Defender axles

[Rangie ute on 38'']

hey all just wondering bout a 97 model. i know they have a strong salisbury rear, but just wondering if they have good tough cv's and big axles or still 10 spline jobs on the front . just wondering for future mods and lockers

[ISUZUROVER]

Rear:
It will have a rear salisbury with 1.24" 24 spline axles - the axles in these models were not the best and has a habit of stripping the splines at the hub end from lack of lubrication - fit aftermarket axles and pull the apropriate oil seals so the bearings and axle shafts run in oil.

Front:
You should have 1.24" 24 spline axles at the diff end and the hub end (CV stub). The problem is that the inner axles are 1.035" 32 spline at the CV end. This makes for a stronger CV star, but a weaker axle. Maxi-Drive upgrades replace the CV with the AEU2522 (County) CV, which takes a 1.18" 23 spline inner axle.

[Rangie ute on 38'']

yep shes got rear maxi with locker, n did plan front some time when money grows all over trees. but what are they like turning 35''. are the axle strengths similar to say a GQ or landcruiser.

thanks for that

[ISUZUROVER]

If you fit a front maxi and some Haultech AEU2522 CV's the front should be fine on 35's. The weakest link will be the ring and pinion. If you want to go to a lower ratio (like 4.3:1) for the 35's then you could do the toyota centre conversion.

[GURU]

is there 4.3 ratio's for the Sals rear??

I know there is a 4.1 through maxi-drive. or 4.7 from a series landy, but no hi lux diff is 4.7 to match

[Jay]

There is a 4.75 CR&P available through Grear Basin rovers who works with MD...I have been running these 4.75 CR&P on 36" SIMEX ET'II
The fact that these gears are reverse rotation which means that you gain about 50% increase in strength because you are running on the drive side of the gear which is about 30% stronger than the coast side.
Converting a rover front R&P set to either a hypoid design(Toyota) or a reverse cut are both imporvements over the stock of about the same percentage. The maximum upgrade would be a reverse cut, high pinion because you would gain strength from the hypoid design and the cut of the gear.
With the 4.75CR&P the job is a bolt on just need to calibrate well the CR&P with the right pinion nut and 125lb/ft torque.

[ISUZUROVER]

is there 4.3 ratio's for the Sals rear??

I know there is a 4.1 through maxi-drive. or 4.7 from a series landy, but no hi lux diff is 4.7 to match

These are all the Dana 60 ratios. They will fit into a sals fine - but a sals has 12mm ring gear bolts, a D60 1/2", and you need a D60 pinion flange. 4.3 and numerically higher will fit on a 3.54 sals carrier, 4.5 and lower needs a 4.7 carrier.

Dana 60 Ratios
Ratio Teeth
3.54 46-13
3.54 46-13
3.73 41-11
4.10 41-10
4.10 41-10
4.30 43-10
4.30 43-10
4.56 41-9
4.88 39-8
5.13 41-8
5.13 41-8
5.86 41-7
6.17 37-6
7.17 43-6

Toyota 8" ratios (not all available in high pinion front):
Ratio Teeth
3.54 39-11
4.11 37-9
4.30
4.56 41-9
4.88 39-8
5.29 37-7
5.71 40-7

Edited to include 4.3:1 toyota - anyone know tooth count?

[HSV Rangie]

Toy also has 4.3

in both std and front HP.

I run these.

Michael.

[TRobbo]

OK so you fit toy bits for strength, but with all the work involved to fit modified toy diffs, axles and cv's wouldn't it be easier to fit complete axle/diff assemblies from say GQ or GU. It seems to me the fabrication work this way would be a bit less and you can fit off the shelf bits if something does break.

[DiscoDino]

the Toy set-up is FAR stronger than the stock GU/GQ ones, and there are two things to machine, then its all bolt on...

[Slunnie]

How is Toy stronger than GU? I thought the GU had bigger CW/P, bigger axles and bigger CV's.

[HSV Rangie]

CVs same size.

Nissan R&P is larger.

Michael.

[ISUZUROVER]

How is Toy stronger than GU? I thought the GU had bigger CW/P, bigger axles and bigger CV's.

If you fit 30 spline longfields you will have stronger CV's than a nissan, but the nissan CW&P is still stronger.

Nissan axle with longfields and custom shafts would be very strong.

[landy_man]

yes, Nissan cw&p are definatly stronger than Toyota... but the increase in tyre size required to get the same clearance (if you dont shave the diffs) negates the whole process...
I also think there is less work involved fitting Toy stuff to Rover housings than it is to fit complete axle assemblies to your car...

[Slunnie]

Just had a search around. I thought the GQ and Toy CV's were basically the same, perhaps with some spline differences, and the GU is about 2cm bigger than the GQ/Toy. But it also seems that the treated GQ is about the same as a GU because the weak spot moves from the bell to the outer and there isn't a lot that can be done about that. The Longs on the other hand are made from a different material which I assume makes them stronger than the GU again.

[GURU]

GU CV's are bigger than GQ's, and stronger

But you can get the Stronger GQ CV's from hualtech. don't need custom axles as they would be strong enough.

ratio's are 3.9, 4.1, 4.3 and 4.6 ...can get 4.88 after market for GQ

[Rangie ute on 38'']

i would of thought if every thing went maxi on the front it would be stronger than any standard nissan or toy running gear, as they are still factory axles ect on the nissan and toyo as apposed to the material and make of a maxi.
i dont wanna hack the car up or get to techniqal otherwise the truck becomes to ununiformed for getting parts ect,it turns into a mongrel that nobody would work on thats made up of every thing.

[ISUZUROVER]

i would of thought if every thing went maxi on the front it would be stronger than any standard nissan or toy running gear, as they are still factory axles ect on the nissan and toyo as apposed to the material and make of a maxi.
i dont wanna hack the car up or get to techniqal otherwise the truck becomes to ununiformed for getting parts ect,it turns into a mongrel that nobody would work on thats made up of every thing.

Indeed with an MD front you should never have axle problems, but you are still running stock CV's and a stock R&P. These are the weak points. If you fit hautech CV's (direct swap if you fit AEU2522's) then that leaves only the R&P.


IMO a 30/30 longfield would be way stronger than a GU CV.

[landy_man]

IMO a 30/30 longfield would be way stronger than a GU CV.

hell yeah... the Longfield 30 spline cromo cv would be the strongest cv joint available for passenger type 4 wheel drives

[Rangie ute on 38'']

next question, how much is a set haltech, and longfield cvs, should get change outa $100

[ISUZUROVER]

next question, how much is a set haltech, and longfield cvs, should get change outa $100

Looks like about $150 each for the heat treating - a new stock AEU2522 CV is $150-300 depending on whether you get a genuine one or not.

Ruff do you do MQ/MK cv's aswell?

I havent but if you can supply Good Second hand CVs that have been cleaned and inspected for damage. I can treat them for $150 each + Freight.

Longfields are US$240 each when you buy them in the US (then you need the axles and stub axle mods)- I have heard over $1000AUD a pair when you buy in OZ (I bought mine in the US). I think CV unlimited are (or will be) doing AEU2522 CV's for a similar price.

Bear in mind that if you do a lot of road miles the haultech CV's will probably wear out faster than a stock CV (because they are softer). The 4340 Longfields shouldn't.

[GURU]

any after market purpose mad CV will be stonger than a stock CV no matter what brand.

in the situation you have I think the toy centre and JacMac axles would be the way to go. personnal choice with CV's. keep the Rover ones and no machining required and more standard like, but longfields would be stronger than haltech as Ben said

[Jay]

Might be easier and cheaper for you to go with GBR set up direct swap in and reverse rotation CR&P makes it very comparable to hypoid design TOY CR&P.
Also GBR has new CV's made out of 300 M material

[ISUZUROVER]

Might be easier and cheaper for you to go with GBR set up direct swap in and reverse rotation CR&P makes it very comparable to hypoid design TOY CR&P.

Reverse rotation increases strength slightly, but is in no way comparable to a true hypoid diff. DAS/GURU broke one on 35's as I recall.

Also GBR has new CV's made out of 300 M material

Really???? First I have heard. From what I have heard GBR likes to charge like a wounded bull, so CV unlimited or Longfield would be heaps cheaper.

[Jay]

Might be easier and cheaper for you to go with GBR set up direct swap in and reverse rotation CR&P makes it very comparable to hypoid design TOY CR&P.

Reverse rotation increases strength slightly, but is in no way comparable to a true hypoid diff. DAS/GURU broke one on 35's as I recall.

Also GBR has new CV's made out of 300 M material

Really???? First I have heard. From what I have heard GBR likes to charge like a wounded bull, so CV unlimited or Longfield would be heaps cheaper.

Nope Bill has been offering competetive prices lately nearly every one in the US has his set up didn't you see it on Yussef Red defender in Colorado
check him out www.greatbasinrovers.com

DAs/Guru did break standard 4.7 Rover CR&P not a reverse rotation heat treated
Jay

[ISUZUROVER]

No mention of 300m CV's on the GBR site.

Didn't ask Yousef about his front end much, but it seems to be holding up OK to the 37's.

Will have to let DAS tell us what he broke.

[Rangie ute on 38'']

so your saying you can get ur standard cvs heat treated for 150 ea or they are the haltech ones that are heat treated??. sounds to me like the best would be maxi axles and locker and heated cvs or haltech, without mixing different brand components and reverse with toyo cp ect. ill leave that for the buggy.
whats a front maxi setup worth from mal these days excluding the cvs

[Jay]

No mention of 300m CV's on the GBR site.

Didn't ask Yousef about his front end much, but it seems to be holding up OK to the 37's.

Will have to let DAS tell us what he broke.

Ben

GBR has not updated his website he s bad at that I should say but really knwledgeable guy and stands behind what he sells exceptional customer service.....
Look at Youssef axles on Rovertracks website you can easily spot the great basin rover golden axle cover

[Slunnie]

As said though, the Haultec ones are softened so they dont shatter when they get jolted, but as a consequence you could expect them to wear at a faster rate. Its not a problem on the Toys and Nissans as they run part time 4WD, but the ROver is a different story. The Maxi ones are still hard, and in the case of the ones that I have, they're beefed right up with things like rings on the bell, and so they're strong but will wear like any other CV.

If you comp it though, I would have thought the Haultec AEU2422 or whatever it is would be pretty strong.