ok, call me an Idiot, these have diff lock? when I turned the brake drum on the rear of the transfer case, I tried to spin the rear driveshaft mount on the rear axle and it did not turn, but the drive shafts were detached so they could move the tow the Rover home.???? If I tow it with a tow dolly, will I damage something? diff lock...cool!!

Ok I am lost now, I guess my son and I will need to do some better check out when we go back, I think he wants this, I would just like some direction on this repair. I really don't need another "project", got too many already. (jeep, Truck, mustang, 280zx)

Another thought, wonder if I can get that brake drum off one of the transfer cases in the junk yard and mate it to the NP208 in my 83 Jeep cherokee, toss my old emergency brakes

 

If the drive shafts are disconnected you can tow it on a dolly no problem. If you get it, pull the center console and check the cdl linkage. If it won't stay in gear it might be a linkage issue and it certainly won't move if the tcase is in neutral. Stick with the lt230 case, it is a beast. Guys are running them in buggies and race rigs on pirate. I doubt there is anything wrong with it unless it was run dry.

 

Next time you go see it, bring a 1/2" drive breaker bar or ratchet and crawl underneath and check trans case fluid levels. Just remove the fill plug ( located on the back side about 3/4 up the tcase. Just stick your finger in there. If you can't feel fluid. It may be low and need fluid. However if it is low there may be a chance it's burned up. Worth a shot. Could always bring some gear oil and dump it in if it is low. Had a similar issue with my 96 a week or so ago. As far as not needed another "project" depending on the PO's maintaiance habits.... A rover is usually always a project. However great fun to work on once you get past the quirky British engineering.

Anyway. Good luck. Wish that rover was closer to be, I'd snag it for a parts truck lol

 

Thanks for the reply's!
well, maybe I shoud say, indepth project.

I have built a jeep 4.7 stroker for my 83 jeep and right now, in the process of splicing the two engine wire harness 83/92 toether. Welding in floor pans in the 66 mustangstang, which does run and just got done rebuilding the suspension, havent even started my father's 71 F250.

The son that wants this Rover also brought home a non running Datsun Fairlady 280z, right hand drive. We found a parts car, a wrecked 280zx, brought it home, picked it clean and sent the rest to the scrap yard. Right now trying to get Fairlady's engine to fire off, got it to turn over, just not run.
and I'm doing this all outside.(half my backyard is a concrete slab, need a bigger house or at least a huge detached garage)

So, if getting this "drive" issue takes a a day or two to figure out, and maybe have the parts availabe in the junk yard with 4 of these, this would be a small project. When it gets running on the road, its my son's project ;-)

 

Mmmmm rhd fairlady.

 

Matt_Attack352, what type gear oil? We may just go pick it up, put it on a dolly, pull to some old gas stations and see what we can do then, really dont want to mess with it while its in her yard.

any other thoughts on the "not moving" issue welcome

 

Zorm, I'm having a little trouble following you. Could you clarify which drive shafts are connected? And to what item?
I'm guessing I'm reading this incorrectly but it sounds like both front and rear shafts are connected to the transfer case, but NOT connected to the front and rear differentials.

 

WaltNYC, thanks by the way for that FSM link, need to see which ones just apply to this 96.
As far as the drive shafts, rear drive shaft removed completely, front drive shaft removed from axle, still connected to xfr case.
The xfr case lever seems to want to stay in N, and to the right, that normal? Where should that lever be in normal driving?

 

The lever should be to the right and back for high range/unlocked CDL.

 

For $500 your risk is low. You can part it out in a worst case scenario. On the other hand, that would be a project, wouldn't it?