I like to plan ahead and try my best to do things right the firrst time. So I have been pricing out alot of differnt upgrades for my 98 disco and I am over at Great Basin Rovers (http://www.greatbasinrovers.com/) looking at Axles and I need am looking for some NO BULLSHIT ADVICE on what I should use. Basicly, should I go with eather 24 spine HEAVY DUTY REAR AXLE KIT or The 30 Spine EXTREME DUTY REAR AXLE KIT? Also I need some advice on the front axles kits also Heavy duty or Extreme duty? Please keep in mind 4.11 or 4.10 R&Ps and lockers front and rear are a given. I am looking for pratical advice from people who have used eather kits. I am also open to other options / products / etc.... Though I am not looking for conversions to dana 60s or Ford 9"s. Cheers Nutter

what do you wheel, how hard are you on the truck, what size tires do you plan on running??

In any case get the NSO 24 spline shafts @ ~$500 a pair...

...if you like to plan ahead and do things right the first time, go with the 30-splines. The last thing we wanna hear is you bitching a year from now because we recommended the 24-splines and you outgrew 'em.

Nutter,
Assuming you have an Auto, and don't plan on going bigger than 35" tires, the 24-spline GBR (MaxiDrive) axles will hold up just fine. This is what I run and have never had a problem. If you go with the bigger axles it will cost more for the axles and you will have to bore out the stub-axle (I think). You won't break the standard duty Maxi's!

If you want to start right get rid of the rover C&P first up and swap in some Toyota third members. And then run the 30 spliners and while you are at it convert the front CVs to Toy CVs as well so you can run Longfields or whatever.

The only reason why people dont break 24 spliners is because they are almost flat out just keeping rover crownwheel and pinions up to them. :flipoff2:

Sam

I will second what Sam says.

This a great way to improve the reliability of the rover drive chain easily and at cheap cost.

I am pushing 230KW these days.

RR housings, toy 4.3 centres.

Michael.

I would serious weigh your options before you give bill your money. Granted me makes good drop in stuff but I would seriously look around and see what other options you might have. From what I remember last time I checked you were going to spend at least a grand an end and I think the extreme duty fron stuff was like 2000 by itself. For that kind of money you might be able to find some much beefier axles. But it is your money. Personally I wouldn't buy bill's stuff I have seen way too much of it break. But there are a lot of people who have great success with his stuff so it really depends on what you are planning to do and what you are planning to run. I would seriously consider other axles if you are going to lock your front and rear for several reasons first lockers are much more expensive for rovers compared to other vehicles. Second gears are a lot more expensive third less gearing options. Third weaker gear set. Fourth less options for upgrades. Lastly price. But it is your truck but I would look around at KC's stuff and at I have heard that rockware is doing some good stuff
http://www.neversummeroffroad.com/
http://www.rockware.net/
and I guess to be fair check out
http://www.safarigard.com/ for another expensive option
but whatever you do post up and tell us how it works out

-ben

Has anybody tried the ashcroft axles? they seem a lot cheaper than the options mentioned here.

http://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk

They are supposed to be stronger than stock but weaker than Maxi-Drive.

i been shopping axles too and found out that the Ashcroft jams are cheaper for a reason, they aren't hardened all the way through and tend to snap under lockers. stick to the Maxi-drives.

If you buy Ashcroft, better buy in bulk.:D

They are only stronger than stock, weaker than everything else. Most people who use them just don't like buying Maxi's from Bill.

As a veteran user and breaker of axles I have to chime in about the Ashcroft/MD debate. They are made of different materials and fatigue and break in different ways.

The Ashcrofts are built to "twist" under excessive load. They can withstand upwards of 700 degrees of radial twist before ultimate failure. I have two axles that I have as spares that have over 500 degrees of twist and one that failed at over 720 degrees of twist. They twist/twist/twist, then break.

MaxiDrives on the other hand are built differently. They do not twist. The metal "memory" springs them back to zero. They spring/spring/spring under excessive load then the splines twist and break.

I have seen both 24 spline axles break in similar situations.

I have Ashcroft front 23/24 splines in the front of my truck (just cuz I am too lazy to put in the NSO axles) now for over 3 years and have run 2 years with 38" tires with no front axle failures (or CV's for that matter).

I had 30 spline rear MD's until blowing the rear diff on RockPile at EJS (which I totally spanked at Solihull:flipoff2: ). The 30 spline setup is pretty good, but the midshaft axle diameter is not very big (I think around 1.28 ish). The Rover R+P will break somewhere between the 24 spline axles and the 30 spline axles (although I have seen many R+P's recently break with 24 spline axles and big tires). One major downside of using the 30 spline stuff is cost. You have to buy a new ARB (RD76 btw). And then the front and rear diffs will not be interchangeable, and you cannot carry just one spare diff (which I seem to use at every major LR outing - for me or others).

Anyway, it is a tough call on which axles to get for your rig. I would say that 35" tires/Disco and anything but extreme wheelin' and you are okay with the Rover diffs and 24 spline aftermarket axles (your choice of MD/NSO/RoverTracks, etc). Ashcrofts may be hard to source direct and you may have to order them through ECR ($$$), unless you can find a UK buying agent.

Front end wise is another story. The stock CV's will not hold up, and the stock front axles are about 1" in diameter at the CV end. Who knows if Bill's new super duper custom CV's will hold up. One semi-known quantity is the AEU2522's. So far it seems that some of the inexpensive non-genuine GKN's are holding up to some abuse quite well (they are a bit softer in the Rockwell dept.). So, 23/24 spline axles and cheap AEU2522's may be the ticket for the under 37" crowd.

Just some random thoughts on the subject.

Billster

btw - we won't be shearing any more flange bolts on the Rover9" anytime soon. Spy picts soon.

Thanx for the advice everyone. Being new to modfiying rovers I need all the help I can get on the differnt options out there and as we all know discoweb isnt much help sometimes in that area. Cost isnt my major concern just getting it setup as close to right as I can the first time around so I can do some moderate wheeling on the weekend is what I am looking for. I dont for see myself going over 35s anytime soon. If and when I decide to make my disco a full time off road ride. I will starting looking into changing out the rover axles for something lot tougher like dana 60s or ford 9"s. As for breaking things on the trail I have been wheeling long enough to know that its to be expected. So the idea of having interchangeable diffs is making me lean towards the 24 spline axles for that reason alone. Anyway, i have a lot of things to think about now. Again thanx for the advice. Cheers Nutter

Listen to Ben's post. Couldn't have said it better.

Matt Pettersen at Rockware in Colorado Springs does exceptional work. KC is equally good, but not in Colorado (hey I am biased to CO.) :) I hate Bill and everyone knows that, so my comment there is biased as well. So I won't open that can of worms. But for what it is worth I wouldn't go the rover route whatever you do.

Way

If you are not "obliged" to stick with Rover axles (i.e. winch comp people), then simply go the Dana44 + F9" setup, change the wheels (you'll need some 15" with less BS anyways)...being in the US, it should cost you close to nothing...and they'll last for ever under that great V8 :D