Thread: Progress pics of the new 'Force 9' differential, it's getting there !

Dave has since loaded pictures of the swivels/knuckles up on Pirate Progress pics of the new 'Force 9' differential, it's getting there ! - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

Originally Posted by rick130

This could be achieved relatively easily by using a spacer between the diff housing and swivel housing, axle length to match and drag link and tie rod to suit.

Thats at I was thinking that part of it was.

Would be good

Awesome work Dave!

Might have to change my plans for a Sals/D60 front...

Any plans to offer rear steer as well?

Hi Guys,

we have been working on this flat out and have learnt loads,

we have incorporated some neat design features,

in Europe after a wet weekend competing it's usual to have to strip the hubs to get the water out and regrease etc. we have double drilled the drive flanges so you have 10 bolts but 2 of them, opposite eachother, are drilled with a gallery through the hub to the gap between the wheel bearings, the idea being you remove both screws, blast grease down one with a pneumatic grease gun until it comes out clean from the other hole, put the bolts back in, job done.

front and rear hubs are designed so you can fit twin brake calipers,

the diff housings are on the 3rd prototype and are very near the final build, ARB's are modified and ready to fit, shafts and CV's are ready.

we are aiming to have a pair of axles on display at the Billing show in the UK in July then will fit then on a vehicle to go to the Portugese Rainforest Challenge for their first test.

few update photos,







it's slow process but it's definatly getting there,

we are now on the 4th prototype knuckle and it looks nice,
these newer knuckle inners are solid steel, the outers are solid flange and twin caliper flanges with fabricated sides,

seal and needle roller bearings on CV

we make 4 mods to the 9" ARB RD99,

1) to fit to our new housing we have to machine the ARB on the non crown wheel side to pull the journal bearing in closer to the centre,

the other 3 mods are to improve the poor dog clutch engagement,

2) there are 12 small but strong disengagement springs, this is a huge force for the pneumatic piston to overcome on engagement, we remove 4.

3) the dog clutch only has 2.5mm engagement, we machine it to add 1mm more.

4) the internal air feed holes are 1mm, we open these up to 1.5mm.

not tested any of the above yet but hopefully it will improve the problems the 9" ARB suffers from.

Dave thats stunning work which you have going on there. Chatting to Daniel Bongard at ARB, he was saying that they have moved to common parts etc with the new range of locker part numbers which allowed side gear interchangability in a completely different application which I am looking at. I'm not sure if this is the case with the RD99 but are you looking to spec the diff to allow running Longfield Toyota or Ashcroft CV's and axles, and/or uprating the halfshafts/CV's in the Ashcroft setup. Just thinking of those that want to move to a stronger diff and/or a higher pinion but not necessarily needing King of the Hammers type 1.5" axle and knuckle strength or the fabrication that requires structural members and jigging?

Nice work.

while your at it can you look into providing about 3 6x.75mm 8mm deep threaded holes on both sides of both the axle housing and the steering frame so that a flat plate bracket can be made up to secure a wading bracket.

The biggest hassle I've had with the jeep type front axle is the inside bearing seal getting lunched and the inner bearing getting contaminated from mud/water.