AlanH wrote:

I did ask the stealers workshop foremen to ensure the shaft was greased when they replaced the transfer box but all he could keep saying was "It is not a service item".......

blackwolf wrote:

I think that probably all vehicles have this issue sooner or later, unless the factory has finally started applying grease on assembly, and I have not seen any evidence that they have started.

I am not sure where the MT82 box is actually assmbled onto the LT230, but this is where the job should be done. I suspect that transmissions arrive at Lode Lane pre-assembled from somewhere. Anyone actually know (I think I asked this once before but can't remember the answer).

What would, I think, be more interesting to know is the life expectancy of a properly greased assembly of standard parts, and the long term performance of the Ashcroft modified parts.

I changed my clutch at 150k miles last year and there was negligible wear on the output shaft splines (they were actually a better fit than the brand new parts I had bought in the expectation of needing). These are the original parts on a 2007 110, despite there being no evidence of anything recognisable as grease in the assembly. I reassembled the original parts with a new seal and cover with lashings of molybdenum disulphide grease, and look forward to seeing what it looks like when the next clutch goes in (which will probably be early next year at the 200k mile mark, since I don't reckon that a clutch lasts much more that 50k).

I don't know of anyone who's run a high mileage on the Ashcroft modified shaft but it would be of great interest to see one after say 50k or 100k miles.

I do think though that there must be another factor at work in the shaft failure scenario, since even allowing for different suppliers etc I fail to see otherwise how some fail at under 10k miles whilst others last 200k miles. I wouldn't mid betting that there is some kind of gearbox/transferbox alignment issue with some vehicles.

Harryb450 wrote:

Well she's in! The old shaft was well, like a turd in a pot to be honest, the wear doesn't look much but the amount of slap was unbelievable. Like a newen now the amount of rusty dust was surprising too

YOLO110 wrote:

I presume you are in Perth mate? So was this workshop North or South of the river please?

AlanH wrote:

Getting a shaft/coupling with a good fit is probably a bit of luck as you can bet those slapping these things together don't match the items. A couple of thou up or down can make all the difference to the feel of how a thing mates together. As for grease.... as I've said before some don't like the feel of it between their fingers so it's pot luck all round with these assemblies.
The workshop I and others have been using for sometime YOLO is Aztech4x4 in Rivervale. Darren Robinson is the name and he only works on Jeeps and Landies. He has a website.
AlanH.