Looking at buying a 1976 Range Rover

[ONOescudo]

Looking at buying a 1976 Range Rover 3.5 V8 Manual 2 door. For offroad only.
What’s the go with the axles? I have a phobia with snapping axles as I have done a few front CVs on my Suzuki escudo. Always hear about the 10-spline axle and how they supposed to snap.
Is a Disco Diff /axle conversion a must. And is this conversion straightforward.
Or should I shove different diffs under.
Keep in mind that it’s give it heaps vehicle.
Cheers MIKE

[Ralfie]

Axles should be OK. It will be the diffs centres themselves that will suffer if using large tyres and too much wheel spin.
The centre pin overheats wears and jams causing breaking.
Either fit lockers to strengthen centres or overfill diff with oil and a large dose of a good additive like Morey's.

The 24 spline axles from later Discos are slightly stronger but diffs can still break. Might as well wait until you break something and upgrade then. They are a simple bolt in if you change hubs, stub axles, axles and diff at same time. Alternatively get complete diff with housing etc and bolt in.

CV's usually hold up OK unless abused with a front locker engaged.

[skid]

how much you looking at spending

Cloggy has a good disco for sale


TRADEME and search landrover latest listings

[ONOescudo]

Yeah saw that. Well in my price range. Looking to do some hard yacker club stuff. Need to build a roll cage for this Range rover classic I looked at today. Its all ready had been bobtailed. But it’s not running. Basically I’m looking for a vehicle I can bash about a bit with some grunt.
MIKE

[ONOescudo]

Could grab your mats Disco and attempted some thing like this!!


Im nearly keen.
Id have to chop all the stuff of that was unnessary and do aome bar work.
Sounds to easy.

[rastaman]

i've got a 1974 rangie 4sp manual going cheap..
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=248464798

[mesomuddy]

The Range Rover diffs need diff locks ARB or Maxidrive to strengthen them against your right foot. The axels both front and rear are weak as piss in the Disco and Rangie however they are stronger than the outer stub axel, so by strengthening the CV with a shrink ring leaves the weak link at the stub and thats really easy to change provided you change as soon as it breaks. If you drive on the broken stub they mushroom and do not come out without removing the hub. Thats the cheap way of strengthening.

More horsepower into the 4speed gearbox is all good, however the ball joint over the rear diff bends whilst jumping or bouncing up hills and eventually allows the UJ on the drive shaft to bind as the diff rolls backward allowing the drivshaft to twist off thus, spoiling your day.

In the rear your going to break the standard axels and thats pretty much a given with 35' Simex assuming your using that tyre size.

So, if all that holds together the gear box and engine mounts twist off next these are sorted at the engine first with Mitsi canter truck engine mounts pretty inexpensive.

So, it all holds together and now your really flying through the bush using nearly all your extra horses will deliver and you decide to clear the next bog with a great deal of momentum, she hits hard, the chassis and axels come together, suspension bottoms out both front and rear.

By repeating the above with enthusism a few new breakages occur, the chassis bends really easy at the firewall as that is the factorys intended crumple zone, the king pin loops holding the king pin bearings in the crome balls fail and allow one or both front wheels to come adrift. Eventually the body shell decides that it will divorse the chassis using fatigue cracks and create holes the size of your fist.

There is more however I feel I am rambling now, if your prepared to get past the aformentioned I would be happy to help further.

[ONOescudo]

WELL I have now purchased a A Class Club Truck ready to go. (Suzuki 413). Couldn’t really run a V8 in today’s petrol climate and this Zuki is turn key. Will leave rover V8s for now. But it is sure an interesting subject.

Cheers heaps MIKE.