v8bertha Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Morning all, Not very often I pop over to the leafy side of things, but as the misses has now got a IIa 88 , thought I'd better start asking some questions!! She wants to have disk brakes all round, and seeing as I have a pair of Range Rover axles kicking about, it seems like a shame to waste them. So with a bit of angle grinder work, ie cutting off the shock mounts and radius arm mounts B) , is this a feasible option? Are the axles the same width (roughly)? Are there any major issues that I should be aware of? Ta Muchly! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 All coil sprung axles (ie rangie, 90, 110, etc) are wider track than series axles. They can be fitted, but you will need to fit flares on the arches to staty within the law. Flares are avialble for series arches (I think simonites sell them) or defender ones can be modded to fit I believe. Other than cutting off the old mounting hardware, I guess you will need to weld on new shock mounts, and new leaf spring mounts (probably cut off the old ones...) as they need a flat surface with a locating peg in order to mate with the srping. Personally, I am currently looking at Disc conversions using the original axles.... Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8bertha Posted August 23, 2005 Author Share Posted August 23, 2005 Personally, I am currently looking at Disc conversions using the original axles.... what sorta damage are you looking at for a bolt on conversion? is it BIG ££££? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 For a bolt on Kit, Chris Perfect does one, but I think it is kinda silly ££££ I am looking at a far more DIY method, possibly using Santana bits and some other homebrew components! Like I said I am really just doing the thinking and researching at the moment. Why are you going down the Disc route? If it is for improved performance, then fitting LWB (11") Drums and backplates with Twin Leading Shoe Fronts and single or TLS rears will provide plently of stopping power for a std 88" Series 3. Personally I am looking at them as the drums fill up with rubbish off road, making them kinda interesting! Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonk Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 i dont think u'll get a cheap bolt on conversion, theres bound to be some machining involved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8bertha Posted August 23, 2005 Author Share Posted August 23, 2005 theres bound to be some machining involved Is that 'cos no 2 series axles are ever the same???? 2 reasons for wanting to go down the disk route... 1st is that they don't wear quite so badly in the gloop, 2nd is that there are some rather interesting plans for the engine department which will probably require the extra stopping power. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonk Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 chris perfect kit is basically the santana brakes, not big enough IMO, 262mm disc. also a single piston with sliding caliper, i dont like the idea of a sliding caliper in the mud, i think it will seize all too quickly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_T Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 I seem to remeber there isd a problem fitting coiler axles to series landys due to the track rod wanting to sit just about where the leaf spring is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltwt1981 Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 I am also in the process, done one side, the other side is now fairly easy. You need a lathe at least and a decent pillar drill or mill, I mill on the lathe with a vertical slide. You need to be able to check run out etc accurately and machine to a reasonable standard. Mine is probablt y different, no definitelt, to Tonk or Jon White as we are I think all using different parts, it will probably be a prototype anyway and lead to a better? or at least different solution in the future. If you want a look see me at an event, but like Tonk i am dubious about giving out to much info although when on I may well post some pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 chris perfect kit is basically the santana brakes, not big enough IMO, 262mm disc. also a single piston with sliding caliper The Santana front hub I have sat on the floor of my garage definatly has a twin pot caliper, and a bigger disc diameter. Sadly I only have one, cos the others got taken by the scrap man before I got to them! Chris Perfect dosn't seem to list the disc brake conversion on his website any more either. Tonk, Do you have any more pictures from you conversion? I have read you website in the past, so maybe I just need to refresh my memory! ltwt1981, If you have any pictures, I would be very interested to see too. I have a lathe (alhthough only 3.5" centre height) so mayboe your route is the one to go down... Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonk Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 i only have ones on my website. front stripped with caliper plate bolted to stub Machined series hub and modified disc finished hub with caliper rears Stripped back to stub axle and calliper mounting plate welded to axle tube. (this can be done with a bolted bracket from a disced braked 110 salisbury axle but i like to be different ) Modified disc mated to back of hub assy (although if using 110 caliper bracket u can use standard rear disc ) final assy with caliper (rangie rear) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Tonk, Cheers for the pictures... just a couple more questions... What discs did you use, and what were the modifications? You uses RR calipers on the rear, what did you use on the front? How much machining did you need to do on the existing hubs? And lastly, has the conversion altered the track of your motor (or wouldn't you notice with the size of your tyres anyway???) Sorry for the barrage!! Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonk Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 customs discs on front, i really cant say but they're not lr rear discs on mine are rangie fronts but machined back to 290mm diameter, i done this cos they have more offset than rears so i could weld the mounting brackets to the axle, jon white uses standard rangie discs on back. the original conversion that myself and jon done we used wilwood calipers, mine now uses early 110 front calipers, they wont fit straight on though, for ease of fitment i suggest u use wilwood ones, this set up works well. machinin of hubs, for the rears there was none at all, they are rangie hubs the fronts needed maching to accept the disc, track remains the same if using wilwood calipers, if u use 110 ones thn u'd have to increase by about 30mm. my tyres bigger than intended then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltwt1981 Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 No pictures yet, you will need a bigger lathe I suspect, if you have one Santana why not make a second after all its only a copy. I have used only Mercedes and Land Rover parts plus my own home made bits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Thanks for the info. More Food for thought..... Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltwt1981 Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Zeus at Exmouth still make a conversion at about £600 + VAT if you want to buy one. You may not end up much cheaper if you buy all the parts, I was lucky to have a load of free bits as a start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonk Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 zeus kit is about 650 IIRC, thats per axle!!!!!!!!! u should be able to blag the rangie hubs etc, obviously u'd want to go for new discs, even if u bought the wilwood calipers the conversion to change front and rear shouldn't come to much more than 350 quid for the whole truck, providing u can do machining yourself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02GF74 Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 I seem to remeber there isd a problem fitting coiler axles to series landys due to the track rod wanting to sit just about where the leaf spring is. .. that's right; steering rod is in fornt of axale on Series but bheing on Defender and RR?) How much different is the tracking between the 2 axles, front & rear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MECCANO Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 well as no one has any pics heres mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Nice truck. What is the conversion? a full axlp swap (track looks wider) or is it on modified hubs? Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MECCANO Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Nice truck. What is the conversion? a full axlp swap (track looks wider) or is it on modified hubs? Mark cheers Yup, as said, all the none essential bits "timmed" from the raro casing and new blocks to locate onto the leafs welded. trimmed: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minivin Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Ta Muchly!Dan aint RRC axles 3.54:1 diffs? you think of changing them tp 4.7:1 diffs to reduce the gearing or you happy going over-geared with the 3.54's? Was loosely planning 3.54's with Stage 1 axles, but then after looking at the Series Transfer Case ratio's decided to stick with the 4.7's as it's already geared-up with the Series TC I aint going RRC axles by the way, planning disc brakes using standard parts if I can get the right mixture presently planning it with my boss at work, will hopefully know in the next few weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MECCANO Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 aint RRC axles 3.54:1 diffs? you think of changing them tp 4.7:1 diffs to reduce the gearing or you happy going over-geared with the 3.54's?Was loosely planning 3.54's with Stage 1 axles, but then after looking at the Series Transfer Case ratio's decided to stick with the 4.7's as it's already geared-up with the Series TC I aint going RRC axles by the way, planning disc brakes using standard parts if I can get the right mixture presently planning it with my boss at work, will hopefully know in the next few weeks Im currently using 4.7 because i only have the awesome power of the 2.25 pet that probably wouldnt sustain it. these will be going back to 3.5's later. the main reason i went for the whole range rover axle slog is because its part of a broader picture. the lt77/lt230 is currently "in the post" and the 200tdi is awaiting some love in the garage. Before that happens i have to rework the spare axle casing i have, to give me back the 20mm ground clearance lost due to the track rod position. the angle increase from the military shackles on the front means i can do this but still keep a standard 3 degree castor. as well as redo the horrendous bump stops on the front casing. once i have hopefully done that, and properly sorted an axle skip prob on the rear, all the draw-backs of this conversion are eliminated. and i can get round to sticking some proper size tyres on it with out screwing up the turning circle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
istruggle2gate11 Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Sorry for this brief post, but time is not on myside this week! On my trialler I run Rangie front axle with 110 callipers - Its easy and works fine. On the rear, I have a shortened axle case, 18mm off one side and 12mm off the other, reset the axle shoes and voila, YOU CAN FIT SALISBURY shafts in a series rover case - not broke a half shaft in the 2 years since the conversion - its a V8 that gets abused! So I have two track widths, and guess what, it helps off road, ruts are not the problem they once were - honestly. The front case has 18° of castor to aid turn in whilst trialing, drage link is fitted to the front, not back. Fitting the rangie case gave me disc brakes and allowed me to fit the LT77/borg warner gearbox, and it really works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pritch1 Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 ive seen it done im sure a bloke in lro a few years back (dave barker maby) ran a serise 1 with range rover axles no problems just a wider track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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