Thread: What a day....A few questions

Originally Posted by JA1969

Went for a drive through the Watagans today in my 2004 disco, went through a couple of bog holes and 3 amigos appear for the very first time. The hand brake light also stays on with the amigos.

Is this part of the 3 amigos for the hand brake light to be on, or a seperate issue altogether?

Now for the fun part.....

Driving up a relatively easy hill in low range and CDL engaged, not doing anything stupid, and I snap a rear axle.
Removed the rear shaft and drove home with CDL engaged to allow front wheel drive.

My next questions are:

Is snapping rear axles a known problem in the Disco? I have never heard of it happening.

If anybody else has been in this situation, what should I replace the original axles with to try and prevent this?

When I go bush I run 255/85/16's. I wouldn't have thought that this size tyre would have put so much strain on the drive train to snap an axle.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

James

They aren't the strongest axles, the axle may have been on it's way, best solution is to upgrade to a stronger axle, Maxidrive, Longfields or Ashcrofts.

Baz.

Thanks heaps Redback

You've gone from a std 29" to 33" ... I'd say that would do it !

That's a 15% increase.

Originally Posted by Fluids

You've gone from a std 29" to 33" ... I'd say that would do it !

That's a 15% increase.

That'll do it!

Originally Posted by Fluids

You've gone from a std 29" to 33" ... I'd say that would do it !

That's a 15% increase.

Originally Posted by Disco Muppet

That'll do it!

Yes it probably added to the strain, but if it was "a relatively easy hill in low range and CDL engaged, not doing anything stupid," as he's stated, I can't see it breaking that easy, even with 33s.

But you never know with these axles, I broke the sun gears in the diff in my D2 climbing a hill on 32s with a camper on went to a locker and Maxi axles as a replacement, then started breaking front axles and CVs next

Baz.

There was definately nothing hard about the hill. The front left was going over a tree root and the rear left was coming up over a rock at the same time.

What would be the axle preference from the recommendations given?

Should I do the front while I'm at it? Should I do prop shafts?

Originally Posted by JA1969

There was definately nothing hard about the hill. The front left was going over a tree root and the rear left was coming up over a rock at the same time.

What would be the axle preference from the recommendations given?

Should I do the front while I'm at it? Should I do prop shafts?

If your going to lockers, you have to upgrade your axles, especially if your going to run 33s, I'd recommend upgraded axles if your going to run 33s anyway, they will break, as for the propshafts, upgrade your double carden uni in the front shaft to 1310 Hardy spicer unis, or buy the Tom Woods shafts from the USA.

It all come down to how much you can spend, Longfields or Ashcrofts would be my choice, ashcrofts do a rear locker and also do upgraded axles CVs as a kit.

One of the best options and is also the cheapest, is a Detroit rear and Trutrac front, with heavy duty axles.

Baz.

Thanks again redback for all the info. Very much appreciated.

I'm only running the 33's as they were on the rims I bought and I thought the price was OK. Eventually I plan to drop back to 265/70/16 or similar. (maybe this is why the price for them was good)

I don't plan on doing any extreme 4WD, but since the axle needs replacing, I thought I'd do it properly.