Question on Axles & wanted...

I'm not too sure what axles I have on my '71 swb. It has 11" drums on it &
looking at the haynes manual I think it's a LWB axle front & rear.

So, a question: Why would someone put LWB axles on a SWB? - Just to get
get 11" brakes?
Second question - the axles have been seriously neglected due to water
getting in and lubricant draining waway or neglected. The diff. oil was
light brown with water in it. The swivel ball oil was non existant. The
wheel bearing are completely shot - for the inner one, I managed to get the
rollers out & he race, but the other bit is stuck to the stub axle. So, I
removed the stub axle with a view to getting the piece of the bearing
removed. - The question is - is it only the brake drum & the backing plate
that makes an 11" axle different from say a 10" one?

I'm not sure whether to get new wheel bearing all round or just get another
set of axles. I've never had the vehicle on the road so the condition of
the diff is unknown. Also the swivel chrome is flaky! - I was intending to
simply dress it up with emery cloth & buy those covers for it which should
keep the oil.

So, any advice - do I sink money into the axles or get another set? I'm in
no hurry & so inclined to wait & pick up a couple of good axles & maybe just
swop the swivels & stub axles over. Anyone got any good surplus axles in
the essex area?
Steve

On Sun, 19 Sep 2004 23:04:21 +0100, "steve d" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I'm not too sure what axles I have on my '71 swb. It has 11" drums on it &
>looking at the haynes manual I think it's a LWB axle front & rear.
>
>So, a question: Why would someone put LWB axles on a SWB? - Just to get
>get 11" brakes?

Ive got LWB brakes and a servo on the front of my SWB. Makes a huge
improvement to the crappy original spec ones!
Stops better than my car now!

>Second question - the axles have been seriously neglected due to water
>getting in and lubricant draining waway or neglected. The diff. oil was
>light brown with water in it. The swivel ball oil was non existant. The
>wheel bearing are completely shot - for the inner one, I managed to get the
>rollers out & he race, but the other bit is stuck to the stub axle. So, I
>removed the stub axle with a view to getting the piece of the bearing
>removed. - The question is - is it only the brake drum & the backing plate
>that makes an 11" axle different from say a 10" one

On the LWB axles i got (which were off an '82 vehicle), the stub
axle,halfshafts(more splines on the outer end) and hubs (more splines,
and different stub axle makes it different - later vehicles have
grease not oil) were also different.

I ended up keeping my exising SWB axle casing and diff + swivels and
swivel assembly. I took the rest of the bits off my donor axle. I
could have just swapped the whole thing but i had good swivels and
didnt want to undo the U-bolts and prop/diff.

If your LWB axles are earlier then i think that they have the same
hubs and stub axles, and the only difference is indeed the backplates
and drums. Halfshafts may also differ (no of splines again)

Also - LWB vehicles (S3 ones atleast) generally have salisbury rear
axles (different diff and shaped casing). these are heavier duty than
the normal diffs. You can tell if you have one as it will be bigger
and more rounded than your front diff.
This might also be considered an improvement. If you do have a
salisbury rear axel, then somoebody has gone to the trouble of moving
the spring mounts (different on LWB vehicles), and it would be a shame
to let that go to waste IMO!

>I'm not sure whether to get new wheel bearing all round or just get another
>set of axles. I've never had the vehicle on the road so the condition of
>the diff is unknown. Also the swivel chrome is flaky! - I was intending to
>simply dress it up with emery cloth & buy those covers for it which should
>keep the oil.

I would say that LWB brakes would be a worthy improvement to your
vehicle.
If i were you I would rebuild your axles, keeping them at the
exisiting spec. It is easy to take the diff out and examine it for
obvious wear/damage.

If you buy another set you may end up in the same boat - another axle
of unknown quality!

If you go the route of buying swivel gaitors (to hide them), then,
assuming that your swivel seals dont seal, you can also buy grease to
put in the swivels rather than oil (which will leak out). Sold as
one-shot grease.

>So, any advice - do I sink money into the axles or get another set? I'm in
>no hurry & so inclined to wait & pick up a couple of good axles & maybe just
>swop the swivels & stub axles over. Anyone got any good surplus axles in
>the essex area?

Like i said, if you do this then check the bits are the same as you
may end up swapping hubs too, and therefore halfshafts and other bits!

"steve d" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm not too sure what axles I have on my '71 swb. It has 11" drums on it &
> looking at the haynes manual I think it's a LWB axle front & rear.

<snip>

> So, any advice - do I sink money into the axles or get another set? I'm
> in
> no hurry & so inclined to wait & pick up a couple of good axles & maybe
> just
> swop the swivels & stub axles over. Anyone got any good surplus axles in
> the essex area?
> Steve

Steve,

I put LWB Stage 1 axles onto "Percy" my SWB IIa. This involved
relocating the rear axles spring pads as the LWB has the springs mounted
further out on outriggers rather than directly under the Chassis. The
difference in braking along with the Stage 1 servo and pedal unit is
remarkable to say the least. Put it this way when it's been a while since I
took him for a run I usually manage to launch the back of the passenger seat
at the first junction. Normally I'm used to driving a well maintained Rangie
or Disco so that should explain the why for the brakes. I'd also ad I have a
none standard engine which generates a little more bhp than the standard
landie stock item. More about that here...
http://www.lrproject.com/percy/index.html

Your first task is to identify the axles you have. Do you have 11 inch
drums on both the rear and front? What diffs to you have? Rover Diff cases
tend to be round. whilst the Sailsbury rear axle tends to look a bit like a
50 pence piece. Also may help to count the number of splines on the ends of
your half shafts.. Though I personally couldn't tell you which is which some
one else here would.

If your in no hurry then Once you have formally ID'd your axles then I'd
be inclined to fit new swivels and unless your into serious mud plugging
forget the leather gaiters. It's one thing fitting them to avoid a fail at
the MOT but they won't stop your leak..assuming you have one.

It's not unknown for just the sub axle ends to be replaced so your
actual axle centre and diff may be origional with lwb stubs bolted onto the
front.

If you don't know what you have then get a known good axle from a lwb
and bung that on. BUT make sure the diff ratios are the same as the rear or
it'll all go horribly wrong.

Lee D

--

www.lrproject.com

Workshop photos from Landrover repairs
& other such tinkerings.
Home of Percy the Jag powered Landrover

On Sun, 19 Sep 2004 23:04:21 +0100, "steve d" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I'm not too sure what axles I have on my '71 swb. It has 11" drums on it &
>looking at the haynes manual I think it's a LWB axle front & rear.
>
>So, a question: Why would someone put LWB axles on a SWB? - Just to get
>get 11" brakes?

I expect so, the 11" brakes do stop better, and are easier to bleed
and get set up right. On very late SWB Series 3's 11" dual circuit
brakes were fitted as standard. The Stage1V8 and 2.6 had even bigger
front brakes than a 109", worth checking that you havn't got these.
The 11" drums normally have a chamfer on the outside edge, like the
10" drums. Stage1 and 2.6 have drums that are square, having wider
brake shoes fitted, but the back plates are different as well


>Second question - the axles have been seriously neglected due to water
>getting in and lubricant draining waway or neglected. The diff. oil was
>light brown with water in it. The swivel ball oil was non existant. The
>wheel bearing are completely shot - for the inner one, I managed to get the
>rollers out & he race, but the other bit is stuck to the stub axle. So, I
>removed the stub axle with a view to getting the piece of the bearing
>removed. - The question is - is it only the brake drum & the backing plate
>that makes an 11" axle different from say a 10" one?

If the halfshafts are 10 spline, then yes, just the backing
plate/cylinders/drums are different. Later axles had 24spline
halfshafts, as used on the 90/110. Although the casing may well be the
same on these axles, the diff and drive flanges are different for
24spline ones. Also, be aware that later 109" also had sailsbury rear
axles, while SWB and earlier LWB had rover diffs. Whilst the brake
back plates on sailsbury axles are interchangable, the
hubs/halfshafts/drive flanges are not.

>
>So, any advice - do I sink money into the axles or get another set? I'm in
>no hurry & so inclined to wait & pick up a couple of good axles & maybe just
>swop the swivels & stub axles over. Anyone got any good surplus axles in
>the essex area?
>Steve
>

If you're not in a hurry, then go for a set of decent secondhand ones,
which should give you more than enough parts to make two decent axles.

Alex