jsstevo Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Hi all, Having recently changed from running a Comp motor with a Salisbury rear axle, to a standard RR rear axle with Ashcroft shafts, I’m after some advice on which half shafts are most appropriate for competition use. We’ve just broken the long rear Ashcroft shaft so after a replacement but taking into account the little use / mileage (ok, all be it Comp Safari) for what’s supposed to be a ‘Heavy Duty’ shaft, I’m a little nervous with replacing it with the same shaft again. The shaft is 7 years old but the motor was stood stationary for a few of these years and only competed a handful of times in the other years. ***Photo of broken shaft attached*** I'd be interested to know your thought on what other shafts people are running and people experiences with Ashcroft shafts. Need to get a replacement sorted for 22nd May to have a go at retaining the ALRC National Comp trophy. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Ashcroft do have an option to make their shafts from I think 300M which is stronger again over their normal ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 That's quite a catastrophic and unusual failure. All of the ones I've seen had twisted the end off the short shaft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 I would also suggest speaking to Ashcroft themselves about the options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 That looks like a material flaw to me, but the picture only comes up small Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Idris Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 Definitely talk to Ashcroft. But that one looks like it might have been too hard. I don't think one you buy today will have the same problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 Are those hollow shafts? Are you allowed non LR shafts in ALRC then? I wasn't even allowed to take my door tops off to compete against 90's with wind down windows in trials! So I left ALRC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLineMike Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 Are those hollow shafts? Are you allowed non LR shafts in ALRC then? I wasn't even allowed to take my door tops off to compete against 90's with wind down windows in trials! So I left ALRC there isnt enough meat in the shaft to gun drill them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 Slightly OT but have you had any issues with the sailsbury? Are the shaft splines still straight ( if you had them out that is) Will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsstevo Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 Thanks all. Never had a problem with the Sailsbury and shafts are checked regularly (obviously don't have the diff out!). We like the idea of the standard axle as it's easier to try different types of diffs. I phoned Ashcroft and spoke to someone who didn't seem very technical. Never had any dealing with them before so not sure who's worth speaking to. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevrobbins Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Ashcroft shafts have a 5 yr warranty so you break it they replace it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 You could ask to speak to Dave or Ian when you call, they are both technical Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Fall Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Competed in Winch Challenge, Comp Safari and crossover events like Driven To The Edge (plus just been to the Croatia Trophy as well) with Ashcroft shafts. We've never broken a rear shaft yet, we've done ONE Ashcroft CV but that's it! I would definitely go with the Ashcroft shafts again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLineMike Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 i had a rover tracks cv break & the failure looked just like that, on inspection it looked like a material/manufacturing issue which caused it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsstevo Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 I spoke to Dave yesterday and he said t looks like a failure normally caused by large tyres but we only run 205's and use an auto so that helps reduce shock too. Only option now is to buy more shafts. Are there any alternatives to Ashcroft for hardened shafts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I wouldn't really bother with any other brand, KAM are a bit of an unknown nowadays, as they got bought by Allmakes, IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Lesson 1. NOTHING is unbreakable lol.....I have some super lovely blown up bits lol ... Lesson 2. What fionally breaks it might not be what broke it .... ie - the comp safari racer that at the start of the event reverses off the trailler and there is a huge BANG ....something broke. Its was nearly dead at the time it was last driven on the truck, just not quite ... Lesson 3. Wear and overloading can be accumulative, so each time they get some serious ploppyplopplops given to them it can move it closer to scrap. 7 years old is one thing - were these new or second hand, if sh who has done what to them previously life ? Also specs and treatment do improve, and ashcroft does do changes for the better. 7 years for a set of shafts means nothing, depends on how treated ? Forget buying KAM stuff now imho, specs servioce backup and quality control is a vast unknown...Buy another ashcroft set, 300M if you fancy breaking something else vs shafts Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I don't know whether MaxiDrive are still trading but they used to be an alternative to ashcroft. They break too tho, below was broken with 37" Boggers and a lot of abuse Given that it's normally the short side which fails and you have broken the long side (?) someone may have a spare you could have? I can ask my mate if he still has the long side to that pair of MaxiDrives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 <Cough> Looky what I have found ...short rear shaft £70 Posted UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Errrr Nige, he's broken the long one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 er "bugger" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsstevo Posted May 21, 2015 Author Share Posted May 21, 2015 Hi all, thanks for your input / advice. We were aware of the full history of the shafts down to which events they'd done, gearbox, engine, etc. We've now bought a replacement from Ashcroft. Fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsstevo Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Thanks for all your advice. Shaft received the next day, quickly fitted and successfully completed the ALRC Team Recovery and Comp Safari. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsstevo Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 Quick photo attached..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Member Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 I'm pretty sure a 7 year old Ashcroft shaft is a completely different design to their current ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.