DIY Front Salisbury Axle

[dirtydiesel]

I was looking at Unimog axles, but was put off by the fact that the differentials are in the wrong place, so it seemed to be a lot of work before you got to the stage of having the equivalent to C303 axles.

Due to the scarcity of Salisbury front axles for Land Rovers I was wondering if anyone has actually made one for themselves, using a rear axle and the steering swivels from a Rover-type front axle.

I imagine that the casing would be relatively easy, but I wouldn't know about the half-shafts.

Why is it that choping up mogs is so off-putting when (within the scope of your imagination) turning a rear salisbury into a front one is relatively easy.

[92.9]

I didn't suggest that turning a rear Salisbury into a front one was easy, nor did I make any reference to the relative difficulty of modifying Land Rover axles over Unimog axles. What I said originally was that I imagined that modifying a Salisbury axle casing would be easier, relative to sorting out suitable half-shafts for the modified casing, as at the time I didn't know what was or wasn't available for half-shafts. What I did know though was that I could modify and weld up an axle case to a specific width (probably with some help). My comment that you refer to where I said I was put off by the Unimog axles, regarded the amount of modification that has to be carried out on a Unimog axle to get it to the same stage as a C303 axle, which already has the differentials in the right place for fitting to a Land Rover.

Why is it that choping up mogs is so off-putting when (within the scope of your imagination) turning a rear salisbury into a front one is relatively easy.

If you are asking what would put me off when comparing Salisbury axle modification with Unimog axle modification (which wasn't what I said anyway), you can get Salisburys for next to nothing (or even nothing), you would only have to modify one and they are an original Land Rover item. Also, the Salisbury axles are the correct width, which suggested to me at the time that there may well have been a suitable standard Land Rover half-shaft available when a rear axle is modified to the standard front axle width; the track width of the Unimog axles are about a foot greater than that of a Series axle so that has its implications for both appearance and function; the Salisburys are leaf-sprung whereas the Unimog axles are coil-sprung and the reduction gearing issues appear to be a problem (the consequences of having to use a particularly large wheel size for acceptable performance) compared with to not having to deal with it if using a Salisbury. Then there is the propshaft conversion and also the different short half-shaft required to operate the front differential lock when using a non-standard differential offset - according to what I have read.

As I mentioned before, I'm at that stage with my project where I'm getting lots of silly ideas .

[Guest diesel_jim]

Do you happen to know the diameter of the standard 6.00 16 tyre? I'm trying to work out what effect it will have on the gearing of my car if I ever get to fit 9.00 16s.

Thanks

It can depend on the make, as sizes vary, but theoretically, working, say, from the ground up in a vertical line:

6 (height of sidewall) + 16 (rim) + 6 (top of wheel sidewall) = 28"

9.00x16.... 9 + 16 + 9 = 34"

[bill van snorkle]

It can depend on the make, as sizes vary, but theoretically, working, say, from the ground up in a vertical line:

6 (height of sidewall) + 16 (rim) + 6 (top of wheel sidewall) = 28"

9.00x16.... 9 + 16 + 9 = 34"

Some Michelin 9.00x 16's are getting up towards 37'' dia whilst some other brands, Denman for example are as low as around 33''.

Bill.

[d-90]

Hi,

I have just finished building a front set up for a 90 TruckCab using a Salisbury front coil axle. My intention putting this axle under the truck was never using OME shatfs and cv´s, because their pretty much standard AEU2522´s, and this usually brakes on regular rover axles with lockers. Instead I ended up using only the casing. I instaled a Dana 60 30 spline locker, custom 1.3" halfshafts mated to Longfield 30 Spline CV´s. I´ve used high strength alloy steel for the halfshafts (rated at about 1800Mpa Tensile Strength, which is in 300M steel standards). This is pretty much as strong as you can get with a Rover front end using standard swivel housings. I believe this could be very close to a standard 35 splined Dana60, but will let you know after testing it this weekend at Lousâ Camp, a Portuguese Competion.

Can post pics if you want.

Cheers,

Ribeiro

[92.9]

Thanks for the information Jim and Bill.

What would be a good 9.00x16 tyre to go for when taking into account price and performance? Are the ones you find on 101s any good? Like these ('bar grip' or something aren't they?):

Mike

[92.9]

Hi,

I have just finished building a front set up for a 90 TruckCab using a Salisbury front coil axle. My intention putting this axle under the truck was never using OME shatfs and cv´s, because their pretty much standard AEU2522´s, and this usually brakes on regular rover axles with lockers. Instead I ended up using only the casing. I instaled a Dana 60 30 spline locker, custom 1.3" halfshafts mated to Longfield 30 Spline CV´s. I´ve used high strength alloy steel for the halfshafts (rated at about 1800Mpa Tensile Strength, which is in 300M steel standards). This is pretty much as strong as you can get with a Rover front end using standard swivel housings. I believe this could be very close to a standard 35 splined Dana60, but will let you know after testing it this weekend at Lousâ Camp, a Portuguese Competion.

Can post pics if you want.

Cheers,

Ribeiro

Ribeiro

It would be interesting to see some pictures if you can post some.

Thanks

Mike

[Guest diesel_jim]

What would be a good 9.00x16 tyre to go for when taking into account price and performance? Are the ones you find on 101s any good? Like these ('bar grip' or something aren't they?):

Mike

I had a set of bar grips on my 90 once, think they were "fisk", made out of yoghurt pots and old condoms. wern't that good (and not very big either, virtually the same height as a generel SAG 7.50, although that tyre is BIG for a 7.50)

The grip wasn't much to write home about either, so i stopped writing home

michelin XCL or XZL are excellent tyres, but they'll cost an arm and several legs, and are very heavy.

[92.9]

Thanks Jim

Having skidded on an old condom myself I can imagine that those tyres didn't grip very well!

What make did the original 1 Ton Land Rover have fitted? Are they still available?

Mike

[bill van snorkle]

I understood that 9.00x16 tyres were hard to get and expensive, even in the UK. Bar grips have very little to recommend them except for muddy conditions. They are noisy and wear rapidly, are dangerous on wet sealed roads . they don't grip well on steep tracks where there is smooth rock or exposed tree roots across the surface, and they don't have much lateral grip on offcamber stuff. probably better to go for a popular tyre with a more contempory tread design such as Simex Extreme Trekker or new style Silverstone MT117 in the 280. 85 x16 size region.

Bill.

[92.9]

Right, I'll scrap the 9.00x16 idea!

Mike

[FridgeFreezer]

Not heard of them being particularly 'spensive over here, you can get metric ones that are the equivalent and it's a size they still make 'cos I've seen them in tyre suppliers' adverts.

Agree though that bar grips are more of a "period" feature than of great practical use.

[92.9]

These look quite handy! It says the make is Silverstone or something similar - 280/85 16

[bill van snorkle]

These look quite handy! It says the make is Silverstone or something similar - 280/85 16

Yes that is the first series Silverstone MT117. They were an almost identical copy of a tyre made by Goodyear and were a replacement for the goodyear tyres supplied as original equipment on the Malaysian military Volvo C303 trucks. The centre rib on the goodyears were cross notched for better offroad raction but the Silverstones weren't and did not bite as well as the goodyears. I had two sets of those years ago and whilst they were cheap to buy and the carcass was very strong even when running at 2-4 psi over sharp rocks, the traction was nowhere near as good as Interco tSL's or Simex ET's.Traction in reverse was even worse. The later Silverstone MT117's have a tread pattern not dissimilar to the Simex ET's.

Bill.

[92.9]

Thanks Bill. All being noted for future reference.

Mike

[Am3365]

Anyone knows the length of the short side axel shaft without the cv joint for the sailsbury front axel?

[Am3365]

anyone knows the lenght of the right hand side axel shaft in a front sailsbry (short side) ? would really like some help here please