Thread: what axle/diffs 130 defender

The short answer is that it is not a straight forward swap of those parts.

The 130 rear axle assembly will have a 'P38' style diff, the 300Tdi has a 'rover' diff.

Edit: unless a previous owner of the 130 has swapped the rear axle assembly for a 'Salisbury' which has a stronger diff again.

John, do you know from LR, or your own opinion, if the P38 type axle housing is stronger than the Rover type axle housing?

Ashcroft (UK) are selling a P38HD conversion which is in essence a new 3rd member housing with a Rover diff centre/C&P. Not sure if Ashcroft will sell the housing alone but that could be an easy swap for you to keep the rover detroit centre. You will have to shorten the prop shaft to suit the longer 3rd member.

The reality of cost you might as well buy a new detroit centre and axles for the P38. Don't forget to add the cost of a replacement diff centre and axles in the Disco if you do the swap.

For $1400 you can buy a complete SH salisbury from a wrecker, add a 4 hours for labour to bolt it up and bobs your uncle.

I've deliberately left alone the debate about the P38 diff strength.

MLD

thanks heaps guys would utopian be the same for 300tdi defender aswell? sorry for noob question

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Originally Posted by squidsd1

thanks heaps guys would utopian be the same for 300tdi defender aswell? sorry for noob question

Sent from my GT-I9305T using AULRO mobile app

I have NFI what you are saying, but assume you are asking if the rear diffs are the same. Short answer is No. 300tdi disco has a rover diff front and rear, 300tdi defender has a rover front and Salisbury rear.

Originally Posted by MLD

Ashcroft (UK) are selling a P38HD conversion which is in essence a new 3rd member housing with a Rover diff centre/C&P. Not sure if Ashcroft will sell the housing alone but that could be an easy swap for you to keep the rover detroit centre. ...

Umm, no. The Ashcroft conversion is a hypoid setup. The exra strength is in the Hypoid CW & P. If you buy the diff casing alone you will have a pile of useless parts.

I guess the first question would be are they all the same ratio

I believe all three would bolt in in however prop shaft would need to be sorted

Originally Posted by uninformed

John, do you know from LR, or your own opinion, if the P38 type axle housing is stronger than the Rover type axle housing?

Sorry I don't know. I haven't had a chance to examine the P38 type housing close enough. It should be easy to check wall thickness at the breather hole, but I would need to see one stripped out to be able to form an opinion. It would be helpful if the bare housing weights could be compared. I would be surprised if Land Rover haven't increased the housing strength from a P38 RR to Defender 130, but ........

Originally Posted by MLD

Ashcroft (UK) are selling a P38HD conversion which is in essence a new 3rd member housing with a Rover diff centre/C&P. Not sure if Ashcroft will sell the housing alone but that could be an easy swap for you to keep the rover detroit centre. You will have to shorten the prop shaft to suit the longer 3rd member.

The reality of cost you might as well buy a new detroit centre and axles for the P38. Don't forget to add the cost of a replacement diff centre and axles in the Disco if you do the swap.

For $1400 you can buy a complete SH salisbury from a wrecker, add a 4 hours for labour to bolt it up and bobs your uncle.

I've deliberately left alone the debate about the P38 diff strength.

MLD

Firstly, the Ashcroft P38HD upgrade for Defenders does not use the rover ring and pinion, it requires a unique Ashcroft R&P. However AFAIK you are correct in that it uses a Rover (not P38) diff centre/hemisphere. I believe a Rover centre with Detroit from a Disco could be used.

Secondly your advice about using a complete SH Salisbury should have a caution applied about the difference between a Salisbury for a 130 and the more common Salisbury from a 110. The 130 Salisbury has thicker axle tubes to suit the higher GVM.

Originally Posted by weeds

I guess the first question would be are they all the same ratio

I believe all three would bolt in in however prop shaft would need to be sorted

just to be clear (since there is some miss information already in this thread), you do mean complete axle assemblies don't you (not diff centres/3rd members etc)

And yes a Sals from a defender, Rover coil sprung and P38 from a defender are all 3.54-1