Hi, Has anyone actually done the MT82 conversion on a Discovery TD5? What were the Gotchas and what went easier than expected?

The reason I ask is that my recently acquired TD5 has a rather crunchy gearbox, so I'm toying with two options, one is a nice R380, the other, baring in mind I plan on getting a big boat in the next year or two, so the super low first gear would be an advantage for me were I to get an MT82 conversion kit from M&D Motors, and marry that up with the TD5 engine. I'm not worried about the cost, it's simply a case if it's expensive it will take me a bit longer to save up for it, but I was wondering if anyone had actually done this conversion on a Disco2?

I'm particularly curious how the MT82 sits in the transmission tunnel, and how the gearstick position works out? I'm aware that the transfer box shifter will likely need relocating or the centre console would need reworking as the Puma has the transfer box shifter BESIDE the gearstick, but the Disco has it AHEAD of the main gearstick. But I'm curious about things like where the gearstick would come up into the cabin - I'd be gutted if I spent a fortune on it and offered it up only to discover the new gearstick was trying to go through the dash of something daft like that? Also, does the new gear box move the transferbox forward or backwards and thus affect prop lengths? I'm also curious is the 6speed MT82 any wider than an R380? And what about the bellhousing? Are there any transmission tunnel issues I'm going to encounter if I embark on this project?

Hi, my advice is to get a rebuilt or low mileage known good R380 and a bespoke remap for your needs eventually upgrade the turbo... that's what i did and i've been towing a fully equipped Shetland 610 (Yamaha 100hp injection outboard motor and a 5hp 2 stroke included) for years without probs

I've got an ashcroft rebuilt r380 with short shift kit in my D2 and its bloody lovely.

LOF HD clutch, I aint towed with it yet but got no concerns

I can see me having to go and have a prowl under a puma defender for sale to answer this question...

Someone fitted one to a Defender, but cannot remember issue, I think it may be in my work drawer, but not been in for over a month

Jayridium said:

I can see me having to go and have a prowl under a puma defender for sale to answer this question...

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I've driven both of similar miles and I way prefer the r380. The ultra low 1st on the mt82 is not needed in my opinion, and it doesn't feel like a particularly nice box to use.
Ashcrofts do a recon one for £600, way cheaper and will last you forever if oil changes are regular and gear changes are sympathetic

Gottschalk said:

I've driven both of similar miles and I way prefer the r380. The ultra low 1st on the mt82 is not needed in my opinion, and it doesn't feel like a particularly nice box to use.
Ashcrofts do a recon one for £600, way cheaper and will last you forever if oil changes are regular and gear changes are sympathetic

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M&D made me kit to put an MT 82 onto a Defender 200 tdi (along with a 1:2 transfer box). The M&D gear is first class and built to battleship grade quality. The MT82 needs slow and deliberate gear change, it's not slick like a nice LT77 or a r380. But there is no contest in terms of open road driving, the MT 82 has longer legs. I also have another 200 tdi defender on a LT77 / 1:4 transfer, it is much better for local driving than the MT82. The much maligned low first gear as an issue is over stated in my experience; first gear works fine on the 200 tdi (but the engine isn't designed for boy racing anyway) and it's great for towing too. All in all, the MT82 is not much good if you like driving in hurry, it's clunky, but it's fifth and sixth are well worth having and better for open road. So, as ever it's horses for courses. By the way, putting the MT 82 behind the 200 tdi is a lot of work and probably not worth it unless doing a full Landy re-build. Hope that experience is of some help.

Catlikedog said:

M&D made me kit to put an MT 82 onto a Defender 200 tdi (along with a 1:2 transfer box). The M&D gear is first class and built to battleship grade quality. The MT82 needs slow and deliberate gear change, it's not slick like a nice LT77 or a r380. But there is no contest in terms of open road driving, the MT 82 has longer legs. I also have another 200 tdi defender on a LT77 / 1:4 transfer, it is much better for local driving than the MT82. The much maligned low first gear as an issue is over stated in my experience; first gear works fine on the 200 tdi (but the engine isn't designed for boy racing anyway) and it's great for towing too. All in all, the MT82 is not much good if you like driving in hurry, it's clunky, but it's fifth and sixth are well worth having and better for open road. So, as ever it's horses for courses. By the way, putting the MT 82 behind the 200 tdi is a lot of work and probably not worth it unless doing a full Landy re-build. Hope that experience is of some help.

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Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences with the MT82 conversion with me, it's given me lots to think about.

Catlikedog said:

M&D made me kit to put an MT 82 onto a Defender 200 tdi (along with a 1:2 transfer box). The M&D gear is first class and built to battleship grade quality. The MT82 needs slow and deliberate gear change, it's not slick like a nice LT77 or a r380. But there is no contest in terms of open road driving, the MT 82 has longer legs. I also have another 200 tdi defender on a LT77 / 1:4 transfer, it is much better for local driving than the MT82. The much maligned low first gear as an issue is over stated in my experience; first gear works fine on the 200 tdi (but the engine isn't designed for boy racing anyway) and it's great for towing too. All in all, the MT82 is not much good if you like driving in hurry, it's clunky, but it's fifth and sixth are well worth having and better for open road. So, as ever it's horses for courses. By the way, putting the MT 82 behind the 200 tdi is a lot of work and probably not worth it unless doing a full Landy re-build. Hope that experience is of some help.

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The m&d conversion kit im sure is well made, but I totally disagree with you on everything else.

The longer legs are mainly due to it being mated to the higher ratio transfer box, which on all applications, including the r380 will make a much smoother, quieter drive on the open road.
ALL defender gearboxes need nice slow deliberate gear changes, the r380 and mt82 being no exception.
I don't know what you mean when you say its"5th and 6th gears are better for open road", the Mt82 is basically like a 5speed box with an ever so slightly taller final drive ratio in 6th, because 1st gear is literally like a crawler gear to just get you moving.
The gear sets on an r380 are bigger, chunkier and better designed than the Mt box, you've got 6 gears in the same space as 5 at the end of the day.
A late suffix r380 is, imo, about the best manual defender gearbox you can get in terms of reliability (ask ashcrofts).
In my opinion if you want slightly taller gearing on a tuned td5, get a reconditioned r380 from ashcrofts with the slightly taller v8 5th gear, and if you want open road performance fit the higher ratio 1.2 transfer box, bringing all gear rarios virtually inline with the Mt, for noticeable driving anyway.
At the end of the day its all down to personal preference, but considering a td5 r380 is designed to sit behind that engine I wouldn't bother with a conversion that brings complication, cost and and virtually no benefit if other bolt on standard parts are considered with original box.

It's a Discovery Td5, it already has the 1.2 transferbox, and with the 255/60/18 (30") tyres I've fitted to it, it's working out at about 2607rpm for a TRUE* 70mph. I'm used to a 300tdi, which is a four banger, so at any given RPM has 25% less detonation event sounds, so to me the TD5 sounds like it's screaming it's tits off at motorway speed, at 2600rpm it sounds like a would 300tdi at 3150rpm so I'd like to bring the motorway RPM down. However, if I put a 1.003 14d transferbox on the back of the r380, while revs at 70mph would drop to 2142rpm, 1st becomes 7mph/1000rpm**. With a MT82 in front of that same 14d transfer box, I can bring 70mph down to 2064rpm, AND lower 1st gear to 5mph/1000rpm.

*the speedo always read a little bit high against roadside speed indication signs, now it's dead on the money.

** Stock R380 +1.2 = 6mph/1000rpm in first, with a 1.003 it becomes 7mph, MT82 is 4mph in first on a 1.2 and 5mph with a 1.003

TD5s like to rev, they are fine with the gearing.

Jayridium said:

It's a Discovery Td5, it already has the 1.2 transferbox, and with the 255/60/18 (30") tyres I've fitted to it, it's working out at about 2607rpm for a TRUE* 70mph. I'm used to a 300tdi, which is a four banger, so at any given RPM has 25% less detonation event sounds, so to me the TD5 sounds like it's screaming it's tits off at motorway speed, at 2600rpm it sounds like a would 300tdi at 3150rpm so I'd like to bring the motorway RPM down. However, if I put a 1.003 14d transferbox on the back of the r380, while revs at 70mph would drop to 2142rpm, 1st becomes 7mph/1000rpm**. With a MT82 in front of that same 14d transfer box, I can bring 70mph down to 2064rpm, AND lower 1st gear to 5mph/1000rpm.

*the speedo always read a little bit high against roadside speed indication signs, now it's dead on the money.

** Stock R380 +1.2 = 6mph/1000rpm in first, with a 1.003 it becomes 7mph, MT82 is 4mph in first on a 1.2 and 5mph with a 1.003

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It doesn't matter what vehicle its in, the results are the same. I say defender because that's where my experience lies.

Do you tow at all? If not go for the 1.003 transfer box. Or get an overdrive unit. Or put mt82 in, but it's a lot of arse ache for a marginal gain in first compared to the 1.003 transfer box, you only use 1st to tickle away anyway, I doubt my tyres have done 1 full revolution by the time I'm in 2nd. So not really an issue at all.

If you've done your research which it looks like you have then you know the answers, all i can say I I wouldn't personally touch an mt82 with a barge pole, especially an early suffix unit.

The choice is yours, but as previously stated, you don't get a better all round manual box than a late suffix r380.

Also forcing low revs can cause issues with DMFs.

Just let it rev a bit, it will be fine, oh an d I was used to 6 cylinder engines