Presently run a 4.6 V8 90 mainly used for trial competitions. I've got the chance to get hold of an old 300d G Wagon axles. Does anyone know if they would be any stronger than LR 90 axles with Ashcroft half-shafts and 4-pin diffs. Especially the CV's.

I don't exactly have the answers your looking for but I know Ashcroft axles snap like twigs! Just barely stronger than stock.

Yea, I'm sure they would be great, but they spin backwards I think. Hope you have a steep reverse gear.

Absolutely false statement there. Ashcrofts are very good aftermarket axles. In fact I like them better than the MD stuff that Bill sells. They are made to twist until the breaking point is reached (over 700 degrees on both my axle breaks). The MD's dont twist so they eventually just fail with no indication of any previous damage.

Saying the Ashcrofts are barely stronger than stock is crap. Don't know what you been smokin' Larry, but it was good stuff mang!

Billster

ps. My front Ashcroft 23/24 spline axles lasted for 2 years running 38" tires and a crawler box on some super tough wheelin'. The rears I used in the rover housing way back when, held up really well using 35x14.5 SSR's and the same hardcore wheelin'. If I had payed attention to the amount of twist, I could have replaced them before they broke. The stock rear axles with the integral flange would not have lasted 10min on my rig wheelin' with those SSR's.

I don't exactly have the answers your looking for but I know Ashcroft axles snap like twigs! Just barely stronger than stock.

Just ask Chuck Henry when he got his G-wagen built with the new axles and such... Started it up and the forward gears put him in reverse.

Billster

Yea, I'm sure they would be great, but they spin backwards I think. Hope you have a steep reverse gear.

It's constantly breaking (AEU 2522) CV Joints that's pissing me off. Any idea on how to strengthen them up.

Saying the Ashcrofts are barely stronger than stock is crap. Don't know what you been smokin' Larry, but it was good stuff mang!

Billster


I have seen many more Ashcroft axles break than MD axles. I personally think they both suck, but then again that's just my opinion. Pirates all about opinions and those are mine. :flipoff2:

It's constantly breaking (AEU 2522) CV Joints that's pissing me off. Any idea on how to strengthen them up.

I might have a better (first hand) response to this in about 2 weeks!

It's constantly breaking (AEU 2522) CV Joints that's pissing me off. Any idea on how to strengthen them up.

The easiest way is to fit longfield CV's, but you will need custom front axles and a few minor mods.

The front G-Wagen diff spins backwards, but apparently (have been told but not 100% sure) the centres are the same so you should be able to fit a rear ring and pinion to the front and get it to work in the right direction. The G-Wagen diffy look reasonable strong, about the size of a Dana 44.

The MD's dont twist so they eventually just fail with no indication of any previous damage.

You sure about that Bill? The very few failures I have seen (and read about) of MD axles were all twisted quite a lot (maybe not 700 degrees though). Are you confusing MD and Macnamara axles?

Nope, not confused. The Ashcrofts tend to yield and twist under overload, the MD twist and spring back. The 3 MD I have seen broken all had a line scribed when new, and all were straight up to the point of failure which was twisting off at the butt of the splines on the diff side. All the Ashcroft failures have had significant twist along their entire length.

I have "heard" from some source I cannot remember, that you should periodically pull the Ashcrofts and check for twist. Once you are past 540 degrees, replace and keep as spare.

This is just my experience though, yours may vary.

Billster

You sure about that Bill? The very few failures I have seen (and read about) of MD axles were all twisted quite a lot (maybe not 700 degrees though). Are you confusing MD and Macnamara axles?

I dont think there are many Mac axles running around in the states. The majority of aftermarket axle for Rovers are in no particular order:

Ashcroft
MD
Moser
Dutchman

Billster

[QUOTE=ISUZUROVER]The easiest way is to fit longfield CV's, but you will need custom front axles and a few minor mods.

Sounds good. Found Longfield axles website and phoned them up but nothing for LR axles.
Any idea where I could get info on grafting Toyota hubs onto LR Axles

Rovertrax I think www.rovertrax.com

I might have a better (first hand) response to this in about 2 weeks!

Good, could you let me know where to buy a set. Is it GBR?

Rovertrax I think www.rovertrax.com

Thanks, but I think their webpage has died.

Maybe I gave the wronge web address. He is on this board. Goes by revor. Try PM'in him

It's Rovertracks (www.rovertracks.com) not rovertrax. I am working with Keith on this right now. He can probably set you up right now. The only problem is that the Toy Minitruck 300M Birfs are backordered for 3 weeks. We figure there are at least 500 of these birfs in the market right now (I think Bobby Longfield orders them in lots of 500) and very few failures from the Toy guys. I should be finishing up my front and rear axles this weekend. 3rds show up Monday. 4.88 gears and ARB, can't wait to test it out. BTW, the Toy axles that Keith has are something like 1.318 in diameter. They seem a bit bigger than the biggest rover stuff. Doubt I'll break them without a bigger stupid pedal! :D

Thanks guys, I'll try to contact Rover Tracks for more info tommorrow

to answer the original question about G wagon axles.The g. wagon employs a 2 shaft transfercase with the rear output concentric with the main gearbox, thus the rear differential is conventional in that it spins in the normal direction. the front output shaft rotates in the opposite direction so the front differential, which is identical to the low pinion rear one is flipped and therefore becomes a high pinion one.So you cannot use a Gwagon front end in a Rover unless you cut and flip the differential. I also beleive that the G's front ax;es are non floating, so if you break a CV, and the Australian Army found that they do break, the truck is immobilised due to the wheel assembly falling off. For all their faults in standard trim the LandRover axle design front and rear is still the easiest to service and maintain in the field, or your own driveway for that matter. The components just need to be uprated a bit on some models.
Bill.

This true of the pre 1990 Gs. On the new full time 4wd trucks, they run "forward" same as a Rover. There must be another difference as the older 460 series trucks have an available 6.17 gear set available for a mere $800.00 per axle and the newer 463 series list a 5.3? as the tallest.
The axles are not full floaters and are similar to a D44.

portalrover......all front axles by the very fact that they must turn the front wheels (at an angle in order to steer) are floating by design. If a front shaft breaks does the wheel fall of? No it does not. The load is not being carried by the axle....but by the spindle assembly. If it was not you would have no way of turning the wheels.

Mr slickrock, do some more homework. Not all front driving axles are or have to be fullfloating. Most if not all frontwheel drive car drive axles are non floating. the wheel flange is bolted to the CVjoint stub shaft which supports the weight of the vehicle on that corner. If the stubshaft breaks the only component preventing the wheel from falling off is the brake caliper. This was one of the problems encountered on the G Wagons when the AUS army tested them against LandRovers 110 and Jeeps J10 series.
Bill.

No need to make mean spirited remarks.....are we not all here to learn and discuss new things? I think your definition of what a full-floater axle is...is different from mine. My understanding is that any drive axle that is not bearing the weight of the vehicle and is only providing power to the wheel is considered to be full floating. On those front wheel drive cars the axle does not bear any of the vehicles weight. If I am wrong or if my definition is incorrect then someone correct me as I am far from an expert.....just someone who likes trucks. The wheel staying on or falling off does not count into the equation. On some full-floaters it may and on other it may not due to design.

>> On some full-floaters it may and on other it may not due to design.

and you're a dumbass - how's that for mean-spirited :rolleyes:

... and btw, there's a difference between semi-floating and fully-floating. use the SEARCH and figure it out yourself - there is plenty of material on PBB to "learn" from w/o inciting an entry for the sensitive flower award.

Slickrock, My apologies, No offence intended, but your understanding of what constitutes a fully floating axle is wrong.The SAE textbook definition A fully floating axle is a design where the axleshaft can be broken or completely removed from the vehicle without affecting the ability of the wheel to support that corner of the vehicle. The front stubshaft which is integral with the CV joint on FWD cars and the 300 GD Gelanderwagons that I am familiar with must be intact and in place for the vehicle to remain mobile .
Regards Bill.

Portalrover....given that definition of the matter then you are correct and I am wrong. Thanks for enlighting me and no offense taken.

Now now searover....did your mother not teach you manners? I bet if you and I were sitting face to face you would not misbehave as such. How rude. Still some out there that have yet to learn how to be gentlemen...and act so lude in private. Trust me my skin in thicker than yours.....I was just raised right.

[QUOTE=ISUZUROVER]The easiest way is to fit longfield CV's, but you will need custom front axles and a few minor mods.

Sounds good. Found Longfield axles website and phoned them up but nothing for LR axles.
Any idea where I could get info on grafting Toyota hubs onto LR Axles

There are plenty of people who have done a conversion which allows Toyota (Longfield) CV's and custom axles (halfshafts) to be fitted inside the Land Rover axle housing/swivel assembly.

Sam was the first... Search on pirate and outerlimits for more info/threads on this
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=73972&highlight=toy+longfield

And if you do not want to/cannot do the work yourself, Keith (rovertracks) will have a kit out soon, including the longfields.

And if you do not want to/cannot do the work yourself, Keith (rovertracks) will have a kit out soon, including the longfields.[/QUOTE]

Thanks Ben.
Unfortunatly I don't have the facility to do some of the required manufacture of new parts and development (and availability) of Toyota parts is fairly minimal over here so I guess the kit option is probably the way to go.