Axle straps

Good afternoon, Can anyone tell me What should be the correct length of axle strap for a 1980 series 3 swb diesel,with parabolic springs, as I have bought two but are short by about 3inches without any slack. the car did not have any on when I got it but I have fitted new parabolic springs and I would like to know how much clearance there should be with car unladen between the bottom of axle tube to inside of axle strap for axle movement . thanks Steve.

new landy 3 man said:

Good afternoon, Can anyone tell me What should be the correct length of axle strap for a 1980 series 3 swb diesel,with parabolic springs, as I have bought two but are short by about 3inches without any slack. the car did not have any on when I got it but I have fitted new parabolic springs and I would like to know how much clearance there should be with car unladen between the bottom of axle tube to inside of axle strap for axle movement . thanks Steve.

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Standard axle straps are probably made for standard springs!

I would suggest a tape measure, followed by Google search for aftermarket lengthened axle straps. With making your own straps as a fallback.

Measure the straps on a standard vehicle, allow those clearances, and add a bit for any extra articulation you think the parabolics may give.

if you go on ebay and type in balata belting you can buy the stuff by the meter and make your own at any length you require (obviously you can support your chassis and let the axles droop to get your setting)

What shock absorbers do you have fitted as most modern ones would not require the check straps .They where fitted to stop the shock adsorbers being over extended.

DarrenHS3 said:

if you go on ebay and type in balata belting you can buy the stuff by the meter and make your own at any length you require (obviously you can support your chassis and let the axles droop to get your setting)

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Good plan. But in fact the axle can articulate further than droop alone will suggest. If one wheel is pushed as high as it can go under the arch, the one on the other side of the axle will be lower.

Having gone through this - buying Balata belt off e-bay etc I seem to recall the setting being 1" clearance under the axle unloaded but I'm struggling to remember where I found that.

I don't think I've ever seen a Series 3 with axle straps. Did they actually them from new?

they were on my S3

Still on mine

Land Raver said:

I don't think I've ever seen a Series 3 with axle straps. Did they actually them from new?

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Yes. They were originally present on all leaf sprung vehicles. To control the downward travel of the axle.

And stop the eyes being torn off the shocks.

If you look at the axle strap set up its very strong. I don't know the breaking strain of Balata belting but it looks very strong. The top is direct onto the chassis with 4 off 3/8 bolts and the bottom is under the axle. I would bet its a lot stonger than the cantelevered shock mounts. It think its doing more than just limit the travel over bumps, its also limiting the articualtion to stop a roll-over, I think that could be where the 1" clearance comes from. Side on to a hill you want the axle straps to hold the body angle.

Just looked it up. 2" x 3/13 balata belt is good for 1 1/4 ton and its doubled (loop) so the axle strap would break at 2 1/2 ton. I would say that's above the load the shock rubbers or mounts would deform too much and of course the belt will protect the shock from bending.

rob1miles said:

Just looked it up. 2" x 3/13 balata belt is good for 1 1/4 ton and its doubled (loop) so the axle strap would break at 2 1/2 ton. I would say that's above the load the shock rubbers or mounts would deform too much and of course the belt will protect the shock from bending.

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There may be some margin for error in the specs of the belting too, making it even stronger in a real world situation.

Turboman said:

There may be some margin for error in the specs of the belting too, making it even stronger in a real world situation.

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Old world standard was SWL half of breaking strain.

Dunno about these days, most things seem to be made from plastercine

allot of people say "modern shocks have droop stops in them" and i say, i still don't want 300 odd kilos of unsprung weight +whatever rebound spring strength tugging on my damper rods

Bump. A good thread relevant to recent discussions.

DarrenHS3 said:

allot of people say "modern shocks have droop stops in them" and i say, i still don't want 300 odd kilos of unsprung weight +whatever rebound spring strength tugging on my damper rods

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I know this was an old post, but lol....

Where you planning some Dukes of Hazzard style jumps or something