Which axles to use?

[Hightower]

I've got two series 3's which are both FUBAR and need breaking and rebuilding into one good motor.

I've decided to start from the bottom up so need to decide which set of axles to put on the good chassis.

One is a set of 1972, the other from 1984. Both a a bit rusty on the outside, but are solid overall.  There are differences in the casings, but I'm not sure what that means in real terms.  Obviously there were changes in the production of the thinigs, but did quality / strength go down in the later models?

If you had to decide, whch set would you keep, and which would you bin (yes, I can't keep a complete spare set )?

Any thoughts would be great.

[TBM]

There are subtle differences. Older axles will have 10 splines on the half shaft (wheel end, diff end is the same), newer will have 24. 24 are supposed to be a stronger upgrade.

Older axles often have a web on the longer side, later ones don't. The web was removed as it tended to trap dirt and rot away. If you keep the axle with the web, you can grind it off. If it's rotten I think it's classed as an MOT fail, if it's gone then no problem!

[Hightower]

Thanks TBM.

So the newer axles are potentially stronger.  That's good news as the newer chassis is the one I'm gonna be using, so no need to swap them over  :dance:

The brake overhaul kit is more expensive for the newer axles though.  Oh well . . . . . . . . .

You mention that the diff end of the half shafts will be the same in both axles.  Do you think it's worth removing the diffs from the older axles and keeping them as spares for the future, or is it not really worth it?

[TBM]

Thanks TBM.

So the newer axles are potentially stronger.  That's good news as the newer chassis is the one I'm gonna be using, so no need to swap them over  :dance:

The brake overhaul kit is more expensive for the newer axles though.  Oh well . . . . . . . . .

You mention that the diff end of the half shafts will be the same in both axles.  Do you think it's worth removing the diffs from the older axles and keeping them as spares for the future, or is it not really worth it?

The diffs are pretty strong so there's not much chance of breaking unless you're going to put a larger engine in. However, I'm of the opinion that you can never have too many spares! If you can't keep the whole axles I'd be inclined to keep just the end plates and the half shafts.....

[Henry Webster]

Personally I'd be choosing on condition rather than type.  Are you planning to completely overhaul the axles, rebuild the diffs etc. or use as is?

Check for play in the splines and in the diff.  Probably worth having them all to bits if you have the time.

If you are going to be doing any off road work and you have the space I'd keep the spare diffs as well!

[boss]

not really one to know about series motors but i would have thought both axles would be 10 or 12 spline not 24, IIRC the 24 spline units came in to play much later.

[TBM]

not really one to know about series motors but i would have thought both axles would be 10 or 12 spline not 24, IIRC the 24 spline units came in to play much later.

The change from 10 spline to 24 spline was June 1980.

[Little-Green-Machine]

so we gonna see a build thread on this project :)

[bogie]

Why dont you just bin one of the caseins and keep all the balls and shafts!

[NiteMare]

binning axle cases isn't really necessary unless you're really screwed for space, if you completely strip the axles all the bits are reasonably light and small which makes them much easier to stash for possible future requirements...

i've just stripped three axles (two fronts one rear) and the only pieces that aren't worth keeping are the swivel balls, i've all three casings leant up against my back garage wall along with several halfshafts, a pile of hubs, drums and diffs, stubs and nuts/washers etc are in a box....

as far as i know 10 spline halfshafts can be used in an axle that has 24 spline shafts in it as long as you use the relevant cap that bolts to the outside of the hub (i may be wrong so someone will be along to correct me in a minute) so i wouldn't be throwing anything away

[Hightower]

The main reason for not keeping the second set of axles is that I need to be able to wheel the remains of the second car off the drive.  If I'm just left with a rotten chassis and banged up body panels then it's going to be harder to get shot of them.  At least with wheels and axles I can roll it onto a trailer and then roll it off again at the scrappy  ;)

Had a proper look last night and the 1984 set are in much better nick than the 1972 ones.  I'll just have to swap the wheels over and recon the brakes on that set.

[NiteMare]

you can still pull the rear halfshafts and diff, any and all drums if you want to none of that will stop you putting wheels back on

[fordlltwm]

instead of chucking the remains, why not put it up on ebay i.e. job lot LR spares, 99p start no reserve L@@K. type of thing, which might earn you some pennies, would keep more spares / usable bits in circulation, because what you got to remember is there's a finite supply of parts / projects out there and probably more people wanting bits / wholeish vehicles than their are bits / wholeish vehicles

[mud4brains]

not really one to know about series motors but i would have thought both axles would be 10 or 12 spline not 24, IIRC the 24 spline units came in to play much later.

I  also thought that... :)

[S188]

not really one to know about series motors but i would have thought both axles would be 10 or 12 spline not 24, IIRC the 24 spline units came in to play much later.

I  also thought that... :)

The diffs were always 10 spline but the drive flanges were 24spline on...
109 - all series 3's (ie models with Salsbury rear axle, but they got them on the front rover axle too)
88 - from 1980
All earlyer models were 10spline at the hub.  I suspect the 88 change over to 24spline more about standardising parts (they sometimes called them Rationalised axles) so only 1 flange design fitted everything rather than making the 88 stronger.  A lot of the axle changes in the early 80's were for that resion, though anoyingly they didn't all happen at exactly the same time!

You should be able to fit eather any Rover axle with the apropreate halfshaft/flange but you can't fit 10spline shafts to a Salsbury as they never made them, though you wouldn't want to anyway.