Maxidrive Lockers - Opinions?

[Jock The Rock]

Gday

Was chatting to a fella today. He has a set of front and rear Maxidrive Lockers to suit his Rangie that apparently came out of a Defender.

I'm not sure how that works, as I thought a Rangie had a different rear diff to a Defender.

But what I'd like to know is what are peoples thoughts on them?

I only want the front locker, as I already have a rear Air Locker.

And one other question how do the lock in? Are they air operated as well

Thanks

[justinc]

Jock, Possibly the best locker available, there are a few versions and the last ones were the best incarnation. I actually know very little about which ones were made when etc, Matt Rovercare and others here can tell you ALL about them though.

They were reasonably expensive BUT you only get what you pay for.

JC

[Jock The Rock]

Jock, Possibly the best locker available, there are a few versions and the last ones were the best incarnation. I actually know very little about which ones were made when etc, Matt Rovercare and others here can tell you ALL about them though.

They were reasonably expensive BUT you only get what you pay for.

JC

I'll have to have a chat to him and see how much he wants for the pair

Will my standard front axles and CVs put up with it though?

[rovercare]

Thanks for dobbing me in JC:p

They're vacuum operated and they operate by sliding a locking dog along a splined section of axle into a dog on the side of the hemisphere, locking the axle to the hemisphere inturn locking the spider and side gears, locking the opposing axle

[justinc]

He should be selling the diffs complete, disc to disc, as the actuator is welded to the housing etc. Post up some pics, as this'll help lots with ID.

JC

[rovercare]

I'll have to have a chat to him and see how much he wants for the pair

Will my standard front axles and CVs put up with it though?

You'll need to fit the complete front housing as its modified with a block welded on to mount the vac servo, so fit the whole thing

[Jock The Rock]

Thanks for the reply Matt, didn't completely understand that. What creates the vacuum?

Thats part of the problem, AFAIK they are still sitting in their boxes in the back of his spare parts Rangie

I'm afraid I don't know much about them, I was just chatting to him as I left his place tonight. And me mentioned he was selling his Rangies and he had a couple of Maxidrive Lockers that were going to be fitted to his good one.

[rovercare]

Thanks for the reply Matt, didn't completely understand that. What creates the vacuum?

Thats part of the problem, AFAIK they are still sitting in their boxes in the back of his spare parts Rangie

Your Vacuum pump creates the vacuum:D

So they are new?, then you'll fit it to your existing housing, I think rangieman and Stirsilver show how the block is fitted in a thread here, they will also come with axles to suit the front, which will require you to change CV's to either County type or Early RR

[rovercare]

Oh yea, ask him how much for the rear? if its rover or sals?, if its rover, I'll likely buy it;)

[Jock The Rock]

Your Vacuum pump creates the vacuum:D

So they are new?, then you'll fit it to your existing housing, I think rangieman and Stirsilver show how the block is fitted in a thread here, they will also come with axles to suit the front, which will require you to change CV's to either County type or Early RR

I thought that might be the case soon after I submitted that post :p

I'm guessing they are new.

It's lucky he's wrecking a 4 door Rangie then isn't it :p not sure of the year. It's 3.9 injected. Is that early enough?

[cal415]

Maxi's are good, very strong and reliable, the diff lock sensor will only work when the diff is actually locked unlike the ARBs but they are a bitch to install, the housing needs to have a hole cut in it the locking mechanism welded on, they also require maxidrive axles which is why i went the ARB route in my county, so i could use longfield axles and CVs, the Maxi axles are a good upgrade but when your running stock CVs theres not much point.

They typically run off vacuum and can be run off a compressor but will only handle low pressure apparently, less then what an ARB locker runs. When i set mine up i was looking at running it off a ARB compressor and running an ARB front locker but i was told the ARBs run to high pressure.

If i could buy a set of maxi's for a good price already installed in housings i would probobly do it, but otherwise ARB or some kind of autolocker would be the better option because of ease of install mainly.

BTW you can run a salisbury under the back of a rangie or disco, theres not alot of difference in how it mounts up but its longer in pinion.

[rovercare]

I thought that might be the case soon after I submitted that post :p

I'm guessing they are new.

It's lucky he's wrecking a 4 door Rangie then isn't it :p not sure of the year. It's 3.9 injected. Is that early enough?

Not early enough if its factory 3.9 as that will be a 90 model and you need CV's from pre 86

[Disco_owner]

3.9's where later model so would be 24 spline axles ,he's possibly changed over from rover diffs to salisbury rear , if i were you I'd grab em both. :cool: if the coins allow.

[Jock The Rock]

I'll give him a call tomorrow night and let you know the outcome :)

Thanks for the info fellas

[buzz66]

Here is what the actuator looks like on the front housing.



https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/08/1014.jpg

[mike 90 RR]

I'll have to have a chat to him and see how much he wants for the pair

Will my standard front axles and CVs put up with it though?

Take your rear locker and install it to the front ... That way you can use all the original axles & CV's ....
.... Install the maxi to the rear & then (if required) you only need to up-grade Axles only

My 1990 3.9 has 10 spline axles allround, as the factory fit

Mike

[long stroke]

Take your rear locker and install it to the front ... That way you can use all the original axles & CV's ....
.... Install the maxi to the rear & then (if required) you only need to up-grade Axles only

My 1990 3.9 has 10 spline axles allround, as the factory fit

Mike

Defenders have the salisbury in the rear so you can't switch them over (from rear to front);)

CHEERS TIM.

[Jock The Rock]

Seems I was mistaken, he must have said it will suit either front or rear not he had both front and rear :(

Also apparently its not vacuum operated so it must be an older style. It's already in a centre so all I have to do is pull the old one out and put the new one in. Won't be that easy will it?

Is there an older syle?

[rovercare]

Seems I was mistaken, he must have said it will suit either front or rear not he had both front and rear :(

Also apparently its not vacuum operated so it must be an older style. It's already in a centre so all I have to do is pull the old one out and put the new one in. Won't be that easy will it?

Is there an older syle?

Nope no other type of maxi drive

You really need to show us a pic to confirm what it is, is it air operated? self locking? just an LSD?

again, need a pic;)

[Jock The Rock]

Thought that may be the case, I'm heading out that way this weekend I'll grab a pic then

[jerryd]

My County has rear maxi drive axle and locker fitted, I don't know much about them but it seems to do the job when needed.

[slug_burner]

The only older type of locking diff arrangement that does not use air pressure or vacuum is the JackMac that required you to screw something in at the actual wheels.

[Bush65]

Take your rear locker and install it to the front ... That way you can use all the original axles & CV's ....
.... Install the maxi to the rear & then (if required) you only need to up-grade Axles only

My 1990 3.9 has 10 spline axles allround, as the factory fit

Mike
I agree. One of the disadvantages of Maxi lockers in the front is the vacuum actuator can't unlock them quick enough.

Steering is poor when the front diff is locked and you can get situations where you need it locked to get over an obstacle, and have to unlock quickly to steer away and prevent a dangerous situation.

The other main disadvantage is you are limited to maxi axles/halfshafts and stock cv's as others have said.

These are the issues that make me prefer jacmac lockers (and their pneumatic actuator is better than ARB's design).

[Bush65]

The only older type of locking diff arrangement that does not use air pressure or vacuum is the JackMac that required you to screw something in at the actual wheels.
Only correct if you are talking selective lockers for Land Rover diffs.;)

I have a pair of mechanical (non L.R.) locked diffs. And there are auto lockers such as detroit for L.R. diffs.

[DRanged]

As per all the other responses yep good bit of kit.

As far as slow to unlock, well ours unlocks just as quick as most other lockers. Most of the time it can be an alignment problem with the actuator block.

Only problem I can see at the moment is if you destroy a hemisphere (which is very unlikely). no one is manufacturing replacement complete units or planetary gears. MR Automotive did purchase the rights to the hemispheres I believe, but have not started manufacturing.

Justin

[slug_burner]

Only correct if you are talking selective lockers for Land Rover diffs.;)

I have a pair of mechanical (non L.R.) locked diffs. And there are auto lockers such as detroit for L.R. diffs.

;)yep I meant selective

[Jock The Rock]

By the sounds of what he is saying and what you fellas are suggesting he may not have the actuator. I imagine these are hard to come by :(

Like I said I'll check it out on the weekend, but I'm swinging toward an ARB. I can get one new for a bit over a grand ;)

[long stroke]

By the sounds of what he is saying and what you fellas are suggesting he may not have the actuator. I imagine these are hard to come by :(

Like I said I'll check it out on the weekend, but I'm swinging toward an ARB. I can get one new for a bit over a grand ;)

I might be interested if it's cheap!!!
Did he give you a price?

TIM.

[Jock The Rock]

I might be interested if it's cheap!!!
Did he give you a price?

TIM.

If it will work and be an easy fit into mine then I'll get it, if not then I'm happy to work between you and him

[long stroke]

If it will work and be an easy fit into mine then I'll get it, if not then I'm happy to work between you and him

no worries, Thanks....:)

[Slunnie]

Only problem I can see at the moment is if you destroy a hemisphere (which is very unlikely). no one is manufacturing replacement complete units or planetary gears. MR Automotive did purchase the rights to the hemispheres I believe, but have not started manufacturing.

Justin
The axles seem to twist and snap before the hemispheres break, and the problem is that when the axle twists is can lock the locking dog onto the axle, and the locking dog is a part that you cant get anymore. I know of a total of 6 twisted and snapped maxi axles in Salisbury, P38 and Rover axles.

[Jock The Rock]

Bugger

I was once again mistaken. It's a Maxi-Locker not a Maxi Drive locker :(

Apparently locks in while going in a straight line the ratchets over itself while going round a corner.

It's also 10 spline

So I reckon I'll be going the ARB option

If anyone else is interested, send me a PM

[rovercare]

Geez and still no pic:(

[long stroke]

Bugger

I was once again mistaken. It's a Maxi-Locker not a Maxi Drive locker :(

Apparently locks in while going in a straight line the ratchets over itself while going round a corner.

It's also 10 spline

So I reckon I'll be going the ARB option

If anyone else is interested, send me a PM

What is a maxi-locker:confused:
Never heard of that:angel:
....

TIM.

[Jock The Rock]

Yeah I was wondering the same Tim ;)

Next weekend I'll take a pic sorry Matt, it would have only been with a crappy phone camera. Hopefully be getting a decent camera soon

[rovercare]

Yeah I was wondering the same Tim ;)

Next weekend I'll take a pic sorry Matt, it would have only been with a crappy phone camera. Hopefully be getting a decent camera soon

That don;t matter, pretty much all my pics are crappy phone pics:D

[long stroke]

If it will lock a diff and is cheap i might be interested:angel:

[Jock The Rock]

He wants $600 for it. Its already mounted in a center so all you have to do is pull your old one out and bolt this one in

Are early Discos 10 spline?

[long stroke]

He wants $600 for it. Its already mounted in a center so all you have to do is pull your old one out and bolt this one in

Are early Discos 10 spline?

Yep, a long way to get it up here though:(