Thread: Which rear Hub?

I perhaps should add to my last post that conversions of semifloating to fully floating hubs was not uncommon in the 1960s or thereabouts. The Series 2 parts just bolt on, the only special parts needed are the half axles - which as I commented earlier, are just about unobtainable, so a lot of these conversions would have used the same spacers.

The semifloating setup works quite well, is less prone to oil leaks, and is original for most Series 1. While there is only one bearing rather than two, and it is ball rather than roller, it is larger diameter and does not have to handle side loads. The only real issue is repairability in the field. The fully floating axle is fully repairable with only hand tools and a jack - the semifloating one needs a press.

I have had one fail, in 1962, and it was repaired in Moonbi on the New England Hwy in a couple of hours. (new bearing and retainer sleeve off the shelf) Try that today! (for any vehicle, not just a Landrover)

That incident has, though, made me a fan of the fully floating hubs.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

While there is only one bearing rather than two, and it is ball rather than roller, it is larger diameter and does not have to handle side loads. The only real issue is repairability in the field. The fully floating axle is fully repairable with only hand tools and a jack - the semifloating one needs a press.

In 1979 I lived in Newcastle and was down at Yalwal 4wding in my 54 Series 1 86 and busted a rear axle - I managed to get it back to a garage and pulled the broken axle out however the garage did not have big enough equipment to get the bearing off. As I needed to get home we just cut the axle off at the bearing and reinstalled. Drove the 400km back to Newcastle in front wheel drive on a front drive system that had not really been maintained in 25 years - due to the slack the snatch in the drivetrain was incedible but we got there.

If it had fully floating - just pull both axles, drop the diff to get the broken bit of axle out of the diff (why do they always break that end ) - reassemble with a new axle and your on your way.

Garry

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Most Series 1 had a semifloating rear axle, but fully floating was standard I believe on 107wagons and 109s in the last year of production, and optional on all others.

Because the S1 axle housing is shorter than the Series 2/2a/3 axle housing, the fully floating axles have half shafts about an inch shorter than the later ones. Because they were only used on a tiny proportion of vehicles, they are almost unobtainable.

A common solution is to use the later half shaft, and fit a spacer made by turning the centre out of an axle flange, and this appears to be what you have. And as you have found, that really means you need longer bolts, which being BSF, are not that easy to find.

If you have drive flange bolts coming loose (not just on this modified setup) make sure that the bearings do not have excess play, as this will very rapidly loosen the bolts.

Thats right - the floating axle shafts are rare as for S1
I recall machining up a similar spacer for my 107, because I couldnt get the correct length axle shafts.

Thanks for all the info fellas, kind of confirmed what what I thought was the case,
Jim, I'll DM you as I want to sort this out before Cooma, leaking oil like crazy and I actually drive her nearly every day....