Defender disco front axle

[Log-ologist]

Rather than buy or swap the parts why not unbolt the swivel housings and change the whole housing cv joint and shaft in one go. 6 or so bolts to remove only, just replace the paper gasket.

 

Stick with a LR axle. Not Disco. or find a LR breaker .

[tree monkey]

if you want advice about landrovers give Buckley bros at darwen lancs 01254702300. they are good priced as well.

[ecolojim]

Dean, Im not quite sure which part it is you're eluding to having worn... Is it the splined drive member in the centre of the hubs that is worn? On a P reg (which should be 24 spline axles) undo the 5 bolts on the drive member, remove the rubber cap, undo one circlip, slide off two thrust washers and take the drive member off the end of the shaft

 

get a new one or perhaps the HD ones that are now available

 

"refitting is the reverse of removal"

[Dean Lofthouse]

Dean, Im not quite sure which part it is you're eluding to having worn... Is it the splined drive member in the centre of the hubs that is worn? On a P reg (which should be 24 spline axles) undo the 5 bolts on the drive member, remove the rubber cap, undo one circlip, slide off two thrust washers and take the drive member off the end of the shaft

 

get a new one or perhaps the HD ones that are now available

 

"refitting is the reverse of removal"

 

It is the drive member that is worn but the shaft splines, I suspect are worn too. I replaced the rear shafts and drive members last year because I found this was the case there.

 

If I jack up one wheel at the front I can turn the wheel six inches on the circumference before the slack is taken up, whereas it is only 1 1/2 inches on the rear.

 

I am one of these that everything has to be right, I couldn't replace the outer flange and spline to find a bit of play in the innner splines and put up with it. I'd be thinking about it all the time.

 

I have seen defender axles come up on tbay quite often new in the crate, I may wait and try find one of them.

 

My defender regularly drags whole tree trunks up and down bankings and does a lot of off road work so she works very hard for a living and deserves only the best

[Dean Lofthouse]

Rather than buy or swap the parts why not unbolt the swivel housings and change the whole housing cv joint and shaft in one go. 6 or so bolts to remove only, just replace the paper gasket.

 

Bloody hek, good idea Log-ologist, your not just a pretty avtar after all. Never thought of that

[Quickthorn]

It is the drive member that is worn but the shaft splines, I suspect are worn too. I replaced the rear shafts and drive members last year because I found this was the case there.

 

If I jack up one wheel at the front I can turn the wheel six inches on the circumference before the slack is taken up, whereas it is only 1 1/2 inches on the rear.

 

 

That sounds more like differential wear. The splines would have to be partially stripped to allow that much play.

 

Also, if you have the handbrake on when you check the wheels, the test for the front wheel as you describe may be adding up the play of all parts to the front diff, plus front prop plus transfer box, whereas the rear wheel test would only cover parts between the rear wheel to the handbrake..ie. you would get more play on the front wheel compared to the rear. Try comparing how much you can move differential input flanges, with the truck fully on the ground, handbrake off and the wheels chocked. That way (i think) you'd be comparing like for like, and there may be less difference between front and rear than you thought..

 

It would be a shame to swap front axles only to find that you still had the same amount of slack as before.

[Dean Lofthouse]

What I did quickthorn was to turn the wheel whilst watching the prop flange. I didn't allow the prop flange to move at all. I took the play up to one side with the prop and measure the play then going the other way.

 

Like you say though there could be a lot of play in the diff. But say that one of the outer hub flanges IS badly worn to the point as you say where it is partially stripped.

 

There has been a click as I take up drive forward and that is what I suspect it is.

[Log-ologist]

Bloody hek, good idea Log-ologist, your not just a pretty avtar after all. Never thought of that

 

don't forget to jack up the axle well on one side only or the oil stains on the drive will cause wife induced earache.