Thread: Noob Questions Re: Axles and Diffs

hi brenno,
although your idea about fitting heavier duty axles is sound, you will go along way with the arb locker before you need axles, until you go to big tyres!
and i know, as that is exactly what happened to me.
for axles contact HY-Tuff Engineering up here in nerang on the gold coast.
'cheap' secondhand axles, now there's a conundrum.

Originally Posted by harry

until you go to big tyres!

Hmmm, do 285/75/16 Silverstone MT117 Sports count as big tyres??

'cheap' secondhand axles, now there's a conundrum.

285/75/16, aired down, locked rear, centre locked, front not locked, steeep hill, gentle throttle, will break the left rear axle first, then persist and also gentle throttle [it's an auto] will break the right rear- then torqit will tow you out [if near] and you drive home in two wheel drive on the front axle, centre diff locked and rear tailshaft removed.
or in the case of another who has a front locker, the left axle and cv break first.

and perhaps i should point out that 'cheap' secondhand hd axles are made of 'unobtainium'.
ring barry, and buy new.

97 disco should have 24 spline axles and the front axle will step down to 33 splines for the cv's. This step down creates a severe loss of strength.

Early rangies and discos have 10 spline axles and are not compatible with your diffs.

Do you have ABS? So that may limit your options.

Most heavy duty 24 spline front axles are made for either 23 spline cv's, 27 spline Hilux/Landcruiser cv's or aftermarket 30 spline Hilux/Landcruiser cv's.

There is not much point in upgrading axles and retaining the 33 spline cv's.

For stronger after market axles you have a choice of Hy Tuff, McNamara, RoverTracks, Ashcroft, to mention those that come most readily to mind.

I think (but stand to be corrected) you will find front axles will be:
Hy Tuff - 24/23 spline.

RoverTracks - 24/27, or 24/30 spline.

Ashcroft - 24/23 spline

McNamara - 24/23, 24/27 or 24/30 spline.

To fit 23 spline cv's you will need to replace the needle bearing with a bronze bush, a use a new drive flange. For 27 or 30 spline cv's, in addittion to bush and drive flange change, you will have to have the bore of the spindle machined out a little.

Or the easier solution is to use Ashcroft cv's which are replacements for 33 spline cv's but made for 24/23 spline axles and don't require any other changes. They also have a version for ABS equiped vehicles.

Thanks for the info John. Very helpful, and it has just asserted that I'll be waiting a long while to get lockers.... $$$$ aren't gonna stretch as far as I need them too.

I don't believe it has ABS.... Is there an easy way to tell??

Originally Posted by brenno

Thanks for the info John. Very helpful, and it has just asserted that I'll be waiting a long while to get lockers.... $$$$ aren't gonna stretch as far as I need them too.

I don't believe it has ABS.... Is there an easy way to tell??

I'm not so sure. The diff itself isn't much different in strength when compared to the standard axle halfshafts. If you run HD axles, it'll just mean that if you break then it will be the diff, rather than being either the diff and/or the axle.

Originally Posted by Slunnie

I'm not so sure. The diff itself isn't much different in strength when compared to the standard axle halfshafts. If you run HD axles, it'll just mean that if you break then it will be the diff, rather than being either the diff and/or the axle.

Cheers for the reply, but I don't think i follow.... Are you suggesting I need to upgrade the diff's too?? Or just fit the lockers to my Disco as is, and not upgrade anything??

I'm still trying to grasp all that is "The Disco", and not having a mechanical aptitude doesn't help either, but I'm working on that. Apologies for being a little slow!!

Originally Posted by brenno

Cheers for the reply, but I don't think i follow.... Are you suggesting I need to upgrade the diff's too?? Or just fit the lockers to my Disco as is, and not upgrade anything??

I'm still trying to grasp all that is "The Disco", and not having a mechanical aptitude doesn't help either, but I'm working on that. Apologies for being a little slow!!

Yeah, I wouldn't bother spending up on HD axles unless you have a HD diff (such as a locker) to go with it. If you put in HD axles only, then the diff will probably still break with the same amount of effort as what it takes to break an axle, so there is no real gains in strength. The exception, is that its easier to deal with a broken axle in comparison to dealing with a broken diff.

There is some merit in adding a locker without adding HD axles, but again the strength is unchanged, but you can minimise wheel spin using the lockers - this minimises the spin/grip situation which typically peak loads an axle which causes it to twist or break.

So what I'm saying is:

• Dont bother with only HD axles as there are no benefits and some drawbacks.
• A locker with standard axles will usually work if you are sensible with it.
• A locker with HD axles will usually work if you don't go carefree with it.