50 Days of Land Rover ownership before first breakage!

[CLynn85]

Is that like a record or something?

Was teaching the wife to drive it tonight, rolled back a little on a hill and she let the clutch out kind of quick and *POP* No more forward motion. Quick analysis revealed something broken in the rear end, so we locked the hubs in and limped home.

I know the rear ends in these things are fragile, but REALLY? I mean we were rolling back a little but it wasn't THAT much of an impulse. The ironic thing about it is I emailed a local bloke about a 109 rear today before deciding against it due to the mods necessary to make it fit, starting to reconsider though....

[scott]

the diffs can break but most likely it's an axle. they are the weakest link. i did the same but i was jump'n on the throttle on a stupid steep dirt climb. my spider gears exploded and the long axle twisted. it's an easy repair. just remove the drive flange bolts and pull it and the axle out. do both, then drop the prop shaft and remove the diff (3rd mbr). i replaced my diff with a limited slip from great basin rovers and snag a buddy's spare axles. a local rover drive train shop set up my new ltd slip using a my old ring and pinon. i replaced all the bearings and seals too. it's still the weakest link but some day i'll put in a detroit locker w/ 24 spline axles and move the lmt slip to the front. when i'm done i'll have the slowest goat in town. it set me back about $500 and i still own badvibes a set of axles

[Apis Mellifera]

That's a record.

Mine was partially broken when I got it, it broke more on the drive home, and completely broken by the time I finally made it home. Of course, it was suspension pieces, gearbox, and diff that let me down. I've dumped the clutch repeatedly, spinning the tires on pavement, while pulling an outbuilding off its foundation. As far as I know, the axles in my 88 are standard, original parts. No breakage...yet, but the axles are the sacrificial part in the system.

[Tim Smith]

I believe the axles wear and then snap from accumulated damage. It may be a sudden jolt that snaps it but usually they were about to break any way.

If you can get a line on a salsbury, I believe that would be the quickest and cheapest route, depending on the price of the one you are buying.

[yorker]

It really pays to check the axles- first examine the splines to make sure they are straight, I've seen a lot over the years that were already twisted 20-30 degrees or so. Those axles are the ones that will still work fine but will pop at a stoplight or under some light shock loading, the bulk of the damage occurred elsewhere but it held on by a thread...

THAN examine the fit of the axle to the drive flange- there should be little if any play there. If there is play there I'd replace the flanges and or the axle.

[mongoswede]

I have been told that the diffs in the series trucks have an issue as they wear. Something around the spider gears getting sloppy and shifting up and down resulting in the axle basically being sheared off.

[Tim Smith]

It really pays to check the axles- first examine the splines to make sure they are straight, I've seen a lot over the years that were already twisted 20-30 degrees or so. Those axles are the ones that will still work fine but will pop at a stoplight or under some light shock loading, the bulk of the damage occurred elsewhere but it held on by a thread...

THAN examine the fit of the axle to the drive flange- there should be little if any play there. If there is play there I'd replace the flanges and or the axle.

He's right you know.

Here are some that I pulled out a couple of years ago. Forgot I had this picture.



Not the best image but after you click on it, you will see the one on the right is just about to go. I had a rash of broken axles while running the 10 spline stock set up. I was running used half shafts at the time so that probably explains most of my troubles. Not like I dump the clutch at green lights or anything.

My prefered option was to go to Bill at GBR and he put together a 24 spline trutrak and I haven't looked back since. The salsbury should be just about as strong as my set up but lacking the limited slip. Not a big deal unless you need the traction off road.

[daveb]

Tim

Make no mistake, the salisbury is still much stronger than your setup. The ring and pinion have about twice as much metal in them, and the carrier is already a four pinion arrangement.

He's right you know The salsbury should be just about as strong as my set up but lacking the limited slip. Not a big deal unless you need the traction off road.

[yorker]

I was going to mention that but I suspect Tim was talking about the strength of the 24 spline shafts themselves- not the overall strength of the differential itself.

[Tim Smith]

Right. I'm talking about the half shafts. Now by beefing up the half shafts, my point of failure has just moved up the line.

[CLynn85]

Anyone have a spare Salisbury laying around? I'm thinking a power upgrade is also in my future so I'd like to go ahead and do the rear end right this time around.