Axle options

[superstator]

I'm trying to understand what my options are for axles, hopefully somebody here can shed some light. I currently have a standard front, and what appears to be a military or HD rear of some kind. It's not a Salisbury, it looks like the front axle with some heavy box section welded along the bottom of the axle tubes.

At a minimum, I'd be pulling them both apart and rebuilding everything. I'd like to put airlockers in while everything is apart. So the real question is, should I be putting 24 spline axles in while I'm at it? The ARB carrier for the standard Rover diff appears to be 10 spline, so would I have to retrofit it for 24 splines, or can you use the 24 spline Sals carrier in the Rover diff? Is it really even worth it? The value of the lockers would be to let me crawl over tricky stuff instead of using momentum and brute force, and that would seem to then put less stress on the 10 spline shafts. I also have this idea that I'd rather snap a halfshaft in a bad situation than break the diff itself or something further up the line, but then again what I'd really rather is to not break anything at all :). Or is offroading not even the issue, and I should be worrying more about snapping something while accelerating away on dry pavement with everything open?

Sorry for the run on questions - this is just the one part of the project I haven't really wrapped my head around yet.

[I Leak Oil]

You're going to get all sorts of opinions on this so I'll start. If you're going to stick with 10 spline, don't think about a locker in the rear if you intend to use it. Don't worry about rebuilding everything if it doesn't need it. There's still lots of good used 10 spline stuff out there, far less expensive than rebuilding.
Depending on what brand you buy, a later 24 spline coiler locker can work. You may need a ring gear spacer or new gear set to keep the 4.7-1 ratio.
Salisbury parts won't fit a standard rover diff. You could, however, fit a salisbury fairly easily.
Then there's the 'yota conversion.
Lockers can take some stress off the driveline in certain situations, it can also create more stress in other situations. The axle shaft as a fuse in the driveline thing...that's wishful thinking. It's hardly ever that convenient!

I have a salisbury rear with an ARB, front rover diff, 10 spline, ARB, disc brake conversion. If I were to do it again, or on another project I'd start with coiler axles, mount them on leaf springs and use ARB's or go the 'yota route.

[JimCT]

Salisbury, Great Basin hardened axles and flanges and a Detroit locker. Seems pretty bullet proof so far

[superstator]

I have a salisbury rear with an ARB, front rover diff, 10 spline, ARB, disc brake conversion. If I were to do it again, or on another project I'd start with coiler axles, mount them on leaf springs and use ARB's or go the 'yota route.

Why do you say you'd start with coiler axles if you did it again?

[Mercedesrover]

It's an 88 right?

Leave the front alone.

Rear:

Disco/RRC carrier
ARB RD 128 locker
your old 4.7 gears
ARB RD03A ring gear spacer
Seriestrek axles. :)

[superstator]

So, how does that work with the RRC carrier? You end up with an RRC carrier with Series R&P and the locking spider gears from the ARB? Can a mortal like me build all that on a bench?

It sounds like a good option, I'm just fuzzy still on how it all goes together.

[Mercedesrover]

The RD 128 has 24-spline side gears but larger side bearings than the Series housing. That's why you need to start with a coiler housing. The ring gear spacer makes up the difference between the smaller pinion/thinner ring gear. Sure, you can build it!

[bobzinak]

jinCT is right, call bill at "great basin rovers", a great guy, wealth of information about rover drivetrains, honest, truthful, knows his rovers.bobzinak

[I Leak Oil]

Why do you say you'd start with coiler axles if you did it again?

My first choice would be land cruiser axles but they can be $$$$. Coiler axles are cheap, I like the extra width, disc brakes, CV joints in the front, 24 spline already so you can just go with HD shafts at any time money allows and better clearance than the salisbury.

[luckyjoe]

It's an 88 right? :)

What about a 109? Seems like a Salisbury may have the edge over an uprated LR axle...

[TeriAnn]

What about a 109? Seems like a Salisbury may have the edge over an uprated LR axle...

For a 109 the swap is dead simple. Put in a SIII Salisbury rear axle assembly and a stock SIII 109 rear propshaft, use new U bolts and a new rear hydraulic flex hose. Bleed the brakes and you are done. Since the Salisbury is standard fitment on a SIII 109 it is a straight bolt across swap and simpler than anything else you can do to strengthen the rear.

If you want overkill for a 2.25L engine, add a set of Great Basin hardened axles, & hardened drive flanges and an ARB air locker (I like the idea of being able to choose to be locked or unlocked and not have a brainless application of force chose it for me).

[JimCT]

The one time we laid the ambulance over on it's side i would have never had the locker engaged [ARB], but if i had the rear diff locked I could have driven through the side hill. Changed my mind about the Detroit instead of the ARB. Way more simple, always there, and very robust.