As the subject, can i remove the lobbro shafts from a Sierra V6 7inch diff and 'push in' my pushin shafts?

would like to find out before i go back down the scrappies with a set of tools

or failling that, can i still use my drums etc with lobro shafts?

if it isnt a lsd then you can remove the lobros and use the push ins.

Can you use push ins on an lsd?

nope the lsd needs different length driveshafts whereas all push ins are the same length.

My pushins are not the same length if your talking about about total shaft length.

The near side one is shorter then the offside one.

This has come up a few times recently and seeing as I managed to make a complete hash of it I'm pretty confident on what you can and can't do

You can't simply remove the output flanges from the LSD and push in the driveshafts as the splined end of the shaft that fits into the diff will be too short on one side.

What you can do provided you get the right bits is use a lobro joint at one end of the shaft and a tripode (push in one) at the other end. This means you can still use rear drums. Firstly you need a diff that takes 100mm diameter lobro joints, I think all 7" non Cossie diffs were like this. You can fit 2 of its lobro joints in place of the inner push in joints on the driveshafts from a 2.0l drum braked Sierra. If you don't know what Sierra your push in shafts are from, the only way to tell is to remove one of the inner CV joints and count the number of splines on the actual driveshaft it was attached to. 25 splines and the Lobro will fit Its literally a direct replacement, pull one off and pop the other one on.

That should give you what you need, I think RichieC has a pic of a driveshaft he did like this somewhere.

Thanks,
That was exactly what i was looking for.

Gav flat pack is bang on there is a post on the fordsierraownersclub.site on this subject.

And some good photos too

The thread on the Sierra site is for paying members, but heres the document from the topic author Marty:

Rich

Thanks!

Mmmmmm interesting,

Would it be fair to assume that some one with a disc braked rear end who has a LSD but wants an open diff (or a Quaife ATB which is designed for push in shafts) could change the lobros for push ins at the inner end?

Cheers

Mark

It appears the lobo/torx style flanges (disc brake ones) use a clip on the inside of a "open" diff (original style sierra diff). Thus, is it typically the case the "closed" diffs (ZF, quaife, ...) are all designed for the push-in style shafts???

If so, then i have the same question as Mark. ie, i have ZF, and i want disc brakes. So, can i use the push-ins on the diff side, and the disc brake style on the outside???

TIA, -sm

[Edited on 17/2/06 by scotmac]

And if the answers to my last questions are that i need the push-in on the inside, and i can use the disc stuff on the outside, then where the f*ck do i get the push-in flanges if i am in the states??!!!??

Aren't all the US based Merkurs torx bolted??

Whether you can use flanged shafts on an aftermarket diff depends on whether you can access the mechanism inside to fit the circlips. Looking at what quaife atbs look like it'd definately be impossible ti fit the circlip on those, dunno about ZF though, but probably the same. You need the circlip though as unlike the push-in tripode joints, the lobro joints aren't sprung, so without the clip there is nothing to stop the flange working out off the spline or at least past the oil seal.

With the correct push-in and lobro shafts, you should be able to hybrid them to create a shaft with push-in inners and lobro outers for disc brakes, sort of the other way round to Flat Pack's post.

Your easiest option though might be to run normal push-in shafts and get a disc brake conversion kit that are freely available.

Liam

Thanks for the reply Liam.

I actually have these uprights:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4610414182&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1#ebayphotohosting

I was hoping to just be able to bolt the above upright to my existing fabricated rear uprights, which are made for the drums. ie, the bolt pattern on the above cossie's looks to match the drum brakes bolt patten. Then i just need pair of rotors/discs and calipers and i am set....i hope!!!

So, assuming, as you said, that i can use the torx style (non-push-in) shafts w/ the push-in flanges, does anyone know how/where i can get those push-in style flanges/driveshafts????

TIA, -sm

BTW, sorry for hijacking the thread.

[Edited on 18/2/06 by scotmac]

The latest Quafie ATB's will accept lobro joints. Although it is still true that you can't get inside to fit the circlips, they now use 'snap rings' which sit in the groove on the lobro shaft where the circlip would be. when the lobro joint is pushed into the diff the snap rings simply expands and hence retains the joints. This is now possible since Quaife have added a chamfer to the inside of the diff so that you can remove the joints using a slide hammer and the chamfer will contract the snap ring so that the lobro will come back out again with a little force.

I know this because I have fitted a new Quaiffe ATB to my Sierra diff and I am using lobro joints both sides with disk brakes.

As for having shafts with lobro's on the diff side and push ins on the hub side (or vice versa) surely this is not a good idea.. The push in joints are spring loaded and hence don't need retaining circlips. The springs in the joints appose each other and therefore keep themselves in place. If you put a lobro on one side then only one side of the shaft would be spring loaded and hecne would be in danger of coming out....?

Hi Birt,

So you don't need to buy Quaife's own Lobro flanges any more? This is the main reason why I haven't bought an ATB diff yet.

Cheers

Mark

Mark.. I have slightly over simplified it.. Quaife have made the diff able to accept Lobro joints via the internal chamfer. But the snap ring does not simply sit in the old circlip groove. You therefroe have to buy the lobro joints from Quaiffe at a ridiculous price...

OR...

You take your old lobro joints to Stuart at Classic Conversions in Sheffield. They will machine a new groove in the right place and provide the snap rings at a fraction of the cost.

This is what I have done. And here are the pics to prove it. I dissmantled my LSD, threw away the Ford Visco bits, had the lobro joints modified by Classic Conversions, stripped the case, bought a Quaife ATB unit from Rally Design and sent the lot to Road and Race Transmissions in Kent who put it all back together with new bearings and seals. Top job all round.

hmm, where did those pics go, try again....
Rescued attachment diff_mix.jpg

Lovely job mate

Thanks for the info too

Cheers

Mark

Yes, very nice Birt. I would love to do the same...ie, some modification that allows me to use lobro joints. However, i don't believe the ZF diff i have is going to be setup internally to take the snap rings, the way the quaife is, right??? Correct me if i am wrong...PLEASE!!! ;-)

[Edited on 2/3/06 by scotmac]

Not sure about the ZF Diff, but Stuart at Classic Conversions seems to know everything about diffs, gearboxes and the like...