Maxi Drive axles got an issue

[Pub247]

So i managed to track down a diff with a locker and a set of maxi drive axles all 24 spline.

Diff was from a RRC.

So after work i managed to get time to strip it as i was planning on just swapping centre out.
Anyway i noticed that the drive flange were suspiciously large and when i pulled axles i noticed that the bearing and hub arrangement is different. These stub axles stick out a bit further and the hub nuts poke out beyond hub.

So i pulled axle and noticed there no raised section for the seal to run on.

Now obviously these run in oil bearing setup which is all well and good but what does that mean for my Disco?

Is the option of swapping the stub axles from RRC diff onto mine and then run it in oil.

My main concern is does everything bolt up like brakes calipers and wheel offset stay the same.


Cheers Rory

Picture of said axles
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/461.jpg

[rick130]

What sort of locker?
If it's a Maxi, you'll need to use the new diff housing.

As for the hub/drive flange arrangement, all critical dimensions are stock, so you can swap the Maxi Drive stuff over, or just swap the diff housing straight into your Disco.
Just use RTC3511 hub seals to keep the oil in and water out and you're good to go.

All MDE did was use the same set-up as the Defender, separate drive flange and axles rather than the one piece Disco/D90 axles.

[Pub247]

The locker is an ARB air locker So all good on that part

Ok so the inner axle seal i remove and replace my hub seal with rtc3511.

What about drive flanges theyre hell of a lot larger than the HD drive flanges on the front. surely i'd have to change them to suit the later model hubs??

Thanks for info Nick

PS ill take some better pictures at work tomorrow so you get a better idea of what im talking about

[rick130]

The locker is an ARB air locker So all good on that part

Ok so the inner axle seal i remove and replace my hub seal with rtc3511.

What about drive flanges theyre hell of a lot larger than the HD drive flanges on the front. surely i'd have to change them to suit the later model hubs??

Thanks for info Nick

PS ill take some better pictures at work tomorrow so you get a better idea of what im talking about

OK, Rover did change the spacing on the hub bearings at one stage, (narrower in I think post '93 models?) it'll depend on what vintage RRC it is

[Pub247]

Yeah I don't know what RRC it was from i just bought a complete diff and assumed they'd be the same as discovery.

I'll ask the bloke i bought it off see if he knows where it came from.

[Pub247]

Well bit of confirmation by Les Richmond these will not fit my discovery 1.

So they suit RRC up to vin ja624516

D1 up to vin Ja032850

So looks like they'll be for sale if anyone interested ill get some pictures and make a proper thread tomorrow

[Vern]

Well bit of confirmation by Les Richmond these will not fit my discovery 1.

So they suit RRC up to vin ja624516

D1 up to vin Ja032850

So looks like they'll be for sale if anyone interested ill get some pictures and make a proper thread tomorrowWhy won't they?

[Pub247]

Theyre longer have a different stub axle hub assembly arrangement.

[Vern]

Theyre longer have a different stub axle hub assembly arrangement.Use the rangie stub axle and hubs etc...

[Vern]

Measure the width of the disco and rangie housings only, see if they are the same. Or just fit the whole rangie diff assembly

[Pub247]

Yeah could do that but its seems. Like a recipe for dramas id rather just buy the correct axles. Also ive just replaced every seals bearings rotors and pads on my current diff so id rather keep all stuff ive put on.

Im not looking to make money but if i can get back what ive put in ill be happy.

Cheers Rory

[67hardtop]

In all the replies and original post it is not mentioned if this is a front or rear diff. Which is it please??

Cheers Rod

[AK83]

From memory: I think pub had trouble with his rear diff breaking down on his way for some time away.

I think these parts may be in the process of being transferred to a new owner.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

I don't know if this is an issue for you, but the early Maxidrive diffs on RRc used Ford side gears. Mal only started using Land Rover spec splines when his diffs became quite popular and volume justified the manufacture of new side gears. The early type had drive flanges that slipped over the end spline without the nut or circlip.

[Vern]

I see these are for sale now. But out of interest, measure the length of each axle to compare with the new ones!
More for our sake too.

[Pub247]

Yes sorry guys this is the rear diff.

Lotz-a-landies this has an arb 24 spline air locker in it so only axles are maxi drive i assume they're standard rover 24 spline in that though it brings up a good point which ill check. Also if you look in picture in original post it shows there's a circlip retaining the axle currently.

So i bought a whole diff off a bloke on gumtree said it was from a range rover classic and it was 24 spline with ARB locker. (which is all true so i have no problem with the bloke i bought it off)

I bought it mainly for the locker axles were a bonus. My plan was just to pull the center and axles out and put them in my diff. Easy job takes maybe an hour to do. Don't even need to take wheels off the car.

As Stated by AK83 i broke my centre cross pin so at the moment i have a spare centre in there and whilst it was broken and a part i cleaned out whole housing stripped it all down and replaced everything. So it all basically new ready for some good axles and a centre.


When i picked it up i noticed the drive flanges were rather chunky i just assumed this was a maxi drive thing. My axles and drive flanges are 1 piece so i didn't know if it was an issue. It wasn't until i started stripping diff and i removed the axles i noticed the hub sit rather far inboard on stub axles and the hub nut protrude beyond the hub itself. On my 97 D1 these sit inside the hub and stub axle is approx. flush with the hub.

I also noticed this RRC Diff runs diff oil for bearing lubrication instead of grease and the axles have no polished journal where the inner axle seal (for a greased hub) would be.

So i assume
It's possible to swap the whole hub stub axle arrangement from rear onto my diff and convert mine to run diff fluid hubs. Only things that concern me are potentially caliper brackets and or my calipers lining up with the RRC Rotors. and the wheel offset being the same..

Whilst this is all good I've just spent $300 odd replacing everything in my diff i'd be removing then having to buy all new stuff to suit the RRC setup so another $300.

So i hope my economic logic makes sense to people. I'm didn't buy them to make money in fact i'd planned on using them. So I'm happy if i get back what i think a fair price that's not even half what i paid for whole diff. And i can put that money towards getting the correct axles later.

So my plan is and as AK83 mentioned someone coming to look at them tomorrow. So he's bringing one of his axles to check they're the same before he buys them. I'll also pull my axles tonight and bring them (they're still at my work atm) and i'll compare them aswell. I'll also check splines fit into diff as mentioned so we know if they're correct rover pattern.
I'll throw up some result for tomorrow as Vern said it's all good information for future people.

[Vern]

You could have also just swapped 1 axle to see if it fits. You may just need different drive flanges (thick vs thin)

[uninformed]

I think early Maxidrive axles may have been holden side gears??

The name Maxidrive was used by Key Four wheel drive as their brand of Diff locks for Land Rover vehicles. They later changed their name to Maxidrive Engineering. Since you have MDE stamed on the end of the axle shaft, the axle assembly sold as a RRC 24 spline, id hedge my bets they are 24 spline rover type. I think the early holden side gears for the diffs were 28 spline?

If you were able to swap the complete assembly over from the RRC to the D1, the only thing that may be different is the brake calipers and their respective fittings. Im not a D1 or RRC owner so not sure if they have different calipers or braking set ups.

[Pub247]

You could have also just swapped 1 axle to see if it fits. You may just need different drive flanges (thick vs thin)

Could've but they were at work i hadnt brought them home with me to try n fit in the car.

They got sold today but i took a few pictures and measurements and i reckon they'd would fit there's only 6-7mm of extra length in axle flange to end of axle. There was also 10mm more spline length than my axles. Flange pattern and spline were the same as discovery

[Pub247]

These are photos of the maxi drive axles. This is measured from. Inside of flange to end of axle its not the length of axle.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/623.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/624.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/625.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/626.jpg

[Pub247]

These are pictures of my 1997 discovery 1 axles note once again measured from Inside of flange.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/628.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/629.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/630.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/631.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/632.jpg

[uninformed]

the difference in length is probably just the drive flange end as MDE made their flange end longer for more spline engagement to reduces freting corrosin or spline wear. Especially since the change to grease based lubrication over oil bath.

[rick130]

the difference in length is probably just the drive flange end as MDE made their flange end longer for more spline engagement to reduces freting corrosin or spline wear. Especially since the change to grease based lubrication over oil bath.

This ^

I have a Maxi Catalogue that's turning up with the Removalists tomorrow (a week late)
When i find it I'll check numbers/VIN's.

[Pub247]

the difference in length is probably just the drive flange end as MDE made their flange end longer for more spline engagement to reduces freting corrosin or spline wear. Especially since the change to grease based lubrication over oil bath.

Marty brought around his axle and without drive flanges on the maxi drive was a fair bit longer maybe 35-40mm.

Remember i'm measuring from inside the drive flange so any extra length (the 6-7mm) is how much deeper it'll go into the diff.

[uninformed]

Marty brought around his axle and without drive flanges on the maxi drive was a fair bit longer maybe 35-40mm.

Remember i'm measuring from inside the drive flange so any extra length (the 6-7mm) is how much deeper it'll go into the diff.

Its hard to tell with the pics you show as you only show one end. You say youre measuring from the inside of the flange. Is that from the mounting face of the flange? And did you do the same for the Maxidrive axle shaft? Just remember the difference may be outboard. You must compare apples to apples.

But Im not saying you are wrong either.

[Pub247]

Its hard to tell with the pics you show as you only show one end. You say youre measuring from the inside of the flange. Is that from the mounting face of the flange? And did you do the same for the Maxidrive axle shaft? Just remember the difference may be outboard. You must compare apples to apples.

But Im not saying you are wrong either.

Yes mounting face to axle end. And yes same for maxi drive.

You see my Discovery axle and drive flanges are one piece so there's no fair comparison otherwise.

Like i said the axle itself might be 40mm longer but with flange on from mounting face it's 6-7mm longer (note there'd be some end float in axle)


As long as you had clearance in you centre for axles to go a little deeper you'd probably be able to get away with it.

[Vern]

So they would have fit fine then.
Should have busted out the tape measure earlier[emoji6]