83-84 defender 110 axle strength?

[HH60Gunner]

Just out of curiosity how large of a tire can a stock 83-84 defender 110 handle? Next year I'll be getting a nice re-enlistment bonus and am looking for a new family offroading rig since I sold my XJ last year. So far I'm down to either: a defender 110, an older 4 runner, or two samurais. I've always loved the 110 body style though and would really like to build one up with around 36-37" tires. Would a 110's stock axle handle that or would I be looking at doing some axle swaps?

[hoggyn]

You would be looking at doing some axle swaps.

[cptyarderho]

yep, at least the Toyota conversion that Keith has that keeps the houseing but swaps the shafts and diffs. Swap FJ 80 axles and go.

[Dave_Lucas]

Rear 3rd / R&P is pretty much a dana 60, the shafts are weak so you would need to replace them but then the rear should be good.

Front you should consider a toy 3rd, cv's and shafts

In both cases you can still use the stock housings

[Kyle_T]

what about the defender 1 ton setup? salsbury rear and and whatever front goes with that?

PT???

[colorover]

1) You can upgrade the Front Axles/CV's to 24 spline, Rovertracks(Keith) has a kit for $400. You can do the same for the rear, 24 spline axle upgrade. Your weak link is now the diffs, while lockers will give you a stonger carrier, they will help to kill the ring gear if you wheel hard. This will probably handle 35's for awhile, but you'll eventually brake the diffs at least.
2) Upgrade the front to full 30 spline axles/cv's from Rovertracks. I think you'll need a D90 front housing to do this. Probably best as the brake rotors and other misc parts on the 110 stock front end are not as common as D90/D1 stuff. Upgrade the rear to a full on dana 60, Rovertracks sells a kit starting at $3300, probably runn you $4500 with extras complete(ARB, Disc Brakes, Etc). You won't brake this setup short of running 40's and an LS.

Brendon

[PTSchram]

what about the defender 1 ton setup? salsbury rear and and whatever front goes with that?

PT???

I'm staying out of this as I have different opinions on what one can and should do.

Keith's set-up is a great way to go and he makes it easy to do.

[Kyle_T]

I'm staying out of this as I have different opinions on what one can and should do.

Keith's set-up is a great way to go and he makes it easy to do.
:shaking:

[BigBlueToy]

Stock Rover axles can handle up to a 36’’ tyre with no problems depending on engine. the guys in Iceland run 44’’ tyres on stock axles, but snow doesnt shock load shafts the way trail use does. 83-84 defender 110 axles will accept Series III 109’’ 4.7 gears with no mods to the housings or axle shafts, the fronts arent great, but a Salisbury rear is pretty freakin tough!

[revor]

Like the kids said, a 37" tire and such a heavy truck you should go 35 spline Salisbury and never look back.. Up front a Toy conversion would be an easy "fix" you need to run Dana Ratio's though..

[PTSchram]

Stock Rover axles can handle up to a 36’’ tyre with no problems depending on engine.

I have piles of carriers that came out of a chopped Disco on 35s. Five rears and three fronts in one season of wheeling.

Anything over 32" is asking for trouble on stock Rover shafts in Rover axles, IMO. This is probably even worse with the early ten-spline stuff.

[fridgefreezer]

Stock Rover axles can handle up to a 36’’ tyre with no problems

On which very flat and tractionless planet are you living then? 36-37" is about the upper limit of heavily modified Rover axles (eg KAM/ARB/Ashcroft internals) if you want reliability, beyond that you need to be looking at axle swaps or Toyota internals.

depending on engine. the guys in Iceland run 44’’ tyres on stock axles, but snow doesnt shock load shafts the way trail use does.

...and their axles are not stock, only the axle casings.

83-84 defender 110 axles will accept Series III 109’’ 4.7 gears with no mods to the housings or axle shafts, the fronts arent great, but a Salisbury rear is pretty freakin tough!
The salisbury (=dana) centre is pretty tough but the shafts are the same old cheese. You can stick a 4.7 in the front easy enough but I seem to recall there's a few issues around swapping in a Series salisbury centre - not impossible, but not a 5 minute job. There is of course the other issue that Series 4.7's are even weaker than the 3.54's you're replacing.

[aloharover]

Find a pass drop D60, remove the knuckles, cut to width, weld on a rover flange.

[BigBlueToy]

Find a pass drop D60, remove the knuckles, cut to width, weld on a rover flange.

I was actually thinking of drilling some bolt holes on the back of the inner C’s of my Chevy Front Dana 60, trussing my rover housing, installing a 35 spline toyota ARB in the Housing, then re-tube the Dana 60 center section to use in the rear, and a man named Robert married you mother’s sister. kind of the exact opposite of what you suggest doing.

[BigBlueToy]

On which very flat and tractionless planet are you living then? 36-37" is about the upper limit of heavily modified Rover axles (eg KAM/ARB/Ashcroft internals) if you want reliability, beyond that you need to be looking at axle swaps or Toyota internals.



...and their axles are not stock, only the axle casings.


The salisbury (=dana) centre is pretty tough but the shafts are the same old cheese. You can stick a 4.7 in the front easy enough but I seem to recall there's a few issues around swapping in a Series salisbury centre - not impossible, but not a 5 minute job. There is of course the other issue that Series 4.7's are even weaker than the 3.54's you're replacing.

the 2,5 hasnt broken them yet!

[PTSchram]

Find a pass drop D60, remove the knuckles, cut to width, weld on a rover flange.

Were it that easy, I'd have a front to go with the rears!

[michaels]

Were it that easy, I'd have a front to go with the rears!

buy chicago don's. :flipoff2:

[PTSchram]

buy chicago don's. :flipoff2:

Behind the Salisburys is a pile of Ford and Dodge 60s. Piled on top of them are piles of stubs of Rover axle housings with just the spring mounts and flanges. My new shopboy worked as a fabricator before coming here, his winter work is cut out for him.

I wonder if a log splitter would work to push axle tubes into a housing???

[JasperG]

If you decide to go completely to toy axles, Id look for the FZJ 80s instead of the FJ, full floater rear. Gordo