Axle help

[jim]

I'm not sure what axle to run in my mk1 cortina, It will be running around 200brake (i hope). Id like to have an LSD too

2.8 capri axles are expensive and even more with an LSD

mk 3/4/5 cortina axles are similar but arent readily available

i was recommended a reliant scimitar axle as i could fit a jag LSD which he could transfer the leaf brackets and other bits but i don't know anything about these axles so some advice would be helpfull

I have also heard that volvo 240 axles are strong and that some had LSDs but again i don't know much about these

whats your opinion - I'm not too bothered about keeping it ford as it wont be standard anyway and getting hubs redrilled shouldnt be a problem

[chevazon]

OOPS I I thought you said Axel !

[hongkongphooey]

That's funny....i thought he said Axl.

[avtovaz]

volvo axels are good strong things.

But if you could get a capri axel that would be easier wouldnt it?

[bortaf]

Mk3/4/5 cortina axles are wider than capri and there are 2 types, one (atlas) will accept the cappa LSD one wont and is made of chocolat anyway (KOLN).
scimitar axles are bloody heavy but i know a man selling a compleat one who would break it if i can sell the 3.0 Essex and O/D box seperately ?

[kevfromwales]

run the stocker till it breaks, then buy an english LSD for it???
(thus saving the cost of an axle towards the cost of the slipper diff)

if you need some shafts, or even a mk1 tina axle, I may be able to lay my hands on one

- kev

[jim]

what could i do to an english to beef it up then?

[Anglia68]

The roundy-roundy hot rod boys as well as many racers strengthen them by welding a bar or thick tube across them.



Internally you can have the diffs fitted with Atlas side gears which allow you to fit bigger diameter half-shafts,usually steel billet from people like Quaife.hth.

[penski]

I thought the English was 'good' for abuse at 200 lb/ft and use at 250...?


*n

[kevfromwales]

^^ as did I tbh...

- kev

[gearoil]

^^^ We're putting 240bhp through one, TranX plate LSD set to 75lbs, Quaife 2 piece halfshafts, 10" slicks ^^^

All your English needs:

www.ludlowmotorsport.com/index.php?cPath=52_158&sort=2a&page=1

[penski]

Sept 4, 2008 21:21:00 GMT gearoil said:

^^^ We're putting 240bhp through one, TranX plate LSD set to 75lbs, Quaife 2 piece halfshafts, 10" slicks ^^^

Ooooh. In what? ;D

Could someone run a welded, narrowed english behind say a 24v Cosworth lump?

*n

[popuptoaster]

it depends how much grip you have as to how long an english will last, a standard RS2000 running its 100bhp pinto can break them if you have bubble arches and ten inch wide slicks on it, all the guys running YB's in escorts end up with £1000 narrowed and beefed up atlas axles when they get tired of breaking the english axles, my mate races an xflow powerd mk1 (without bubbles) and still breaks the quaife halfshafts in his english.

[penski]

Mr. Pipe?

*n

[gearoil]

Sept 4, 2008 21:41:27 GMT penski said:

Sept 4, 2008 21:21:00 GMT gearoil said:

^^^ We're putting 240bhp through one, TranX plate LSD set to 75lbs, Quaife 2 piece halfshafts, 10" slicks ^^^

Ooooh. In what? ;D

Could someone run a welded, narrowed english behind say a 24v Cosworth lump?

*n

In that roundy roundy hot rod in Anglia68's piccy.

Posted by popuptoaster on Today at 9:49pm
it depends how much grip you have as to how long an english will last, a standard RS2000 running its 100bhp pinto can break them if you have bubble arches and ten inch wide slicks on it, all the guys running YB's in escorts end up with £1000 narrowed and beefed up atlas axles when they get tired of breaking the english axles, my mate races an xflow powerd mk1 (without bubbles) and still breaks the quaife halfshafts in his english.

Breaks the Quaife shafts....!? Crikey...

[penski]

Sept 4, 2008 22:17:15 GMT gearoil said:

Sept 4, 2008 21:41:27 GMT penski said:

Ooooh. In what? ;D

Could someone run a welded, narrowed english behind say a 24v Cosworth lump?

*n

In that roundy roundy hot rod in Anglia68's piccy.

Bah. Circles?!Try a real sport ;D

Always had a soft spot for hot rods...What's the shell?

*n

[popuptoaster]

Sept 4, 2008 22:04:37 GMT penski said:

Mr. Pipe?

*n

The compact and twee Mr Pipe it is.

[klunk]

The planet gears tend to be the weak link on the Capri axle therefore using an LSD axle negates their requirement hence solving the problem.

Scimitar axles are cheaper, but finding wheels that fit are not the easiest thing to achieve.

I have an LSD Capri axle in the Rover (after breaking three sets of planet gears.

My mate has a Scimitar axle on his Classic. I think he ended up using MG 14 in wheels

[v8ian]

English Axles, without a LSD you will be breaking Planitary gears on a regular basis, Fit an LSD and I don't think you will have a problem, Quaife shafts, don't bother, Ive seen more broken Quaife shafts than stock ford shafts, I think its down to the shaft pimarially being made for the rally boys, and the flange is relativly soft, designed to bend or buclke before the shaft bends, then its a case of fitting a flange which is cheaper than a new shaft,
Atlas Axles, Good and strong, but even the narrow Mk1 3l capri axle is too wide for your car, and are very expensive to modify, buy a basic narrowed Atlas with a LSD, and you are probably talking 1k++ thats a basic job too, base LSD axle, £300, Narrow casing £100, New shafts from strange, about £400, bearings, seals, saddles, then probably a disc upgrade and so on,
Scimitar axle, kin strong, will handle 400hp, based around the 4ha, and as such will be the same as the jag, good choice of ratios and LSDs shafts are 2 piece, so you will need new shafts if you are going to narrow it, the 4has were fitted to lots of things, I beleive the narrowest was fitted a Dump Truck, but I cant remember the make, I think the Sunbeam Tiger 4ha is about the right size, but try finding one of those!!!!
Curries in the States will make a Custom axle for you for much less than you would think, and is probably the cheapest option and than know you have an UNBREAKABKE axle behind yuor 4 pot, an 8" woukld be ideal. and leave scope for future upgrades,

[gearoil]

v8ian - we've never broken a shaft in normal race conditions, but did bend an axle in a shunt, casing like a banana, bearing gone, flange bent, but the shaft was straight and true. Quaife flanges are poo as you rightly say. And dear at £80 odd quid a throw.

penski - you have PM sir.

Jim - If you want the English to take a bit of stick, you need to spend some £££'s on it - the Volvo unit can be had from the scrappy but would it need narowing to fit under your 'tina...?

With the current exchange rate, the Currie option V8ian mentioned should be worth looking into.