Discovery 2 Heavy Duty Differential

Heavy Duty Differential for the Discovery 2: a stronger differential with uprated centre pin and cross shafts.

The differentials on these vehicles are strong when they are fed the right oil and are not asked to do things they were never built for, like big tyres and a heavy right foot on a locked centre diff. The Discovery 3 and 4 and the Sport L320 rear electronic locking diff is a known failure; the Defender Rover diff breaks shafts before it breaks gears. Everything here says what it is rated for and what it is not. The Discovery 2 is the Td5 era, with self levelling rear air on some cars and ACE active roll control on others, and both matter when you order suspension.

Specification and fitment

• Fits: Discovery 2, chassis code L318
• Engine: Td5 diesel and 4.0 V8
• Production dates: 1998 to 2004
• Quality: Standard or Heavy Duty
• Part number: cross referenced to the factory part number for your VIN and confirmed before dispatch, because supersessions on these vehicles are frequent and one printed number would be wrong for somebody
• The failure this addresses: broken centre pins and cross shafts on a Rover axle
• Labour time: about 4 hours
• Coding: none. This vehicle predates the modules that need it
• Also needed: diff oil
• Torque: crown wheel bolts 95 Nm
• Weight: about 18 kg
• Warranty: two years or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first

What arrives

• Differential
• Gasket

Fitting

Labour guide: about 4 hours. Land Rover changes specification mid production, often by VIN rather than by model year, so send the VIN or the registration with the order and we confirm the part against the build data before anything leaves. It takes two minutes and it is the difference between a part that fits and a return. We are an independent Land Rover specialist and parts supplier. We are not Land Rover or Jaguar Land Rover and are not appointed by them; the model names are their trademarks and are used here to describe fitment. Everything we sell is chosen for vehicles that actually get used: towed with, loaded, driven through water and parked in fields, rather than for the brochure.

Which version to buy

Standard is the standard specification, which is what most vehicles need and what we would quote unless you told us otherwise. Heavy Duty is the heavy duty specification for expedition, towing and commercial use, rated beyond the factory figures.