Thread: maxi drive axles

Originally Posted by lardy

Yes old bean, But how come other manufacturer's did not adopt this method?
How can you guarentee dosage to the hub end?
has anyone calculated the pro's and con's regarding this method of lubricating against the standard grease method?
Why did Land Rover move away from the original method (utilising dif oil) and resort to adopting the grease method?
Was there such a difference between older half shafts and axle tubes that warranted the change?
I really would love to get to the bottom of this not just a guessed response but fact, just because it has bugged the living hell out of me for ages.

It was common for earlier oil lubricated halfshafts,driveflanges and wheel bearings tolast 300,000kms or more, as opposed to 60-80,000km for the later grease lubed units.The shorter wheel bearing service life of later units is probably due to metal contamination from the halfshaft and drive flange splines fretting away from lack of lubrication.
Rover went to grease lubrication IMO to address criticism of LandRovers always leaking oil.
Wagoo.

Originally Posted by wagoo

It was common for earlier oil lubricated halfshafts,driveflanges and wheel bearings tolast 300,000kms or more, as opposed to 60-80,000km for the later grease lubed units.The shorter wheel bearing service life of later units is probably due to metal contamination from the halfshaft and drive flange splines fretting away from lack of lubrication.
Rover went to grease lubrication IMO to address criticism of LandRovers always leaking oil.
Wagoo.

Interesting slant I had oil come through the oil seal and bugger my brakes a couple of times ****ed me off let me tell ya!!!
Is it right you do away with the defender oil seal and stick in the range rover classic affair ?

Yes you must replace the grease seal with the double lipped double spring oil seal, and remove the halfshaft seal from the stub axle.Or you could do as I do and heat a steel rod up with an oxy torch and poke it through the stub axle to damage the seal in a couple of places.
110s with drum rear brakes and Stage1s were fitted with so called oil catcher rings that surrounded the hubs in the seal region to drain any oil leaking past the seals out on the road instead of over the brake shoes.
wagoo.

Originally Posted by wagoo

It was common for earlier oil lubricated halfshafts,driveflanges and wheel bearings tolast 300,000kms or more, as opposed to 60-80,000km for the later grease lubed units.The shorter wheel bearing service life of later units is probably due to metal contamination from the halfshaft and drive flange splines fretting away from lack of lubrication.
Rover went to grease lubrication IMO to address criticism of LandRovers always leaking oil.
Wagoo.

Got it one and something quite a few of us have repeated here over the years.

Even an ex-Land Rover engineer mate of mine admits as much.

Originally Posted by rick130

Got it one and something quite a few of us have repeated here over the years.

Even an ex-Land Rover engineer mate of mine admits as much.

do tell rick.....no really!!!!

Originally Posted by lardy

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 ?

Not really, every time you turn a corner or go on a bit of an angle oil runs to that side and a lot of it stays in the hub whereas grease tends to be squeezed out and is then not as effective unless repacked regularly. The less servicing the better IMHO. I also run a higher oil level in the diff with one of those "Solid" rear diff covers.

Originally Posted by Bearman

Not really, every time you turn a corner or go on a bit of an angle oil runs to that side and a lot of it stays in the hub whereas grease tends to be squeezed out and is then not as effective unless repacked regularly. The less servicing the better IMHO. I also run a higher oil level in the diff with one of those "Solid" rear diff covers.

I have one of those solid covers for sale if anyone wants one

Originally Posted by sclarke

I have one of those solid covers for sale if anyone wants one

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