Disco axles.

Ta, it aint on yet though, if its not peeing down I'm gonna stuff it on the vehicle tonite.
The front one is gonna be the bigun, I'm gonna see if I can borrow the use of a bridgeport, then I can clock up the flange and centre drill all the new holes bang on.

someone else was mentioning about not being able to clock the diff to horizontal because the nose hits the rear trackbar.

You can, but it's well tight, plus you then can't use the coiler steering damper which bolts on the bottom of the diff. I just about got mine to horizontal but due to the thicker track bars I'm using I had to grind a bit of surplus metal off the bottom of the diff. I've only got minimal clearance between the nose and the trackbar when steering full lock one way.

If you stick with a Series g'box I reckon it doesn't really matter too much about the front prop phasing, you'll only use it in 4wd and probably at low speeds, the rest of the time it'll be running free. The Mitsi gearbox in mine has 2wd/4wd/locked/unlocked modes on the gearbox and one day I'm hoping to find some FWH for the coiler type front axles, but not seen any used ones come up for sale.

I was gonna make a clamp for the flanges anyhow, so I can put the axle on, then unclamp and rotate the flanges then reclamp to see whats occuring, what I might end up doing then is setting everthing in place and then reducing the diff nose angle as far as poss but tradeoff diff nose to diff trackrod clearance.
I have a series steering damper anyways, I think the disco ones are prone to being stuffed by objects on the ground.
If it can be done thats interesting, and I might well put the diff as per the series yet, I havent made my mind up whether to fit a disco/deffy box yet or not, if I do then the diff will be as per series, at least I know you've done it and it works.

The note about prop phasing, not sure about that, summat I dont know that well, even though the props not driving its still turning, so there may be a risk of vibration, allthough that would be removed with free wheel hubs.

i have numerous boxes of bits conyaining fwh's in various states of condition.
will dig them out if you like? (cant guarantee usable units tho!)
personally i dont like them for non lubrication reasons.

oh and dr p, stick a line between your pics as i couldnt tell where one pic ended and the next started! asthetics only tho!!

Ok then, smithy has first call on the hubs, but put a list up I might want a couple, dunno yet.
And yep ok if yer want a line between mi photos I'll put one in.

nrg - sounds great but the FWH's for Series are different to FWH's for a coiler. Coiler FWH's are particularly rare because coilers all (I think) have centre diffs, so don't need FWH's.

If however you have coiler ones then I would very much like to do trade with you!

Dont ashcrofts do em, poxy AVM ones though.

dr pepper said:

The note about prop phasing, not sure about that, summat I dont know that well, even though the props not driving its still turning, so there may be a risk of vibration, allthough that would be removed with free wheel hubs.

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Me neither. But I did reckon that the only bit that would be out of phase would be anything after the last UJ - ie just the little bit poking into the transfer box. Perhaps it might chatter a bit? I don't think the general mechanical caucophany under a Series would really notice. But I've not tried it ...

Another thing that would save you re-clocking the axle would be to use a Disco 2(?) double carden joint at one end. I have half a feeling some Japs have CV joints in the props which is another alternative - and interesting to note the Mitsi props I used/modded have the same flange bolting pattern as the Series.

I was lucky with mine, because I reversed the axle a freak in the geometry meant one steering swivel flange bolt hole was in the perfect position, and the remaining 6(?) just had to be redrilled into good meat, without re-alignment issues or having to weld up the old holes. I have half a feeling you might not be quite so lucky.

dr pepper said:

Dont ashcrofts do em, poxy AVM ones though.

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You could certainly buy AVM ones new a while back, I saw them in their catalogue. AVM's are OK if you keep them well lubed, otherwise the little springs rust and it all goes horribly wrong ...

TheSmiths88 said:

nrg - sounds great but the FWH's for Series are different to FWH's for a coiler. Coiler FWH's are particularly rare because coilers all (I think) have centre diffs, so don't need FWH's.

If however you have coiler ones then I would very much like to do trade with you!

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ah!
will look into it when i have a bit more time.
will still put them on one side when i come across them tho. only turned computer on as i popped home for a coffee!

Interesting comments, and yup a diffo prop never occured to me, what model mitsi did you get you prop from then?
When you say double carden joint, you mean a double uj, or one of those rubber duffers, a rubber coupling would be good for taking out some of the vibes, I've used them quite a bit in industry, even on some big stuff.
I spose if yer axles upside down then yep roation would be far enough not to break through when you drill the flanges, still theres a good chance that 12 degrees will give me enough room to bash new holes, but if not I'll get the torch.

Been bashing on the drive again, and the rear axle fits, and seems to fit well, the wheels do poke out beyond the perimeter.
It looks pretty close on susp travel versus wheel hittlng the arch, I suspect sods law will dictate the susp travel is a few mil more than the wheel - arch clearance.

tha's looking well.
props were off a mk2 1991-ish Pajero, although mine were all UJ'd.
Double Cardens I have always thought are the double-UJ type things. Never actually seen one in the flesh though.

Looking good mate,one down one to go!

Article about the double-carden joints from Disco 2 here:
www.discovery2.co.uk / Workshop :- front and Rear propshaft

Interesting, a prop usually has an even number of uj's as when they are out of phase the speed variations cancel each other out.
Obviously with 3 and 2 of them inline the same occurs.
One of those would be a good idea for stuffing a lt77 or r380 in a swb.
I'm on the lookout for a 2a 109 prop as this is apparently exactly what I need.

i would love coiler axles under my ambulance but cant weld for **** and dont know anyy good fabricators down here in southampton

to be really honest, disco1 rear disc brakes aren't the best ... and you can get perfectly good bolt-on front disc kits for a series. probably a lot more insurance-friendly too. when I look back at the time and effort I spent doing mine I really do wonder if I did the right thing ...

true i want to go salisbury rear to give wider track and make ambulance a bit more stable and disco/rrc front

For me the disco axle conversion is the best thing I ever did,it was a lot of messing about(especially the front)but well worth it. No more leaking swivels,disc brakes all round so no re-adjusting brakeshoes every 20 miles and stops in a straight line! Plus the steering is not as heavy and has a lot tighter turning circle. If your gonna go to all the trouble of modding your axles I would strongly recomend fitting disco ones.
I priced up the front disc conversion for the series and it was about £650!!!
The axles I fitted to mine were given to me for the price of a curry and a few beers, but even if I'd have payed top price for them it'd still have been the cheaper option

I'm encouraged to hear you say that as I have yet to drive mine, it's part of a massive overhaul that includes a lot of other mods. We have a Disco1 (300) as our 2nd car and yes, you're right, the swivels and front brakes need next to zero maintenance compared to a Series. The rear brakes are a different story though!