Special Propshaft lengths

[Monster]

Hi Guys,

i am looking for some special length propshafts for my lw hybrid.

I am trying to connect up my 200tdi 5spd LT230 to my axles.

Have any of you fitted the LT77 LT230 combo and needed new propshafts? I am sure that this would be the same for both lw and standard series.

Length as follows front 720mm, rear 520mm. Front too long for defender front, rear too short for series rear!

Does anyone know length of stage one prop?

It may be possible to fit series 1 props which i am led to believe is approx 520mm. Can anyone confirm this?

Where can i get a new or excellent used prop from? Would it be able to take 200tdi torque?

i dont really want to move engine/gear/transfer box forward.

Would be interested to hear your thoughts.

Cheers.

[plasticbadger]

Shortening the props yourself is easy.

You grind out the weld on the end fitting, shorten the tube to the required length, and then the end fitting should be a tight fit back inside. This ensures that you get it in line and then weld away. For prolonged road use you may need to get an engineering firm to balance them, but my fabricated props run lovely, so I haven't bothered!

[Jon White]

Yep - I used a standard swb rear prop and shortened it to suit.

Front one is also a standard landrover one shortened, but I'm not sure what from! Just find something thats plenty long enough and shroten it.

Jon

[FridgeFreezer]

I've never heard anyone worry about extra torque on a propshaft, the 200TDi is not exactly a fire-breathing torque monster.

My props were done by the propshaft clinic as I wanted longer slip joints and wide angle yokes.

[andyb]

I have shortened and lengthen as described above.

Make sure you cuts are square and you are half way there. Some people use a lathe to make the cuts, but I have found a G-clamp style pipe cutter has worked for me so far........props fitted to comp safari racer so see a reasonable amount of grief

HTH

[Jon White]

One fo the ones I made up a while back (home done hacksaw, big hammer, anvil method) I later set up in the centres on Tonk's lathe and put a dial gauge on it to see how far out of true it was - less than 1/1000" as it turned out!!!

I've never bothered to get props balanced, in same way as I never bother getting my wheels balanced.

Jon

[MECCANO]

Well depending on how much of a hybrid your lwt is, i used a standard 670mm defender front prop on the front, and got a shortened one for the rear from prop shaft clinic which i believe was about 500mm ( on my lwt )

heres the old prop compared to the new one:

[FridgeFreezer]

I've never bothered to get props balanced, in same way as I never bother getting my wheels balanced.

You mean because it doesn't go fast enough?

[Jon White]

:-) fastest its ever been was on the end of a tow rope with Tonk towing me home after I broke it!!!!!

[Monster]

Shortening the props yourself is easy.

You grind out the weld on the end fitting, shorten the tube to the required length, and then the end fitting should be a tight fit back inside. This ensures that you get it in line and then weld away. For prolonged road use you may need to get an engineering firm to balance them, but my fabricated props run lovely, so I haven't bothered!

Hi,

Thanks for the tips. Sounds just what i wanted to hear!! Will give it a go.

Just one thing though, how do i get a nice clean grind on the flange end that i want to refit back into the tube?

If it is not square then it wont match with my hopefully nice square tube!

Would it be better to use a grind disc or cutting disc to get into the weld?

Does this work for Range rover props as well? or only on series props?

How did you weld the end up? Did you mig or use an arc welder?

Do you have any pics of process?

Cheers.

[plasticbadger]

To answer your questions:

How do i get a nice clean grind on the flange end that i want to refit back into the tube?

If it is not square then it wont match with my hopefully nice square tube!

The flange end has a spigot on it that fits inside the tube so a 100% clean grind out of the weld is not critical. Start by using a grinding disc to take the meat off the weld and then do the final cut with a cutting disc just into the tube, back from the weld and you should see the line as you touch the spigot within. Use a band saw or chop saw to get the tube end square.

Does this work for Range rover props as well? or only on series props?

Yes - every prop I've ever messed with has been constructed in the same way

How did you weld the end up? Did you mig or use an arc welder?

I use a 200amp Mig which gives great results, even though I'm no god of the weld pool.

Do you have any pics of process?

I can do a pic of my current LR / Lancruiser hybrid prop, which is slightly different as it features a sleave welded in the bring LR prop out the diameter of the LC prop, the but the principal of DIY remains the same.

[Monster]

To answer your questions:

The flange end has a spigot on it that fits inside the tube so a 100% clean grind out of the weld is not critical. Start by using a grinding disc to take the meat off the weld and then do the final cut with a cutting disc just into the tube, back from the weld and you should see the line as you touch the spigot within. Use a band saw or chop saw to get the tube end square.

Yes - every prop I've ever messed with has been constructed in the same way

I use a 200amp Mig which gives great results, even though I'm no god of the weld pool.

I can do a pic of my current LR / Lancruiser hybrid prop, which is slightly different as it features a sleave welded in the bring LR prop out the diameter of the LC prop, the but the principal of DIY remains the same.

Thanks for that.

A pic of your current prop would be great.

One final thing. In the excitement of getting grinding, I forgot to mark the position of the flange when removed so now dont know what to line it up with. I didnt move the slider joint so other end should be ok.

Does the prop need to be in antiphase with each other? The shortened one that i took off had both flanges in line, some are opposite whilst some are slightly out of line.

I realise that i have upset the balance of the prop by doing this work but dont want to get it totally wrong!

Also i have a DC prop that i gained. Unfortunately i dont know where it came from! Maybe a American truck of some sort.

I dont have the end bit as this was missing. I am not sure if you can see from the pic but there is only half of the uj is supported. Something is missing off the end of the uj, a half of a clamp type thing. I dont know if it is part of the flange or maybe its even part of the transferbox.

Just wondered if you had come across some thing like this. I really would like to use it but it needs adapting. Hadnt really thought about a hybrid prop until you mentioned it! I was just hoping the ujs were the same size as LR and could change the flanges!!

I like the idea/concept of a DC prop but dont really want to spend over a hundred pound for a DC and i have one in my shed.

Thanks for the tips. You wont believe the time not to mention, agro you have saved me.

Cheers.

[6cyltdi]

Previously i had just stuck the chop saw through the prop and welded it..... I wasn't aware about grinding the weld off to mate it together..... So today i had a bash at making up a new rear prop for my series 1 V8... Grinded the weld of (with grinding disc) untill the steel started turning blue or glowing then gave it a smack with a hammer which seperated the two parts... I then stuck the chop saw through it to give the desired length chapped the end in and welded the two together using a topmig 170 full heat WS 7 welded round it twice....

STuck it on the car and all seams fine..... MOT time now then....!!!

Cheers, Daniel....