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Are Ashcroft rear halfshafts worth it if you run a


SteveG

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I have seen more diffs broken running standard halfshafts than the other way round suggesting there might be little benefit to fiutting HD shafts. When people have fitted ARBs then the converse is usually true and HD shafts rapidly become a wise investment.

As with all things it rather depends on

a. how you drive it

b. size of tyres/power of engine etc.....

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Guest diesel_jim

Not trying to do Ashcrofts out of a sale, but the bearmach V8 90 shafts (24 spline) are good value for money.

under £30!! (each)

Ok, i can't imagine in a month of sundays that they'll be to the quality of Ashcrofts, but for a mid way shaft (between stock and Ashcrofts) they can't be bad.

I'm actually running one in the back of my 90, with ARB lockers, the other side is a genuine LR V8 shaft.

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As with all things it rather depends on

a. how you drive it

b. size of tyres/power of engine etc.....

a. Extremely well :rolleyes: :rolleyes: serious answer - don't have heavy right foot, just use it when necessary

b. 33" BFG MT's, standard TD5

I'm going to keep the 90 with open diffs and 1 winch to stay in standard class for when I enter the odd event.

I've seen more halfshafts (standard) than diffs go on 90's and although I don't mind carrying spareshafts and buying one of Si's X-shafts, I was thinking about upgrading them to Ashcrofts to save the hassle. I didn't know if this would cause problems with diff it was still standard.

Cheers

Steve

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I suppose it all boils down to where the weakest part of the drivetrain is.

History tells us that the half shaft in standard guise is normally the weak link so upgrading them may move the weakness elswhere.

What is not easy to answer is whether your driving with stronger halfshafts will exceed the diff strength or even if the diff is stronger than even the strengthened shafts (I doubt it, but a grown up should really be consulted).

Upgrading the shafts will mean that you will have less chance of a drivetrain breakage, but when you do break something it will probably be the diff.

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Do you have a 4 pin diff? I don't know what's fitted in that modern TD5 stuff. If 2 pin I'd certainly stick to standard shafts otherwise I reckon you'll be breaking the diff, if 4 pin then it's possibly worth uprating the shafts too.

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Not sure, the TD5 90 rear diff is different to 300TDi rear diff but not sure what that is. Later 110 TD5's do have 4 pin diff's as they use the diff from the P38A RR. I suspect given that the 110's use this diff, then the 90 will be a 2 pin type.

Anyone else know? If not I'll give Ashcroft's a call/e-mail

Cheers

Steve

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Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm :unsure:

Interesting Q

I have given this some thought

In all axles / trans / 4x4 etc there is a "Weak Link"

Half shafts are not as std very good, and even with an open diff they can quite easily be broken.

However saying "OooH I'll Fit Ashcrofts" is not a simple fix, you will move the "Weak Link " IMHO to another area and that would be the diff. As such if you fit ashcrofts shafts and a std diff you could guarnatee that breakages will be the diff, std shafts and std diff = 50/50.

Most go the HD shafts at the point they equally go arb or similar.

Its also true that when a std shaft lets go it can dsmaage the diff with the shock wave going through it.

I would also say that if you are looking to upgrade bit by bit then an arb and std shafts will see huge breakages as the arb will grip and then the shafts will go ping, whereas upgrading the shafts 1st would IMHO be a better option, and then the diff unit to 4 pin or ARB etc

HTH

Nige

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I would also say that if you are looking to upgrade bit by bit then an arb and std shafts will see huge breakages as the arb will grip and then the shafts will go ping, whereas upgrading the shafts 1st would IMHO be a better option, and then the diff unit to 4 pin or ARB etc

It depends on driving style and tyres. Bish has had an ARB and standard shafts for ages and AFAIK only twisted one or two shafts. But then he doesnt have big tyres ot boots.

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Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm :unsure:

Interesting Q

I have given this some thought

In all axles / trans / 4x4 etc there is a "Weak Link"

Half shafts are not as std very good, and even with an open diff they can quite easily be broken.

However saying "OooH I'll Fit Ashcrofts" is not a simple fix, you will move the "Weak Link " IMHO to another area and that would be the diff. As such if you fit ashcrofts shafts and a std diff you could guarnatee that breakages will be the diff, std shafts and std diff = 50/50.

Most go the HD shafts at the point they equally go arb or similar.

Its also true that when a std shaft lets go it can dsmaage the diff with the shock wave going through it.

I would also say that if you are looking to upgrade bit by bit then an arb and std shafts will see huge breakages as the arb will grip and then the shafts will go ping, whereas upgrading the shafts 1st would IMHO be a better option, and then the diff unit to 4 pin or ARB etc

HTH

Nige

Agree with you nige.

When i had my Kam ring and pinions and Maxi Drive shaft and Arb Lockers. with a set of 35" simex on. People used to say to me . With that set up you will go though props. As the weekest link has moved. I used to say , i bloody hope so , because if not ,its the gearbox ;)

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It depends on driving style and tyres. Bish has had an ARB and standard shafts for ages and AFAIK only twisted one or two shafts. But then he doesnt have big tyres ot boots.

unlike one person i could mention in a red truck cab 90 who does have a faintly hefty right boot!

remember that climb at 7S last year where you were following Tim up a slate covered hill trying to show the jeep boys how it was done?

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since fitting stupid size tyres (35's) i've done 4 diffs always the centre pin and 1 front shaft only done about 7 meetings personally i'd prefer to snap a shaft but thats only cos i'm running out of diffs

even had the grinder around the rear (standard) shafts to weaken them and still not broken 1

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A friend of mine ran a RR Bobtail fitted with a 4.6 and Detroit lockers, he broke two sets of Ashcrofts rear half shalfs, fitted Genuine V8 90 half shafts and hasn't broke one since.

Yes, but which Ashcroft shafts????? There have been many versions. The new ones will certainly be stronger than the genuine V8 ones.

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Personally i prefer Maxi drive. They are brill and i beat the carp out of them. And after 2 years they look like new on the splines. And not much stuff lasted on my truck for 2 years :D

And for me alot cheaper than Ashcrofts :D

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To say a V8 90 shaft is stronger than an Ashcroft is beyond belief, .......gawd knows why they broke, what your mate did or whatever the metal content of both means that 90 V8 stuff is just factually not as strong....werid ?? :unsure:

I have given mine (Ashcrofts) some serious abuse over the years and used to blow Half shafts for a pastime, 3 in one day at an event :angry: . I fitted a set of Daves shafts Years and years ago - when I upgraded to 24 spline ARBs and did the whole conversion.

I am waiting for them to break, nothing is indestructable and time will not help, when they do break I will simply replace.

V8 90s have strongerish shafts then std LR stuff partly due to the splnes and 4 pin diff, but all of that would be far weaker than ARB etc with either 24 spline Maxidrive / Ashcroft shafts.

For us poor sods in the UK (Ali :lol:) Ashcroft are not only off the shelf and a day or so away re delivery but a hell of a lot cheaper.

Nige

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For us poor sods in the UK (Ali :lol:) Ashcroft are not only off the shelf and a day or so away re delivery but a hell of a lot cheaper.

Nige

I know sorry Nige but a full set of Maxi drive shafts and end caps for a 90 will cost me nearly £300 here. So it is in fact cheaper to buy Maxi drive stuff than gen Land Rover stuff. Ie there shafts and end caps are cheaper than buying land rover gen bits. It is just an advantage that they are stronger :)

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I know sorry Nige but a full set of Maxi drive shafts and end caps for a 90 will cost me nearly £300 here. So it is in fact cheaper to buy Maxi drive stuff than gen Land Rover stuff. Ie there shafts and end caps are cheaper than buying land rover gen bits. It is just an advantage that they are stronger :)

Hmmmm

Right, ..........do let us know when you are 'over here' next

I'll pop over and give you a loving "Forum Kick in the C*Bs" from us all .........for posts like that above

:lol:

Nige :P

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Hmmmm

Right, ..........do let us know when you are 'over here' next

I'll pop over and give you a loving "Forum Kick in the C*Bs" from us all .........for posts like that above

:lol:

Nige :P

:D:D sorry

But the other thing with Maxi drive is that they are like Kam when you turn up to buy stuff on the door. If you know what i mean. Nudge Nudge wink wink ;)

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