'69 Series IIA fitted with Disco 1 Diffs

[woza]

I have fitted 1996 Discovery 1 diffs front and back to my 1969 Series IIA SWB Land Rover. The disc brakes are awesome. It turned out to be a lot of work but it can be done and is well worth the safety issue improvement
Cost of the diffs from a recyclers yard is+/- $500-00. The parts from Rovers North = 4 rotors, 2 front calipers, 2 back calipers, Brake pad kit front and back, wheel bearings, grease and all the diff seals, new drive shaft yoke for the back diff(eliminate the rubber dounut), 16 bolts for driveshafts, 4 u-jays, new mud splash guards, 20 new lug nuts, gasket maker, 4 spray cans of black paint. Front and back parabolic springs, 8X3''Dia spring perches, some 1"X3" mild steel flat bar. Also 4 Tie-rod ends. 1 Ton LR pickup shackles for the front.
Now tally up this part list plus add professional mig welding. I got this done for the whole job lot at +/-$180-00. The added bonus is the Disco side shafts don't break/shear off like the Series side shafts. Also the brake pades are off the shelf items. I have take lots of photos of the instal. Done some playing in the Pine Barrons of NJ. Now I need some ARB air lockers to really have an awesome Landy

[blue bomber]

Please show some pics. Sound great.


Tapatalk sucks, sent from Matthew's IPhone

[rwollschlager]

Please show some pics. Sound great.


Tapatalk sucks, sent from Matthew's IPhone

x2! I'm interested in seeing your steering set up. I've heard there is an issue with one of the links and the leaf spring wanting to occupy the same space. I take it your running 3.54 diffs now too? How do you like them?

-Rob

[o2batsea]

Series have the steering arm on the top of the swivel housing, coilers have the arm on the bottom. It's not as much of an issue if you do a (IH Scout or P38) power steering conversion as the track rod won't foul the spring, and it's long enough not to be angled too much. If you keep the Series steering, the track rod from the arm on the steering relay is at a very strange angle. On full droop it will probably bind up the rod ends. If it clears the leafs, that is.
Also wondering how you addressed the castor angle issue, and the steering tie rod. Did you install a damper, I hope?

Some have fabbed up a new top mount steering arm for the coiler swivel housing. That's a lot of machining. Even then there are only two m10 bolts holding the steering arm on to the swivel (!!!) which to my mind is scary stuff. I have also seen people make loopy bent steering track rods that clear the leafs. The problem there is that the track rod is vulnerable to becoming pretzled, and adjustments are a pain cz you can't twist the track rod in place. You have to take it off one end, adjust, replace, test, repeat until you get it.

In the end it's actually easier to weld on the coil spring mounts to the chassis and lose the leafs. Then all the geometry works, you can put anything d1, RRC or 90/110 under it and it is simply better all around. Or buy a galvanized coil chassis from Iain at Designa Chassis.

The added bonus is the Disco side shafts don't break/shear off like the Series side shafts.

Who told you that whopper?

One other thing, the 1996 axles are disco 2. I would have gone with D1 so that I didn't have to buy all new calipers. My 2 pence.

[I Leak Oil]

My 1996 disco was a D1. Never seen a rare 1996 D2.

[o2batsea]

Ooops, yer right. Does it have single line front brakes? That's what I was really trying to point out, that it would be easier to use that style than to have to shell out for new single line calipers. Rebuild kits for the calipers is like 9 bux. The single line calipers don't fit the vented rotors of course, so you're back to early D1/RRC anyway.
I think the OP was attempting to get 24 spline axles in there...therefore the post-95 disco axles. Many ways to do all this. None cheap or simple.

[rwollschlager]

In the end it's actually easier to weld on the coil spring mounts to the chassis and lose the leafs. Then all the geometry works, you can put anything d1, RRC or 90/110 under it and it is simply better all around. Or buy a galvanized coil chassis from Iain at Designa Chassis.

it would be easier to cut apart and weld an entirely different suspension style on your existing chassis, geometrically correct too, than fiddle with some steering components? really?

this thread on pirate has some helpful advice and pictures of actual examples, pay close attention to posts 39 and 50. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/land-...ups-ideas.html


-Rob

[I Leak Oil]

I don't know Rob. That heim joint setup looks far more complicated than welding up a whole new front suspension over the course of at weekend and a case of brew.

[o2batsea]

it would be easier to cut apart and weld an entirely different suspension style on your existing chassis, geometrically correct too, than fiddle with some steering components? really?

Yeah, really. If you've ever tried to do any of this stuff you'd know what I mean. Coil perches are easily ordered up, as well as the radius/trailing arm mounts. The rear A-arm mount can be cut from a disco chassis for cheap. Maybe a couple hundred bux for all. They go on the Series frame quite nicely. As for making the geometry correct, all that has been done for us by the kind folk at Solihull. The measurements, down to the millimeter, are readily available.

this thread on pirate has some helpful advice and pictures of actual examples, pay close attention to posts 39 and 50. http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/land-...ups-ideas.html


-Rob

#39 those are leaf swivels, not coil.
#50 That's a solution alright. Weird, but I guess it works. I'm not an engineer so I can't say if that's a good idea to stack heims with washers.
I have yet to see coil axles properly used on a leaf chassis. If you know of an example I'd love to see it.

[thixon]

I'll have to agree with Rwollschlager. It's a way easier operation to swap out the axles on a leafer, rather than convert the leafer to coils. Sure, I would have chosen different axles than Woza did (I hate the hub set up on discovery 1's) but its a decent enough upgrade. I'd of gone with 30 spline birfield (front) from an fj40 myself, but whatever.

The castor thing should'nt be an issue unless you choose to go spring over axle, and even if it is, you can cut the tubes and rotate the joints then re weld.

As far as the stacked hiem joint photo goes, its a common practice on crawlers and mud trucks. The "washer" between the joints a a spacer meant to seperate the joints so movement isn't restricted.

[o2batsea]

Well, my feeble brain gave up on the whole leaf suspension thing after I went thru the whole power steering, parabolic, shackle, pinion angle, merry go round. That's why there's a Designa going under the 2A. Too much home brew reengineering for my taste. And my booger welds and grinding didn't make any of the schmidt any prettier that's for sure. My extended track rod was reedonkulous.
I applaud the OP for going on with the 24 splines. I'm sure it works fine, and he seems happy with it.

[rwollschlager]

I have yet to see coil axles properly used on a leaf chassis. If you know of an example I'd love to see it.

really? what happened to this?

Alternately, you might consider putting pre ABS Discovery 1 or Range Rover axles under it. These come with discs front and rear, are fully compatible with the Series drive shafts, have a taller gear for better highway driving, and are easy to get parts for. For about what you'll spend on new Series brake parts you'll get both front and rear from your friendly Used parts guy and probably have change left over. They're much better axles hub to hub and the series wheels will bolt right up. Other than being a tad wider than the series axles you'd never be able to tell outwardly. Cutting off the coil spring perches and fitting leaf spring perches is a simple, tried and true and well documented Rover conversion. My $.02.

or....

It's all out there on the web; pictures and step by step instructions about making the coil axles work on the Series.

how about them apples...

[Ncrover725]

Definitely interested in seeing it. I have a D1 right now I would not mind using as a donor for my 109.

[Tsmith]

I had planned a similar conversion for a SIII with a rotted chassis and retained the axles and locating arms from my parted-out '96 Disco. I don't plan to use them ansd would gladly part with them to someone planning a venture like this. They're located in New York near the CT border.

Tom Smith

[jopa]

Tom, PM sent..J