Defender 110 axles??

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TomDefender

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11
Location
rugeley
Hi all.

Iv been told that the rear axle from a 300tdi disco should be a straight swap on my defender 110 200tdi......
Can anyone confirm this??
 
TomDefender said:
What is a salisbury axle?? Sorry im not to familiar with the landrover stuff as this is my first one
Click to expand...

Its an axle that is fitted on certain vehicles, believe it is for heavier loadings than the rover axles.

If you are going to run a landrover successfully, bit of background reading would be worthwhile, they are quite unlike most other vehicles in their design, construction and use.
Lots of general info on the forum, elsewhere on the net, and many printed items.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the reply's.....
I will do some research on them but this was my first port of call.
I was told by a lad at craddocks that it would be a straight swap so just wanted to know if anyone else had done it
 
The Salisbury axle is an externally sourced axle made by Salisbury which is now part of Dana Spicer.

It is a totally different beast to the Rover axle, the diff is not removable like a Rover diff, the axle casing is also the diff housing, you need an expander tool to get the diff out of it. Pretty robust unit and heavier weight carrying rating.

Fitted to LWB Series, and 110 Defenders up to the early 2000's.

Peter
 
TomDefender said:
Thanks for the reply's.....
I will do some research on them but this was my first port of call.
I was told by a lad at craddocks that it would be a straight swap so just wanted to know if anyone else had done it
Click to expand...
Technically it would fit dimension wise and I'm sure plenty of people have done it much like putting underrated wheels on a 110
 
Marmaduke said:
Technically it would fit dimension wise and I'm sure plenty of people have done it much like putting underrated wheels on a 110
Click to expand...
It's not underrated as in being dangerous, it's not going to literally snap in half or fall off. It's more about internal loading when towing and/or fully loaded.
 
TomDefender said:
Hi all.

Iv been told that the rear axle from a 300tdi disco should be a straight swap on my defender 110 200tdi......
Can anyone confirm this??
Click to expand...
The first question is. Why are you wanting to change your current rear axle? If it's just because it has drums, then that isn't really a great reason tbh. And you'd be better served making them work as they should. In working order they are more than up to the task.

As for the axle itself. The 110, has a higher pay load rating and potentially can tow more (although restricted by UK laws) than other Land Rovers. But when used for certain commercial or military uses, is likely to see more punishment than a 90 or a Defender.

So Land Rover used a beefier, bigger stronger axle on the rear. On older 110's this is a Salisbury unit and shares nothing with a regular Rover axle. It's actually based/copied from the Dana 60 axle, which is an American axle found on lots of American pickup trucks.

The Salisbury is a very good axle by and large.

Latter 110's stopped using the Salisbury axle, I suspect due to political and cost reasons. Not because it wasn't needed. These latter 110's used a variation of the p38a Range Rover axle. This axle is a Rover based one, but a stronger variant. However I don't believe you can simply swap on a p38a axle, as the mountings are different.

A Discovery/RRC/90 axle will have the same mountings for a 110 and will physically fit. But the axle is far more likely to fail in a 110 than it is in the others.

This isn't to say it won't work. Chances are it'd be fine. Because you are only dealing with a single vehicle. But from LR's standpoint where they made 1000's of 110's a year, the Disco axle would likely have caused lots of warranty repairs, as it would have a higher rate of failure.
 
300bhp/ton said:
The first question is. Why are you wanting to change your current rear axle? If it's just because it has drums, then that isn't really a great reason tbh. And you'd be better served making them work as they should. In working order they are more than up to the task.

As for the axle itself. The 110, has a higher pay load rating and potentially can tow more (although restricted by UK laws) than other Land Rovers. But when used for certain commercial or military uses, is likely to see more punishment than a 90 or a Defender.

So Land Rover used a beefier, bigger stronger axle on the rear. On older 110's this is a Salisbury unit and shares nothing with a regular Rover axle. It's actually based/copied from the Dana 60 axle, which is an American axle found on lots of American pickup trucks.

The Salisbury is a very good axle by and large.

Latter 110's stopped using the Salisbury axle, I suspect due to political and cost reasons. Not because it wasn't needed. These latter 110's used a variation of the p38a Range Rover axle. This axle is a Rover based one, but a stronger variant. However I don't believe you can simply swap on a p38a axle, as the mountings are different.

A Discovery/RRC/90 axle will have the same mountings for a 110 and will physically fit. But the axle is far more likely to fail in a 110 than it is in the others.

This isn't to say it won't work. Chances are it'd be fine. Because you are only dealing with a single vehicle. But from LR's standpoint where they made 1000's of 110's a year, the Disco axle would likely have caused lots of warranty repairs, as it would have a higher rate of failure.
Click to expand...
Thankyou that is very usefull and yes the reason behind me swapping was to accomodate rear disc brakes.
I have bought a 1988 defender that has had a transfer box off a discovery 300tdi fitted and it is making an awful noise when accelerating and realeasing power.
So my theory was to buy a 300 disco and salvage the rear axle and tranny box.
But as you have pointed out, this may not be the best option.
I will just source a tranny box
 
TomDefender said:
Thankyou that is very usefull and yes the reason behind me swapping was to accomodate rear disc brakes.
I have bought a 1988 defender that has had a transfer box off a discovery 300tdi fitted and it is making an awful noise when accelerating and realeasing power.
So my theory was to buy a 300 disco and salvage the rear axle and tranny box.
But as you have pointed out, this may not be the best option.
I will just source a tranny box
Click to expand...

Rear drums are fine if they are well set up. and will resist dust and grit better than discs.

Can you describe the noise, and when exactly it happens. It might not be your axle at all, or axle noise added to other noises.

Unless the casing is broken, transfer boxes can be rebuilt, not terribly difficult or expensive.
 
You can also convert your axle to disc brakes, I've not done that but I have read posts somewhere explaining how to do it because I wanted discs but a cheap disc braked Salisbury popped up so I got that instead.
 
When im cruising along with my foot on the accelerator and take my foot off there is a "clak" as if its metal on metal and then wgen i put my foot back on the accelerator there is a clunk. There is a lot of play in my front prop. A good 40-50mm.
Iv changed the output bearing and the uj's on the front prop with no xhange to the noise at all.
And my next question was going ro be whether you could convert to disc brakes and what parts of which LR i would need.
I will look into repairing my drum brakes first though from all the advice i have recieved
 
A frame ball joint does that when it's stuffed as does the splined shaft on the gearbox output. Mine does it and I need a recon box but careful clutch work results in years and years of life left. Mines clunked for at least 10 yrs more clunky when the Doris drives it:rolleyes:
 
TomDefender said:
When im cruising along with my foot on the accelerator and take my foot off there is a "clak" as if its metal on metal and then wgen i put my foot back on the accelerator there is a clunk. There is a lot of play in my front prop. A good 40-50mm.
Iv changed the output bearing and the uj's on the front prop with no xhange to the noise at all.
And my next question was going ro be whether you could convert to disc brakes and what parts of which LR i would need.
I will look into repairing my drum brakes first though from all the advice i have recieved
Click to expand...

A-frame bushes, drive flanges, transfer box, loose props, and quite few other things worth checking, but I doubt if it is your axle doing that.
 
Ill start checking all those you have listed.
The axle change was due to brakes not the noise.
I was asking about the axle because rather than sourcing parts, i was going to buy a complete disco and use the box and the axle and other parts i could salvage but now it seems its not as cost effective as i origionally thought
 
TomDefender said:
Ill start checking all those you have listed.
The axle change was due to brakes not the noise.
I was asking about the axle because rather than sourcing parts, i was going to buy a complete disco and use the box and the axle and other parts i could salvage but now it seems its not as cost effective as i origionally thought
Click to expand...

Might be cheaper to diagnose the faults, and repair your existing units.
Jack it up and rock the wheels back and forward, look for play in props, drive members, etc.
Go through the suspension checking for bush wear with a small crowbar. Remove the rear cover from transfer box and look for wear on the shaft. A frame joint can also be tested with a crowbar.
Buying a donor vehicle can be a good idea, better if it is the same as your vehicle. But remember donor parts are likely well worn as well, so you may be building in more issues.
 
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