109 Expedition rig build
- Thread starter Mercedesrover
- Start date
Wander
Expedition Leader
New to this forum-amazing build. I enjoyed reading about your trek in the 88 in OJ-this one looks equally impressive!
I had a thought about the instrument panel- how about engine turning the surface? If you already did something to it and I missed that-sorry!
If not the engine turning might look nice- very aviation inspired- and break up the flat finish of the surface. How about finished/complete some interior pics?
Again-amazing work.
I had a thought about the instrument panel- how about engine turning the surface? If you already did something to it and I missed that-sorry!
If not the engine turning might look nice- very aviation inspired- and break up the flat finish of the surface. How about finished/complete some interior pics?
Again-amazing work.
Mercedesrover
Explorer
Hey all. Been a while since I posted here so thought I'd give an update.
We took the new 109 on what was supposed to be a two-plus week trip into the North Maine Woods in June. An uneventful first couple of days up there and into the bush ended 70 miles north/north-west of Millinocket when driving along on a relatively flat road we broke the main-shaft in the transmission. So much for bullet-proof. We were about 10 miles north of Haymock Lake on Haymock Lake Road when it broke and after a few hours a couple of guys came along and dragged us down to Haymock Lake Campsite. A game warden radioed for a flatbed truck and the next day he dragged us down to a friends house in Brewer Maine where we rented a U-Haul and trailer for the sad ride home.
Tore the truck down the day after we got home and found out the main-shaft was improperly welded and never had a chance. I found a shop that agreed to build me a one-piece shaft properly and a month later was back on the road. Another long trip with this truck will have to wait until next year but in the meantime we're having fun bombing around the local roads and all-else has been fine with the truck. By the way, we were getting 20mpg loaded heavy and pulling highway speeds on the way up to Maine. Pretty happy with that.
Some pictures:
We took the new 109 on what was supposed to be a two-plus week trip into the North Maine Woods in June. An uneventful first couple of days up there and into the bush ended 70 miles north/north-west of Millinocket when driving along on a relatively flat road we broke the main-shaft in the transmission. So much for bullet-proof. We were about 10 miles north of Haymock Lake on Haymock Lake Road when it broke and after a few hours a couple of guys came along and dragged us down to Haymock Lake Campsite. A game warden radioed for a flatbed truck and the next day he dragged us down to a friends house in Brewer Maine where we rented a U-Haul and trailer for the sad ride home.
Tore the truck down the day after we got home and found out the main-shaft was improperly welded and never had a chance. I found a shop that agreed to build me a one-piece shaft properly and a month later was back on the road. Another long trip with this truck will have to wait until next year but in the meantime we're having fun bombing around the local roads and all-else has been fine with the truck. By the way, we were getting 20mpg loaded heavy and pulling highway speeds on the way up to Maine. Pretty happy with that.
Some pictures:
evilfij
Explorer
Why was the main shaft welded? Is that how they came or was it because of the use of adaptors that it needed to be welded?
Michael Slade
Untitled
Note to self: Choose your welder carefully.
Mercedesrover
Explorer
It was two shafts that were joined...Front half NP435, rear half Land Rover. It was supposed to be inertia-welded but turned out to be only mig or tig welded and never re-hardened. The new shaft was annealed, machined from an original NP435 shaft and re-hardened properly. I have complete faith in it. ( famous last words!
)
I Leak Oil
Expedition Leader
Sorry to hear about the shaft. I've never been comfortable with a welded shaft. I know, if done right, bla bla bla but there's always that little guy sitting on your shoulder asking "what if it's not right..." I've got an SM465 I want to mount to a series transfer case but I don't want a welded main shaft. Someday...
Snagger
Explorer
Sorry to see you had such a problem. This is always the problem with modifications - some parts are subjected to much greater strain than they were designed for or have to be adapted to fit, and the quality can't always be relied upon. I consider myself lucky to have few such fitting problems mating a 200Tdi to a SIII box, only suffering problems like oil leaks, but I still worry about breaking the transmission. It's a good lesson to all, though, that no matter how well prepared the vehicle is, breakdowns can still occur and yo have to be prepared for them, just as you were.
JSBriggs
Adventurer
Mercedesrover
Explorer
That's just what I did with the NP435 shaft. Started with a 2wd shaft, annealed, machined, re-hardened and the last bearing surface ground after heat. Ended up with only 0.002" deflection after heat too. I've got faith in this shaft over a welded shaft for sure.
Oilburner
Adventurer
I have to come to the defense of the welded mainshaft method. If done right it is as strong as a single piece shaft, cheaper to manufacture and does not need to be rehardened. All the ones I have had were still hardened after welding at the splines, the HAZ was limited to fairly close to the weld, not into the splined areas. The one you got was just junk. The weld looks super cold with tons of inclusions. I would love to see it up close.
The Series shaft end has a big dumb huge huge stress riser right where the T case input gear splines end (like every splined piece in a Series Rover, but I digress). This is a way weaker spot than where the welded mainshaft would be. I ran a welded mainshaft in my T18 for years, never a problem with the weld, it actually tore off the threads to the gear locknut once and I broke three series T cases with that setup, broken teeth, nothing wrong with the shaft.
The Series shaft end has a big dumb huge huge stress riser right where the T case input gear splines end (like every splined piece in a Series Rover, but I digress). This is a way weaker spot than where the welded mainshaft would be. I ran a welded mainshaft in my T18 for years, never a problem with the weld, it actually tore off the threads to the gear locknut once and I broke three series T cases with that setup, broken teeth, nothing wrong with the shaft.
TeriAnn
Explorer
That's where you need to pick someone who knows what they are doing. The main shaft on my T-18 was welded by Timm Cooper 10 years ago this month and is still holding up behind my Ford 302.
wow ...what a bummer to have a big trip end like that, sorry to hear about the vacation.
For such a crucial part I would have called up the great guys at Novak conversions and had a custom shaft made from scratch. I have bought a number of them from them and never had a failure and one was running behind a truck with over 500ft of torque.
hind sight is always 20/20(one way to have 20/20 after 40)
glad to hear its all fixed!
For such a crucial part I would have called up the great guys at Novak conversions and had a custom shaft made from scratch. I have bought a number of them from them and never had a failure and one was running behind a truck with over 500ft of torque.
hind sight is always 20/20(one way to have 20/20 after 40
)glad to hear its all fixed!
Mercedesrover
Explorer
Man, tough crowd.
I did pick someone who knew what he was doing. Unfortunately this shaft, unlike many, many he's done, had a problem. He made right by me and I'll never have a foul word for him. He's always been a stand-up guy and continues to be. He just happened to have a problem with this particular shaft...S#*t happens.
Mercedesrover
Explorer
Dutchman's made me a shaft starting with a 2wd NP435 shaft as I was in a bit of a hurry and they could get on it right away. From the time I shipped it out to the time I got it back was under 4-weeks. Not bad for a one-off piece right in the middle of race season.