Thread: maxi drive ? so whats the next best

Originally Posted by Slunnie

I think more the minor diameter of the spline than the pitch. The pitch would be a very skinny axle!

Silly me what was I thinking when I typed that


Tusker was working when it broke, but it seems the bronze bush that supports it wad cracked or something and allowed some movement in the axle. At the time it had already blown the rear diff which does put more pressure on the front, but he wasn't doing anything that should have broken it really. No wheels off the deck or landings though, but it was wheelspinning 35" claws coming up a hill.

Yep 35s will do that especially with a broken rear diff


You can buy Longs in Aus, but most just go directly to Bobby or Terra in the states because it's usually cheaper and faster to buy direct. The CV's etc that Longs sell were classic CV's not D2 ones. I think Ashcroft are the nly ones that now do D2 HD CV's etc. Actually, I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere that the factory that makes the Rover CV's for Longfield wont supply them anymore, and they're being sent to Ashcroft, but that would need to be confirmed - I'm not sure if Dave Ashcroft or Bobby Long would comment on it.

I might just get the Ashcrofts and be done with it as it seems they are the only ones that have the ABS compatible CVs atm I might be wrong though
Ive been wrong before

Originally Posted by Grizzly_Adams

Was speaking to M.R. Automotive the other day and apparently they've picked up some of the Maxidrive manufacturing - unfortunately not the diff-locks it looks like they've disappeared completely

However the smaller bits and bobs (excluding the stuff that Hytuff engineering are doing) it looks like they'll do it from now on.

They also told me that at that stage they had 3 of the maxi-drive diff-locks left.

1 x Salisbury
1 x Rover
1 x P38


(I'm wracking my brains but I'm pretty sure Brent said 1 x Rover and 1 x P38, you'll have to give them a call to find out for sure).

Thanks for this, I just grabbed the Salisbury diff lock..

Just piece of the rear axle jigsaw is now in place.

Regards
Max P

Originally Posted by Ken

I must say Im a little worried as the material Ashcroft uses is 4340 and in the thread on Outerlimits it refers to 4340 as being brittle is this due to a high carbon content in the chromoly ? if thats the case (Ive seen these in the flesh) the Ashcrofts are machined to the same Dia as the splines
As far as I understand this creates a more even disribution of stress through the axle when you have a sudden load or gradual amount of tourque is that correct
Has anyone heard any bad reports on the Ashcrofts ? its a lot to spend when there maybe something better
Do it once do it right I say
ARB lockers and Ashcroft axles sounds the goods but now Im confused

Thanks for posting the data Slunnie. Ken - here is the full table I posted many moons ago - you can see that 4340 isn't too bad. It is pretty similar to EN26 that McNamara uses for axles. And there are some sources which claim even more impressive properties for 4340 (NOT 4340M/300m) - I think the Americans (who make Ashcroft CVs - have lots of experience getting the most out of 4340).

Originally Posted by ISUZUROVER

Thought some other people might be interested in some info I gathered on the comparative strenght of the steels used in aftermarket Land Rover (and other) axle products.


Material (other names) / Application / Ultimate Tensile Strength (MPa / psi)

EN25 (X9931) / McNamara axles? / 1300 / 190 000

EN26 / X9940 / 1380 / 200 000

AMS-6418 (MIL S - 7108 / 4625M4 / HY-TUFF) / Maxi-Drive axles / 1655 / 240 000

4140 / 1230 / 186 000

4340 / New longfield / 1380 / 200 000

300m (4340m) / New longfield star/ 1980 / 288 000

SAE1045H / Many std axles / 930 / 135 000
SAE1541H (SMn438H/SMn443H) / Many US aftermarket and truck axles / 1200 / 175 000


Data mainly from Timken Steels and Smorgon Steel - both are suppliers of these steels. Interestingly, Maxi-Drive quote a lower strength of 1550MPa for their axles, but strange engineering (another axle manufacturer), quotes 240 000psi (as does Timken).

Interestingly, most standard axles (and US aftermarket axles), seem to be made from 1045H or 1541H - which is supplied already induction (case) hardened but still soft enough to have the splines machined into it. This saves a lot of money for the axle manufacturers and is probably the reason most manufacturers in the US do not waist their axles down to the root diameter of the splines along the length. I am not 100% sure about the values for 1541H - if anyone has a more accurate one please post it.

I am not 100% sure that McNamara use EN25 and not EN26, but since EN25 is what Maxi-Drive used before they switched to AMS-6418 it is probably right. Although the maximum values are the same, most steel suppliers state that EN26 should be used where higher strength than 4340 is required.

Shear is usually 75% of tensile strength for all these steels.

From the looks of the numbers, AMS-6418 is a pretty impressive steel, a fair bit stronger than 4340 and almost as strong as 300m/4340m. Of course a lot depends on how the axle is designed, how well it is machined and heat treated, but I think this is a usefull comparison of like for like.

Does anyone know for sure what McNamara use?

Originally Posted by rangieman

I know this is not to some peoples agreement
As jeff is cranky at times

But id put jmac stuff up there with the maxidrive gear and better than that ARB gear

J.McNAMARA
25 LEVANSWELL RD
MORRABIN VIC 3189
PH;9555 2213 FAX ; 9555 0251

I agree 100%.

Originally Posted by V8Landy

I agree 100%.

I agree as well.

IMHO - Jacmac is the best design, as no special axle shafts are required, no holes need to be cut in the axle casing, and there are no moving o-rings to leak air.

MD is 2nd, as the design is simple, reliable, can be run on either vacuum or low pressure compressed air, and the indicator light only lights up when FULLY engaged/disengaged. Also, no air/vacuum is required to keep it engaged! I am 100% happy with mine.

ARBs - are a great piece of kit, and thousands of comp and recreational users are happy. Sure they occasionally leak air through the moving oil seal, and the air line can reportedly be fiddly to install, but no biggie.

All 3 are strong, well engineered, and reliable. Now that MD is not around, for my next locker I will choose between JM and ARB based on price.

regarding ashcrofts axles, i have never had one....

if they are made out of 4340, which i believe they are, and looking at there test rig breaking figures.... i think they must be quite hard to get that amount of foot/lb breakage....

if so how will they hold up to shock loads, in real driving situations....

and somewhere here it said they weren't waisted down to root dia...
i think this is bad

im not an engineer, by no means....

i have talked to mal story alot about axle design etc

there are reasons for his choice of material and how it has been hardend he had contracts with the australia army and the israili army, and sold many many around the globe, yes some broke but only a hand full...

i think no other axle on the market, for land rovers, are as good as maxi dirve....
and they are still being made the same way...

i think mals design is about as good as it gets, just simple principle...

only way to make it better is to make it out of a better material...

hehehehe yes there is better stuff out there but i understand you have to order 10 tonnes of anything in the ball park of hytuf. so good luck getting someone to commit to that!

cheers, serg

Just within the group of people that I 4WD with, there have been 2x twisted maxidrive axles and 1 snapped one.

1x Salisbury rear twisted
1x Def P38 rear twisted
1x Rover front snapped

There are better axles than the Maxi, but thats the 1.5" 35 spline for the salisbury which JacMac makes and also his 30 splines 1.3" axles. He makes them better by making them bigger. Actually, I think JacMac makes the strongest Rover setups out there, especially with his Toy 8" hypoid 30 spline setups.

are these all hytuf waisted maxi axles????

just to be clear, and to be fair

we would need to know total number of sales for each of maxi, jacmac, ashcroft etc

how many breakages for each so a percentage is known....

and then under what circumstances tyre dia, gearing etc...

would you agree that maxi axles in rover applications would have been more abused than any other brand?

does jac mac sell that many rover type axles, not the ones to suit a toyota locker in rover housing???

serg