Axle, diff & locker input needed

[Allen Bosely]

I need some input and suggestion as to what and why on axels,diffs & lockers.

I'm somewhat on the fence between a SIII 109 or an 83' 110 as my expedition rig to rebuild. At this point leaning towards the 110 for the sake of simplicity in the rebuild.

So, for an 83' 110 that will have these basic modifications/upgrades:
Tdi 300, R380, LT230TC, new chassis and probably bulkhead, rear discs. On 255/85 16 tires.

It will be an expedition vehicle as opposed a hard core off roader, so it will be loaded somewhat heavily and pulling a small expedition trailer.

It will be taken to Southern Africa. So I don't want to modify the front and rear ends any more than necessary. As in putting in 1.5" axels that require machining the housings and hubs and such. If it breaks I would like as much as possible to be able to use stock LR parts salvaged some where to limp home.

Thinking of something along the lines of these choices:

Peg the Diff for cheap insurance.

Great Basin Rovers 24 spline Heavy Duty axels front and rear, 4.10 ratio gears, Detroit locker in Rear,and Tru-track in Front. Simple, no air lines.

Or the above with ARB locker Front and Rear.

Or a Salisbury Front with the ARB or Tru-track.
Salisbury's can be found in the UK (with a bit of hunting) I've seen a couple for sale.

I am trying not to modify it to much as in the Toyota Diffs and axles and such, for ability to fix it in the Boonies. If it was only going to be in the US that might be a way to go.

What combination would you recommend based on the type of vehicle and use and why

Allen

 

[gjackson]

Go stock. No, seriously. The 110 has a pretty good driveline, and I've never wanted for anything different in 30,000 really tough African miles. That was with a loaded 110. It's not like the 300 is going to demand anything stronger.

But if you want to lock and go stronger, then talk to Keith from RoverTracks. He's Revor on ExPo. I hear he has some CVs that are no longer defied by a patent . . .:sunflower

cheers

 

[michaelgroves]

Both One-Tens and Series III 109s have Salisbury type diffs (with 24-spline shafts) at the rear, so pegging is certainly not necessary. Nor is replacing the diff-centre with a locker of some sort, from a component-strength point of view. Expedition vehicles seldom need lockers anyway, and while they can help you though some trickier patches, they put considerable strain on an already heavily laden drive-line, and they add complexity, weight, and cost. If you decide they are worthwhile, I'd strongly consider a full locker like the ARB - when it's off it's off.

For the front axle, again, I'd agree with Graham, stock parts are adequate. Though an early model One-Ten might have weaker shafts/CVs up front than Graham's Defender 110 (I'm not too sure on that point).

With the 255/85-16 tyres you are intending (good choice, technically, but you might reconsider because of the availability issues in Africa. 7.50-16s are cheap and tough and available anywhere), you probably won't have to go for lower gearing, but if you do, you might be better off with
a lower-ratio transfer box, rather than changing diff ratios. The LT230 box from a 4-cyl petrol One-Ten has a lower high-range gear (not sure about Series). Changing the diff ratios means installing weaker diff pinions. And you won't find much besides the standard 3.54:1 spare parts if you do need them, so that would mean carrying your own...

 

[Alaska Mike]

The beauty of the Toyota mod is that done right, you won't have to service it in the field. Strong axle shafts, larger/stronger ring gear... the weak point won't be in the housing.

Good luck with your search. This is a buildup I'm looking forward to- whatever it turns out to be.

 

[revor]

Stock 1994 - 2003 110 driveline.

Thats a Rover type front with a Salisbury rear. 1.4 T case and Disc's all around.

I would use these Axles whether building a Series or a Defender.

I would still consider adding the Toy up front but it really isn't neccesary for simple two track travel.

Keeping lockers out of the picture also negates the need for all sorts of upgraded components.

Check around in Canada, quite frequenty I get tempted by a complete 110 chassis with axles for a Few grand.

 

[Mercedesrover]

One often overlooked benefit to a selectable locker is if you do happen to break a shaft out in the field, you can lock up the diff and still drive the truck. Something you can't do with an open diff. Of course with the Toyota conversion and strong 30-splines the likelihood of that happening is very small.

 

[RonL]

I would go with the ARBs, I broke any axle in NewMex this year and drove out to the motel without any problems. If you are spending the money on a 300TD engine why not buy the best diff? Air lines are easy to fix. Detriots are strong, but when loaded and driving in the road, I don't like the fact that it is locked all the time.

 

[revor]

One often overlooked benefit to a selectable locker is if you do happen to break a shaft out in the field, you can lock up the diff and still drive the truck. Something you can't do with an open diff. Of course with the Toyota conversion and strong 30-splines the likelihood of that happening is very small.

All Very Good points!

 

[ntsqd]

I have two trucks with Detroits in the rear axles. One has no other TAD option. The other I keep threatening to replace with either a selectable or with a Tru-Trac.

They work great (other than the one wearing out it's thrust surface in the diff case due to unequal tire pressure), but I'm not fond of them.

 

[Allen Bosely]

After reading more. I think the set up I like best is HD axles with ARBs front and rear.

I'm not wanting to lock'um and go hard core. But they can be left open most of the time and be easy on the drive train and locked only when needed.

A first I thought of ARBs in the drive them hard scenario, but not in the use them only when needed. With ARBs I can make the decision as to lock or not
I think that actually gives me more control over the situation.

Allen

 

[Alaska Mike]

If you're not ging to go hardcore, you might just save yourself some money and skip the front ARB for now. I have a front ARB on my trail Jeep, and I very rarely use it. More often than not, it just gets me more stuck. I only use it in straight shots to minimize the chances of drivetrain breakage. The steering effects are also a liability in many situations. You might consider a 24 spline open case (they are generally pretty cheap), and put the savings towards a good winch and recovery kit.

I'd also consider a better compressor than the ARB- especially if you're planning on filling tires or running air tools. Just a thought.

A rear locker in that axle will be more than enough for overland travel.

 

[MuddyMudskipper]

After reading more. I think the set up I like best is HD axles with ARBs front and rear.

I'm not wanting to lock'um and go hard core. But they can be left open most of the time and be easy on the drive train and locked only when needed.

A first I thought of ARBs in the drive them hard scenario, but not in the use them only when needed. With ARBs I can make the decision as to lock or not
I think that actually gives me more control over the situation.

Allen

That's the set up I have and it works like a charm. Of course I blew out a rear diff in the middle of nowhere which made the decision to do it all at once a much easier pill to swallow (or justify, or rationalize, or whatever ). I'm not a hardcore rock crawler guy but the locked diffs have "helped" in quite a few situations.

 

[Alaska Mike]

I just see a front locker as a liability on a rig that is designed to be sustainable for long distances. Front axle shafts are too easy to break, and the gearsets are not that beefy.

A good tire designed for the terrain you mostly see is key to good traction. I used to use my lockers all of the time when I had radial Super Swampers (SSRs). The lugs would deflect and the pattern is too tight to allow them to grab in the mud we have up here. When I switched to bias-ply tires, it made all of the difference in the world and the lockers pretty much stay off. I have better traction than ever. I do cycle them for short sections, but more often than not they just stay turned off. I'm not saying everyone should go out and buy bias ply mud tires, but the point is that picking the right tire is often more important than having both wheels on an axle constantly turning.

Winches can get you out of far more trouble spots than lockers, believe me. In fact, my winch has rescued me from more than one predicament I wouldn't have been in if I didn't have lockers. Sometimes you roll the dice and end up stuck.

 

[MuddyMudskipper]

The important thing is that Mr. Bosely is building his truck how he wants. :clapsmile

 

[Alaska Mike]

Certainly is. Just providing an opinion so he can make an informed decision. It's a lot of money to spend to install an ARB, so you might as well be sure of your decision.