ZF Conversion

[Oil leaks]

Hello People
I hope some one can help me?
I want to put a ZF auto and BW transfer case (from a 91RR I'm told) into a 83 4 door that’s currently got a broken 4 speed manual, if possible I want to use the existing transmission tunnel, can anyone tell me what is involved in modifying it, I think I can handle the shifter and hand brake, but I seem to remember that there are clearance problems? What else is there to worry about, I think I have all the bits, I'm assuming that I can use the 4 speed cross member? What about the Speedo is that a bolt up?
Thanks
David

[Philip A]

I'll tell youwhat I do know which is not much.
I do not think you can use the square crossmember if that is what you have.
The exhausts must be rerouted below the crossmember.

The 91 has a Vehicle speed sensor , but a cable can be connected. I think the gear is teh same but the thread may be different.
Trav with Aquarangie should be able to answer the tunnel question but I think you need a bigger tunnel.
regards Philip A

[Loanrangie]

If you can track down a t/flite auto tunnel that should sort the clearance side out or you could just cut a neat hole and sheet up a new section and rivet or weld it in. I would only fit a bw transfer if you are sure of the condition, they cost a sh$t load to repair, below 200k should be ok if serviced correctly.

[Aquarangie]

Yep, you''ll need to aquire a tunnel from a T/Flite RR. They bolt in easily and also you'll need to grind the top of the T/F tunnel so you can screw dowwn the ZF auto shifter.

Also make sure you get the driveshafts for the BW transfer as they are about 40mm longer than the LT230 or your original LT95 ones.

The conversiopn is simple enough, but there's always with this sort of work plenty of 'niggly type things to sort out such as the kick down cable, pedal, removing the clutch and filling in the hole where it 'existed' etc.....

Good luck with it

Trav

[Simo63]

Hello People
I hope some one can help me?
I want to put a ZF auto and BW transfer case (from a 91RR I'm told) into a 83 4 door that’s currently got a broken 4 speed manual, if possible I want to use the existing transmission tunnel, can anyone tell me what is involved in modifying it, I think I can handle the shifter and hand brake, but I seem to remember that there are clearance problems? What else is there to worry about, I think I have all the bits, I'm assuming that I can use the 4 speed cross member? What about the Speedo is that a bolt up?
Thanks
David

I put a ZF into my early 2 door comp rangie a few years ago. It was from a 1989 model, I used a LT230 transfer and the standard 4 speed drive shafts. I also used a floor centre section from an 83 4 door that had a torqueflyte auto fitted as standard (I also sold another one to Trav/Aquarangie). The later centr floor section will definately assist with the handbrake conversion as the later type are different to the earlier ones (from memory .. been a few years so my memory could be playing tricks on me). The shifter wasn;t as simple as it could be .. can;t remember why but seem to recall something about the cable being made to bend to sharply due to using the wrong centre floor section. I also had a 2 inch body lift so maybe that helped a bit.

Speedo cable was a straight bolt in and I used the early model square cross member. I did get the later tube type because I was told I would need it but I didnt need it (still got it in the shed). Remember this was a comp vehicle and the 3 inch exhaust was tucked up as high as it could be made to.

[walker]

I was thinking about doing this conversion sometime this year, but it looks like there is a bit of work involved. Maybe I will just look for a later model Rangie with the auto in it and swap all my gear over to that.

So a 2" body lift will not give you enough clearance and you still need the auto tunnel??

[Simo63]

I was thinking about doing this conversion sometime this year, but it looks like there is a bit of work involved. Maybe I will just look for a later model Rangie with the auto in it and swap all my gear over to that.

So a 2" body lift will not give you enough clearance and you still need the auto tunnel??

Good question .. I think you could do it as the ZF's aren't that big compared to the 4 speed manual. I think with a 2 inch body lift you would get it in ... the reason I changed the floor was two fold. Firstly I had the floor there and used it beacuse the standard floor was buggered and secondly because I wanted to use the later aluminium bolt in centre floor piece sop I could also use the standard console arrangement.

Anyway, I think if you were interested enough to try, it could be done. You would really want to remove the centre floor to do the conversion as that would make it a lot easier (well it did for me).

However having said all that .. your other idea of buying a later model one already with the ZF is also good as they can be had quite cheaply these days

Cheers
Simo

[Jay]

I was thinking about doing this conversion sometime this year, but it looks like there is a bit of work involved. Maybe I will just look for a later model Rangie with the auto in it and swap all my gear over to that.

So a 2" body lift will not give you enough clearance and you still need the auto tunnel??

Good question .. I think you could do it as the ZF's aren't that big compared to the 4 speed manual. I think with a 2 inch body lift you would get it in ... the reason I changed the floor was two fold. Firstly I had the floor there and used it beacuse the standard floor was buggered and secondly because I wanted to use the later aluminium bolt in centre floor piece sop I could also use the standard console arrangement.

Anyway, I think if you were interested enough to try, it could be done. You would really want to remove the centre floor to do the conversion as that would make it a lot easier (well it did for me).

However having said all that .. your other idea of buying a later model one already with the ZF is also good as they can be had quite cheaply these days

Cheers
Simo

On a 1996 Disco....with a 2" BL and 3" suspension lift will the Swap be easier. It is currently a manual (R380) I believe and looking to fit the ZF.

Jay