It allowed them some room to exercise but made gear changes somewhat difficult when I wanted to call the shots. With broken teeth and other things (in the transmission, not my mouth), I decided to install an A series tranny that I had laying around. It will be mated up to the A series transfer case that I have been running for the last couple years.

Any one have any comment on the gear ratios I will now be experiencing in high range? Will I find 1st & 2nd too high? It is on a 109 SW if that matters.

[Colin]

Is it a Series II A box?
If so it will have the layshaft with the smaller end, certainly a quick and cheap fix, but you will find the later suffixs stronger, can't remember all the changes in the gearbox, but the suffix B transfer case gives you a lower low range

[Greg S]

The transmission is an "A" series so it would be from a late 50's or early 60's Land Rover. As they made minor upgrading changes to the transmissions they changed the suffix on the serial number of the box. My 1970 109 had the later "E" series transmission used just prior to the change to the all syncro box of the series 3 Land Rover. The "a" series transmission has a transfer box with a layshaft about 1 1/8" dia. The "b" and onward has a layshaft about 1 3/4" dia (measurements are a guess). This is to reduce bearing wear on the shaft. The "a" and "b" transfer case's have a lower geared low-ratio that combined with the higher ratio's of the 1st, 2nd & 3rd gear of their respective tranny's are about equal (about! not exactly.) to the gearing of the later tranny's and their respective transfer gears.

[Colin]

The A suffix transfer case also has a smaller intermediate shaft if I remember correctly?