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Will a Volvo c303 locker fit a ENV differential?


Gareth Dickens

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I doubt it, if you can get a Volvo locker then you can get a Volvo axle and just use that - it's stronger and gains you a load of ground clearance.

Do you have any extras? Can you remember the inner spline o/d and amount of splines? The c303 Volvo is very rare here in South Africa. The first time you mentioned you had portal axles I had never even heard of them. I want to use my 109 as a long distance driver so the 5.99 reduction would be murder. The 4.7's are already a bit short as I'm running a Ford 302 (5L) V8 and a Toyota Surf box & xfer case. At the moment I'm doing 120kph @3000rpm in 5th which is rough fuel consumption for a 5 liter V8. Perfect ratios for me would be 4.1. I have a spare ENV axle with the center out so I can try to make that work, but finding anything to compare it to is almost impossible. If you have any pics of the Volvo center and maybe dimensions it could help me a lot to know if a C303 locker is even a possibility. I could photograph the ENV center I have here if it would help. The sideshaft splines would also be very important.

Someone told me to look into the GM 14 bolt lockers but I have the same problem. Nothing to compare it to. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and get a set of Cruiser axles with ARB's. They would be worth more than my whole Landy though.

Info on these things are so hard to come by!!!!!!

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I doubt it, if you can get a Volvo locker then you can get a Volvo axle and just use that - it's stronger and gains you a load of ground clearance.

BTW, Do you have the lockers fitted to your portals?(I know they came standard) Did you activate them? (Are you using them) Do they work well?

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I can't remember what the spline count is etc., never really had call to measure it.

Yes I use my lockers, I actuate them as Volvo do - with engine vacuum. They work very well, although I'm not sure a locker can half-work, it's either on or off :P

The 5.99 gearing is not so bad because you can go up several tyre sizes - from the factory the Volvos run 37" tyres and the lightest truck is 3.5t+, we know they'll run 40" quite happily. With my setup (RV8, R380, 1:1 LT230) I'm doing maybe 120km/h at 300rpm on 37" tyres, not the most relaxed but acceptable.

I think adding a Volvo locker would be tricky as they are built into the axle and the engaging dog slides on extra splines on the halfshaft on one side.

If you're on a budget, then I'd find whatever is available locally and use those.

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Go mad and fit Unimog axles, you won't break them. Not sure how they would help on the fuel economy but the lockers are good and just operate on a rod like old bike brakes.

Whereabouts are the outputs from the Surf transferbox? isn't the rear centred so would lend itself to fitting a 'yota back axle, do that and the possibilities for lockers and ratios is huge. I know 80 Series axles are a popular choice for the Surf boys.

If you are determined to fit a locker in an ENV then you should look at something self contained like a Detroit Locker. The work required to get it done would most likely be huge though and if it broke a spares nightmare follows.

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The axle and center do look remarkably like an ENV but I would imagine trying to make the locker work with a @ 4.1 R&P may be a serious challenge given the major size difference. I don't know the spline count, but the C303 ring gear is 2.91:1 so trying to make the locker work with something in the 4.0 - 4.7 range would seem to present huge challenges.

The locker is easily actuated. On my 88", the front actuator cover is quite close to the chassis and until I modified the bump stop, I nailed it a few times. When the cover gets bent, it breaks the seal and that's, that.

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Whereabouts are the outputs from the Surf transferbox? isn't the rear centred so would lend itself to fitting a 'yota back axle, do that and the possibilities for lockers and ratios is huge. I know 80 Series axles are a popular choice for the Surf boys.

Front and rear 80 series Toyota axles are offset the same way as the LR axles are, Nissan Patrol rear axle is centred diff. front axle = same as LR.

Oh, and available in the same ratios, so they are quite a good option..... has it been mentioned that the Nissan front axle bolts straight in on the hockey sticks?

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I've been through this trying to look for bits from other things that will fit something else, the big problem is that most diffs look a lot like most other diffs :ph34r:

Like wise, but my thought is if you use a 'lunch box' type locker that fits within the existing diff carrier (like a lockrite) then all you need to do is measure up your carrier and shafts and trawl the manufacturers parts lists to find something as close as possible. Hopefully you can find something to fit that will only require minimal machining to the carrier and maybe custom shafts.

Oh, PS: The Toyota 80 axles are similar off set to Landrover on the front, but less offset on the rear. Unimog axles are offset to the left at the front and right at the rear. Patrol axles would be the best off set match for the surf transfer box.

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Like wise, but my thought is if you use a 'lunch box' type locker that fits within the existing diff carrier (like a lockrite) then all you need to do is measure up your carrier and shafts and trawl the manufacturers parts lists to find something as close as possible. Hopefully you can find something to fit that will only require minimal machining to the carrier and maybe custom shafts.

Oh, PS: The Toyota 80 axles are similar off set to Landrover on the front, but less offset on the rear. Unimog axles are offset to the left at the front and right at the rear. Patrol axles would be the best off set match for the surf transfer box.

Most cruiser axles (even hilux axles) willl fit perfectly. They're just so popular here that you pay through your neck for them. A set of used/second hand cruiser axles will cost me double what I paid for my Landy. I would love a set of Cruiser axles with 4.1 ratios and lockers, but that is just a wet dream.

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