Front Hub Axle

[tuko]

Defender used front stub axles (part # FRC 4320) which are a longer version than the new short version (part # FTC 3154) up to VIN KA930455.

I never knew this till yesterday when I was transfering parts over from one axle to the other.

I wonder, why did they change to the shorter stub axle? The bearings are closer together and there is a spacer between them, the outer inner drive shaft is shorter, is there a benefit to this or are the longer stub axles better?

Everything on the front axle has come to a grinding hault, till I find out and decide which stub axle to use. Do I stay with the long version that is found on the earlier axles or do I "upgrade" to the shorter version? I'm leaning towards the older long version.

Cheers,

Todd.

[Steve 90]

I use the older (longer stub axle) version for two reasons. The bearings are that bit further apart which helps with the extra load of large diameter, big offset wheels. Secondly the C.V's are stronger.

If you have a spacer between the bearings and a single staked adjuster nut then its probably a very late axle. A lot of people throw the spacer away and go back to the nut and lock nut type found on the earlier axles.

You could find problems swapping the two types as the early ones probably have a 10 spline shaft in the diff and the late ones are 24 spline so you will need to keep the diff, half shafts, C.V's, stub axles and hubs all together.

[Steve 90]

BTW, Just to really confuse the issue. The 24 spline diff's and half shafts do tend to be a little stronger than the 10 spline although the CV is weaker.

[tuko]

Thanks Steve,

I did see that yesterday that the CV's were bigger in the 10 spline setup.

BUT correct me if I'm wrong, you can't simply remove the halfshafts and replace then with the 24 spline halfshafts. The splines in the CV's are different, right? One version being 23 spline and the other being 24 spline (CV side).

Todd.

[Guest diesel_jim]

BUT correct me if I'm wrong, you can't simply remove the halfshafts and replace then with the 24 spline halfshafts. The splines in the CV's are different, right? One version being 23 spline and the other being 24 spline (CV side).

Todd.

Correct, the earlier larger CV's have a 23 spline count, and the later smaller ones are 32 spline. however, you can buy Ashcrofts HD halfhafts which have 24 spline at the diff end, and 23 at the CV end, so you can have the stronger CV and a 4 pin/ARB diff.

Ashcrofts also do very heavy duty CV joints for both 23 and 32 spline applications.

so you could have the HD shafts along with later smaller extremely strong CV's.

i'm not sure, but i think one of the reasons why they fitted the thinner drive flanges (and hence different CV's and stubs) is so the alloys would fit?

[Steve 90]

Thanks Steve,

I did see that yesterday that the CV's were bigger in the 10 spline setup.

BUT correct me if I'm wrong, you can't simply remove the halfshafts and replace then with the 24 spline halfshafts. The splines in the CV's are different, right? One version being 23 spline and the other being 24 spline (CV side).

Todd.

Yep, spot on. Thats the problem. the 24 spline shafts and diff are stronger but CV is weaker.

The 10 spline shaft and diff are weaker but the CV is stronger.

Ashcroft make a special 23-24 shaft so you can use the stronger CV with the better diff which IMHO is the way to go. Theres no way you can do this with std parts.

If you are looking to upgrade then the 24 diff, ashcroft 23-24 shaft and early CV with the longer stub axle and wider spaced bearings is the way to go.

If your looking to use std parts id go 24 spline diff and shafts and the weaker CV with the closer spaced hub bearings. The bearings will be OK just wont last as long as the early type but if you do break something with this setup, its more likely to be the CV than the diff. CV is much easier and quite quick to change in the middle of nowhere and you can carry a spare.