I'm helping a friend look for a rear lunchbox locker for his short wheelbase 1971 series LR with a 10 spline rear axle. I have an Aussie Locker in my 4Runner and like it. Having a hard time figuring out the locker options for this 10 spline axle. He doesn't want to buy a Detroit Soft Locker nor any limited slip.

Arb

I would research putting a solid locker on a 10 axle. a 10 spline axle are not so strong and
he will IMHO start breaking axles.

Ed

When I first got my rrc i put in a locker on my 10 spline axles. I never made it out of the parking lot. Broke an axle on the first turn I made. I would recommend converting to 24 spline axles.

got a detroit locker in the rear and a truetrak in the front of my hybrid, only problem i have had was a broken ring and pinion in the rear axle, my fault as far too much throttle on a big rock section.....not broken a shaft yet (2yrs)

not saying they wont break, its all in the footwork!

got a detroit locker in the rear and a truetrak in the front of my hybrid, only problem i have had was a broken ring and pinion in the rear axle, my fault as far too much throttle on a big rock section.....not broken a shaft yet (2yrs)

not saying they wont break, its all in the footwork!

You must have the lightest foot in the world or a 10hp motor in a 100lb rig.

x2 on the 24 spline conversion. A 10 spline locker makes no sense, very hard to find at this point anyway. I converted to 24 and went with an ARB to reduce stress.

He doesn't want an ARB or full Detroit- too much money. He has 235/85R16 all terrains and just wants the locker to get to his cabin in less than a foot of snow or a couple inches of mud. He knows how locker behave in snow, he's driven my rear Aussie locked truck and liked it.

I'd like to know whether Powertrax makes a spider gear replacement locker for the truck. If not, does anyone else?

Thanks for your input so far.

No. There is no "lunchbox" style for his current axle.

His most practical option is to install a detroit locker.

You must have the lightest foot in the world or a 10hp motor in a 100lb rig.

165bhp v8 and 1500kg, 4 speed manual lt95

i do have a light touch and lots of mechanical sympathy, unlike my GF who would blow the diff through the casing, i always seem to get the furthest on playday sites than the full throttle merchants.

as for the locker situation, if hes not going to spend the cash on a detroit or similar, only route i can see is welding the diff up, and drive it carefully...

He doesn't want an ARB or full Detroit- too much money. He has 235/85R16 all terrains and just wants the locker to get to his cabin in less than a foot of snow or a couple inches of mud. He knows how locker behave in snow, he's driven my rear Aussie locked truck and liked it.

I'd like to know whether Powertrax makes a spider gear replacement locker for the truck. If not, does anyone else?

Thanks for your input so far.

It doesn't make any sense to throw any money at a 10-spline axle. He's better off buying a winch for the tricky spots and saving up to build a real axle.

The biggest reason to upgrade to 24 spline is because that is where the aftermarket parts fit.
Even if you can find a 10 spline locker, you won't easily find 10 spline replacement axles.

A salisbury would do the trick, otherwise a 24 spline locker and matching drive axles. Which rear axle does he currently have?

Swap out the 10 spline rubbish and convert to 24 like everyone has suggested. Detroit is going to be the best option IMHO. Failing that, weld a 24 spline diff and get Keith to make him some blinging RoverTracks axels.

No. There is no "lunchbox" style for his current axle.

His most practical option is to install a detroit locker.

There used to be but they were short lived, back in 1996 or so I think Lockright made some. Jim Allen had one for sale ages ago, he probably still has it on a shelf somewhere- they went over like a lead baloon.

I'd just buy a set of tire chains...

little hijack... but how well will the factory 10 spline front cv's and stubs... hold up with a tru-trac? on a 32 or 33" tire and a 3.9 auto...

little hijack... but how well will the factory 10 spline front cv's and stubs... hold up with a tru-trac? on a 32 or 33" tire and a 3.9 auto...

Hi,
a friend had a Disco 1 with Quaife ATB in both axles - don't think he killed a front shaft and that was a 10-spline setup.

I've had 10-spline at both ends of my Bowler (3.9 V8, manual, 1400kg kerb weight) and it's lasted ten years with some fairly heavy off-road use. I broke the cross-shaft of a 2-pin diff but the shaft had a flaw in the material. There is now a quaife ATB in the back axle and the shafts are still OK. I try not to spin the wheels (33") too much so that may help. I guess the auto tranny will be kinder to the trans components after it...

100SRV

Actually, stock 24 splines and stock 10 spline axles are about the same strength. Most likely Rover makes the 24 spline axles out of cheese. The plus to 24 spline, is that you can get ones made out of proper materials.....

This reminds me of the 6' piece of 1-3/4" 4340HT I bought for work the other day. I was thinking that would have made a nice shaft..... Stuck it in as the guide bar for the forks on a loader. :eek:

Actually, stock 24 splines and stock 10 spline axles are about the same strength. Most likely Rover makes the 24 spline axles out of cheese. The plus to 24 spline, is that you can get ones made out of proper materials.....

This reminds me of the 6' piece of 1-3/4" 4340HT I bought for work the other day. I was thinking that would have made a nice shaft..... Stuck it in as the guide bar for the forks on a loader. :eek:

They have been shown to have similar strength on a single twist to break, but the 24 spline has a far better design to resist fatigue cracks and will last much longer under heavy use.
The aftermarket support is a bonus too.

He doesn't want an ARB or full Detroit- too much money. He has 235/85R16 all terrains and just wants the locker to get to his cabin in less than a foot of snow or a couple inches of mud.

Doesn't sound like he even needs a locker. I've driven my RRC through a foot of snow and a foot of mud with no lockers. I put an ARB 24 spline in the rear, and I almost never use it.

I had an email conversation with the guys at Aussie Locker about a year ago.
There will NEVER be an aussie locker for a rover axle. There is too much back lash in the design and the pin on which the spider gears run is the thing that breaks first in standard rover axles. In an ARB or Detroit Locker setup you replace the very weak pin and spider gears. with a "Lunchbox Locker" you encase the existing pin and spiders. As the rovers existing pin and spider gears are weak there is no point.

If someone posts the definitive method of converting to toy thirds, including part numbers and how to do the tricky bit with the front CV's (Birfields), then converting to those makes sense in the US. In the UK find a set of Landcruiser 80 axles and weld on the brackets to make them fit your Rangey.

Of course you could give yourself a real headache and buy a set of G wagon axles (guess what course I took)

used 10 spline ARBs can be found cheap. Most of them can be converted to 24 spline with new side gears (250ish per locker new) if you decide to upgrade down the road to HD axles. I bought my 10 spline ARBs for 750 shipped. Lockers, stainless steel lines, pump, switches, wiring harness etc, in complete thirds. Ive yet to break an axle but wheel mostly mud (34 inch swampers) and my truck is just a hair over 4000lbs. I am glad I got them plus 10 spline axles are cheap. I carry spares just in case. Ive had them for around 3-4 yrs, wheel about once a month. In rocks my axles would never last, I know that. Gordo

24 spline is the way to go but if you must have a 10 then look on devon 4x4 or lr4x4 sites there always coming, up cant give them away. dollar to the pound is good so import

with a "Lunchbox Locker" you encase the existing pin and spiders. As the rovers existing pin and spider gears are weak there is no point.
QUOTE]
i put a lunchbox locker in a cherokee i had... i removed the spider gears and cross pin and threw them in the box, the locker replaces these parts, and used a new hardened pin...

[QUOTE=JasperG;9363357] Ive yet to break an axle but wheel mostly mud (34 inch swampers) and my truck is just a hair over 4000lbs. I am glad I got them plus 10 spline axles are cheap. I carry spares just in case.

but if you do snap an axle, won't that usually pop the locker too... or will the arb stand up to it? i don't know, only askin...

ARB should be fine. It is Detroits that you need to be careful with.

Weld it and get some spare shafts!!!!

as a side note...I am currently working on a custom spool (Modified toyota 8 inch) and bored spindles. gonna stuff some custom 30 splines (both ends) 300m shafts in it with 300m drive flanges.

I am a machinist so this is cheap!

Why not stick a Toy diff in it and eliminate the weak point?