Thread: Rear diff upgrade for RRC

The breakage happened out on a 4WD track in slippery conditions.

Car was stuck in a hole and I was attempting to give it power out. Must've put too much pressure on the rear diff and something crunched.
Reversed it out and started driving slowly, and heard another crunch, car jolted, and diff had exploded.

Without the diff lock (CDL?) engaged I could not drive the car.

Gbox is an LT77 I believe.

Shame you are not on the east coast, I have front and rear maxi drives you could buy

Car was stuck in a hole and I was attempting to give it power out. Must've put
too much pressure on the rear diff and something crunched.
Reversed
it out and started driving slowly, and heard another crunch, car jolted, and
diff had exploded

.
If you were wheel spinning madly, the cross shaft probably seized then dropped out into the case. RRCs do not take kindly to spinning one wheel .
The damage may have been there for years .

If you get a locker you will need stronger axles as well or you will continually break them.

If you are budget limited just buy a good condition diff centre.

That's right I have 2 for sale in Markets.
Regards Philip A

The later 24 spline diffs have stronger spider gears and a far better axle design.
Nothing is unbreakable, but these are a step up from the 10 spline you currently have and a complete disco rear axle is plug and play if both of your shocks point forwards (changeover was around 1985).

If your rear axle tube has one shock forwards and one rearwards then you can keep your axle tube and swap over the diff head, a few diff-head studs and hubs/stubs.
Or move the other side top shock mount so both are forwards.

All lockers and upgrade shafts are designed around the 24 spline axles now.

But having said that, the reason your current diff broke may be nothing to do with outright strength. It could be any number of issues, you will know more when you get it out.

Should maybe source a 24 spline diff/axle then. My shocks are both forwards - top of shock is angled towards front of car.

Originally Posted by jezza89

Should maybe source a 24 spline diff/axle then. My shocks are both forwards - top of shock is angled towards front of car.

Easiest way. You'll also either need to convert the 3 bolt rotoflex diff flange to 4 bolt or use the disc driveshaft and rotoflex (rubber donut).

I put disco 24 spline in mine in a two step process. First it got a disco housing when the original housing was bent. Installed my 10 spline inners. Then years later found a rolled disco with a bent rear diff housing to donate all the 24 spline innards.

How much money do you want to spend? If you want reliability you have to spend a bit. I'm not sure how strong the 24 spline diffs are but I would probably go the defender 110 salisbury diff. Its a piece of mind when you are giving it a hard time. It cost me $750 + $50 to shorten the tail shaft.

For a friend's '94 LSE I have just ordered an Ashcroft air locker, fitted to a rebuilt Rover diff with pegged housing and new h/d axles and flanges to suit. Total cost landed will be around $3K. I should be able to bolt it all in over a single afternoon.

http://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co...erentials.html