Mountain Goat and I were talking about multiple things pertaining to our Rovers (disco 1's) and we had a conversation about using an electric diff from a Land Cruiser instead of our diff. I was just wondering what are some options we have (year make model) to interchange our diff with other vehicles that are better?


P.S
MG found this link to "Swap out the wimpy Rover 3rd member for a beefy Toyota V6 third member"
Rover Tracks

 

Cool stuff... I'm probably a year or so away from thinking about upgraded diffs but I like the toyota option. Toyota trucks are extremely popular out here so it would be nice to have spare parts readily available. But for the $1800 plus the cost of a diff I think I'm gonna be shopping for small boat or jet ski first ...

 

Well the rear conversion is more in anybodies price range! But would changing only one axle be advantageous or disadvantageous?
Can I have both sides of the story if anybody knows?

 

Why do you need heavier duty diffs?

 

I don't
It was just a conversation we had


or maybe I plan on pulling a Chris McCandless and having a call "into the wild" to Alaska

 

Hahaha Don't eat the berries!!!

 

The toyota swap isnt much better or stonger then a rover setup. The biggest difference between the 2 are a rover axle is 24 spline (exept earlier models had 10 spline) and the toy uses 30 spline. With that said i have broke plenty of stock rover axles but with an ARB locker, 33"s an doing stupid stuff that would warrant a broken axle. Yes the Toy axles are a mild upgrade but you can build a Rover axle just as strong now that they are starting to make more an more heavy duty parts available. The best upgrade you can do on a stock rover axle is the carrier, witch usually means going with a locker (ARB, Detroit, True Track, Kaiser, etc...) that is the weakest link in our diffs. If your going to run anything bigger then a 37" tire neither the Rover or Toy axles are going to hold up well during heavy wheeling but that a whole different story.

 

Darn I was planning on it too!
If only he had a Rover..

 

What are splines exactly? And do you install lockers on the front and rear? I hear good things about ARB and Detroit, what's your personal opinion on them?

 

The splines are what connect the axle to the carrier the more you have the stronger they are.

I run ARB's front and rear on mine, the big draw back with them is price plus you'll have to have an air source (air compressor or CO2). The only reason I preffer ARB over the others is when they arent engaged it drives like factory. The other lockers you cant disengage and can make it a little bothersome driving especially in tight places like parking lots.

Im not saying either lockers are better or worse then the other its mostly personal preferance