Buffing up stock axels??

npca-fud · Post by **npca-fud** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 9:45 pm

I heard somewhere that you can get a later model Patrol axel in the stock diffs and that this axel will use disc brakes. Can anyone confirm this....?? Any ideas on buffing up a stock axel, possibly having some made out of heavier duty materials?? It is pretty easy to do with drivelines and people do it all the time...why not an aexl? Any ideas on how to get a stronger axel in a stock diff would be sweet....

npca-grant · Post by **npca-grant** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 7:17 pm

Hey Fud! http://www.dutchmanms.com/ Not sure if your talking about JUST the axel or the whole rear/fron end (diferental). Sounds like your talking about JUST the axel. Assuming that is the case, I dont think the axel dicktates what kind of breaks you have... ie it is just a shaft with bolt paterend on one end, and gear/interconnect at the other. Note too... from what I have read here and other places the weak part of the whole axel shaft is not due to the matrial it was made out of as much as the gear/interconnect "teath" end (not sure what it is called). Basically newer 4x4 went with a smaller, finner teath that made them less likly to shear off and break. I guess if you made a new axel out of better material it would elevate this problem... BUT.. it might just move your problem... In that now instead of blowing the axel shaft you might blow the thing it connects to... ie the guts in gears near the ring/pinion. Grant PS still got your CD, just need an addr to mail it too!

npca-grant · Post by **npca-grant** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 7:19 pm

PS You might want to search custom car places, in that when guys put big fatty tires in the rear of a 57 chevy, they need to shortin up the rear ends to get the big fatty to fit within the wheel wells. So custom car places do alot of axel stuff... Grant

npca-fud · Post by **npca-fud** » Thu Jan 09, 2003 3:06 am

Hey Grant.... Interesting comments and the Dutchman site is very interresting. Really I was curious as to what peeps thought the possibilities are....I myself have never broke an axel in any rig but want to explore all options and have my blue 64 ready for most challenges. My ideas with my 64 are basically a sleeper Patrol, she looks stock but watch out cause' it is not, that is the the basic concept now anyways. I am far from a mechanic and engineering new axels is definately not in my bag of tricks. Yet I hear what you are saying and it makes sense. Having diffrent splines on the axel end sounds like it would require diffrent ring & pinion but I am unsure. Possibly the Dutchman guys will be able to offer some insight. You are correct about the brake thing and plate but I was thinking that with modern axels you could fairly easily get disc brakes bolted right on, especially if the rig the axel came from was set up with disc brakes from the factory. Rick G has done a disc brake conversion and it looks like it worked out well and wasn't to tough to do.....maybe Rick can say for himself...? All in all good post Grant....makes me think more, I can see ending up with a new weak link if all areas are not addressed and considered.....

npca-fud · Post by **npca-fud** » Thu Jan 09, 2003 3:10 am

Oh ya....almost forgot, I will take the whole catalog if you can manage it.....no probs getting you a copy of my perfect floor mats. I am starting to think having copies of the mats made is the best route anyways because who wants to trash something as rare as 40 year old vintage Patrol floor mats!? Pretty easy to do with a pattern and few handfulls of stock snaps....

npca-rickg · Post by **npca-rickg** » Thu Jan 09, 2003 9:57 am

Fud,As far as the ease of the disc brake conversion goes, it was very difficult and time consuming only because it was all custom. If I had to repeat the process, it would take less than a quarter of the effort and time spent on the original. Most of my time was spent searching for compatible rotors, calipers etc. A great deal of time was spent wandering through junkyards to find parts that were close enough to engineer into the design. I had a great deal of fun doing all of this by the way. I am extremely happy with the outcome. I can actually lockup all four wheels on dry pavement (a scary but successfull test on a country road). When I started, I was'nt sure if I could do all of this myself, so my design did not make any changes to the stock pieces. If it did not work, I could always go back to the stock drums. I would encourage others to try it only if they have a reasonably good understanding of mechanical design, hydraulic systems, fabrication and the mechanical ability to put it all together.Rick G