Thread: maxi drive axles

let us know how it goes

did a bit of moderate track driving a while ago and lost drive again up steep rough hill.had to get out of area with front drive only.found drive flange had cracked.weld had held on outside of axle but let go on inside.welded up again by someone who can weld better than i.will replace axles and flanges before cape trip later in year.

The clean breaks on the KaM shafts indicate to me a stress riser groove at the transition point from a lathe tool on an induction hardened shaft.
At any rate the shafts diameter between the splines are not wasted down enough to be considered well designed replacements.

On Maxidrive axles and driveflanges. I've long held the opinion that they are actually too precisely made to be fitted to later LandRover axle housings.Std factory axles and flanges are as loose as a goose and behave a bit like a universal joint to compensate for a banjo housing that is less than true and square.The Maxidrive units are relatively rigid and straight, so if fitted to an untrue axle housing the splines will frett away and the drive flange bolts will stretch, loosen or break as they do on Discos with one piece axle/ driveflange units.
RangeRover Classic axle housings must have been more precisely built as it is rare for their flange bolts to fail.
Wagoo.

Originally Posted by wagoo

The clean breaks on the KaM shafts indicate to me a stress riser groove at the transition point from a lathe tool on an induction hardened shaft.
At any rate the shafts diameter between the splines are not wasted down enough to be considered well designed replacements.

On Maxidrive axles and driveflanges. I've long held the opinion that they are actually too precisely made to be fitted to later LandRover axle housings.Std factory axles and flanges are as loose as a goose and behave a bit like a universal joint to compensate for a banjo housing that is less than true and square.The Maxidrive units are relatively rigid and straight, so if fitted to an untrue axle housing the splines will frett away and the drive flange bolts will stretch, loosen or break as they do on Discos with one piece axle/ driveflange units.
RangeRover Classic axle housings must have been more precisely built as it is rare for their flange bolts to fail.
Wagoo.

I welded my rear flanges last night (110 County). Unfortunately I got distracted and forgot to preload the splines on the first axle. However there is plenty of weld pentetration and the flanges are square to the axles. Will see how they go. If the flange bolts strip, I'll know what the cause was...

They break as the axle is almost semi floating. No axle tube us dead straight and with bearing movement the axle and cap move. It's a normal thing. That's why the axle and flange is not one piece. In the case of disco and rangie 10 spline or 24 rears. Look how quick they wear and the back lash.
Just replace them. About $650 for axles and flanges made by hitough
Lots of resellers in Oz. If your in Melb. Call Fred smith

Originally Posted by sclarke

They break as the axle is almost semi floating. No axle tube us dead straight and with bearing movement the axle and cap move. It's a normal thing. That's why the axle and flange is not one piece. In the case of disco and rangie 10 spline or 24 rears. Look how quick they wear and the back lash.
Just replace them. About $650 for axles and flanges made by hitough
Lots of resellers in Oz. If your in Melb. Call Fred smith

Part of the reason for welding was to see how much improvement there'd be without play in the flange spines. It feels heaps better - much more enjoyable to drive.

Originally Posted by wagoo

[snip]
to compensate for a banjo housing that is less than true and square.
[snip]
Wagoo.

aint that the truth.

I was a bit dumb struck the first time I strung my Defender to check the wheel alignment.
The rear end sports more toe out than the front

Originally Posted by Bearman

Oil lubed hubs and MD axles and drive flanges. Replaced with genuine MD axles and rover drive flanges. A lot cheaper and hopefully will be the sacraficial item. So far no play or wear.

Why didn't you choose to revert back to greased hub bearings?
I ask just because surely the utilisation and reliance on getting the dif juice down the half shaft to the hub must be hap hazard at best, whereas if you were to have a greased bearing and serviced it, is that no sufficent ?