Rangie classic diffs and housings

[theg]

Hi all .
Im after info on classic rangie diffs .
Basically want to know if the diff centres and housings on 94 soft dash model classic abs are identical to non abs 85 housings and centres .
Can I bolt the abs hubs and calipers and driveshafts straight to an 85 housing and centre .
Dont know spline counts or any real specs but need to know if the complete assemblies can fit onto my 85 housings .
Thanks to all !

[Vern]

Front housing on the 85 will be 6 bolt swivel as apposed to 7 bolt on the later housings.
Rear housing may have the shock mounts in different spots.
Not 100% on this

[Lotz-A-Landies]

The ABS sensor works off the CV, and there is a possibility that the diffs have 24 splines, so your best option would be to use the entire '94 assembly on the '85

[GuyG]

rear diff housing will have a cutout for the abs sensor which the 85 will not have, the abs for the front is located in the swivel housing

[theg]

Ok guys I can bolt the complete 94 abs front assembly in .
I have no possibility of fitting the rear in complete though as the 85 rear is a modified 9inch with 85 axle tubes so would need to make the 94 stubs fit somehow buy the sound of it .

Im close to rebodying this 85 , 6 wheeler pictured with my 94 soft dash body and powerplant .

So am looking at the abs brake setup I could adapt to the 85 .

[theg]

Few more pics if anyones interested

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Hi Theg

You may want to consider reinforcing the incline in the chassis immediately before the intermediate axle. This area is known for cracking in the Defender 130 and was a standard modification in my Defender/Reynolds Boughton* 6x6 conversion. You can see the start of the reinforcing at the left hand side of this image.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/12/687.jpg

It will however mean modifications to your rear passenger's floor area.

* Reynolds Boughton purchased Scottorn Trailers Ltd, the producer of the RR 6X6 in the attached image.

[theg]

Hi lotsalandies .
Was yours a 130 chassis .
Mine is standard 100inch with rear extn .
I can do that bracing pretty easily . Will look at some options there .
Im not having a back seat . Will be four door with only two front seats and rear doors will open to extra cab storage . No rear seating . Cab is cut behind rear doors . Ive kep back wall from the old cab . See pic of it before I chucked the bad 85 body . I will square the back window vertically when I fit the wall into the 94 . Not sloped as pictured .
Then has a 6ft tray out back .

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Hi Theg

No mine is a standard 110 Defender. The vehicle was part built in the Solihull plant and shipped to Reynolds Boughton's "Scottorn factory" for 6x6 conversion and then shipped back to Solihull for completion and delivery to the customer.

The construction is: the rear chassis rails were cut through the middle of the coil spring mount location and separated.
40" straight box section element welded in between the two ends of the chassis.
coil spring mount brackets welded on. (I believe the spring mounts weren't welded on at the Solihull factory before conversion)
a crossmember welded in to support the chassis end of the "A" frame (just like yours)
special brackets welded on to support the front of the trailing arms.
the intermediate axle is an SMC through-drive HD Rover diff.
the rear axle is Salisbury.The result is a constant 6x6 with lockable through-drive/power divider but without cross-locks.

It was a single cab ute with a cherry-picker body but I'm converting it to dual cab tray back and 4BD1 Isuzu.

[MR LR]

Awesomeness!!!

[Vern]

I redrilled my sals to take the abs sensors as i was going to run it in my soft dash. The other part of the sensor bolts to the back of the rotor, its pretty simple to do, all bolts on, only have to drill 1 hole.

[Homestar]

Very cool. Please keep us updated on the build! :)

[Lockee]

Nice conversion

[rovernutter]

Ok guys I can bolt the complete 94 abs front assembly in .
You will need to change the trailing arms as well as they are different at the diff end, but the same on the chassis end.

[theg]

Easy for me to roll the complete front assembly including its trailing arms in under the 85 chassis as one complete unit .
Looks like the front issues are solved .

Now only the rear will need modification .

Thinking of drilling the flanges like suggested in a post from vern .

Anyone have thoughts on how it will work if I have the forward rear axle setup with abs sensors and the rearward one plumbed into its fliud lines so theres only one sensing wheel on each side for the back two wheels .

[Vern]

Won't need to drill the flanges, just need to drill a hole for the abs sensor, the rest all bolts up

[theg]

Thanks vern .
Ive looke at a abs rear stub on the net and can see the hole in it for the sensor .
Looks pretty large hole about 20mm or so .
I guess if the stub bolts straight on then I can fit it up and use it as the template for punching a hole through the flange .
Can you tell me what holds the sensor in place in the hole . Is there a clip or something .
Any mods required to flange to keep the sensor in location ?
Thanks

[MR LR]

If it's keeping the '85 chassis number, why do you need to swap the ABS over?

Personally I would not bother... IMO more trouble that it's worth, you just need to know how to drive and have the correct reflexes!

I'd pick old reliable over newer electronics...

[theg]

Basically if I plonk the 94 body onto the chassis then all the brake lines , wires and master cylinder etc etc will just be left in situe on the body meaning I will only need to set up the abs on the axle areas .
I guess I could remove all the 94 brake system and fit a pedal box from 85model with regular master cylinder . Keep 85 model brakes on axles .
Not sure whats easiest or best outcome . I guess abs has some advantage over non abs .

[Lotz-A-Landies]

If it's keeping the '85 chassis number, why do you need to swap the ABS over?

Personally I would not bother... IMO more trouble that it's worth, you just need to know how to drive and have the correct reflexes!

I'd pick old reliable over newer electronics...Its more a matter of difficulty using the AMS because the intermediate axle doesn't have ABS and the system is only designed for 4 wheels.

[MR LR]

Its more a matter of difficulty using the AMS because the intermediate axle doesn't have ABS and the system is only designed for 4 wheels.
Exactly, which is why I'd consider it easier to use the early brake system.

[theg]

If I plum the rear brakes as lhs and rhs circuits then abs on one wheel each side will work on both wheels on that side however only one wheel is sensing . Limited in capacity compared to both wheels being sensed on separate circuits I agree .
Is it easier to go 85 brake system . Still requires mods to the 94 master cylinder and pedal system .

[bee utey]

To be honest the ABS on the 1994 is needlessly complicated compared to everyone else's ABS of the era with that hydraulic pump and accumulator. When that stops working you have very little stopping power. I'd suggest you go out and get a brake booster, front calipers, master and lines off a similar age (94 to 98) non ABS Disco, should be a bolt on fit. Brake lines will need fiddling with anyway, and bundy tube isn't very dear compared to the other stuff you're doing.