May be an interesting idea to try- dry sump axle housings.
Plumb from down low in the housing (maybe an inch or so up from the bottom, but on the side of the housing so it won't get knocked off) up to an electric-driven scavenging pump into a reservoir that feeds back down to the top of the housing and consequently onto the top of the gears. And have a 'breather' tube from the top of the housing up to the top of the reservoir. That lil doodad could be mounted high up on the chassis and completely seal the differential from water intrusion.
Something that may complicate things- doesn't the differential gear oil also lube the wheel bearings?

 

a bit more work done. roll cage and dash pod.

 

Good Point!! I forgot about that complicating factor. But you can run "driplines" to the wheel bearings, from the remote reservior. However, I don't believe the wheelbearings are "submerged" in the oil. If I remember correctly, they are lubed simply by oil running along the axle shafts and making it's way out to them? Correct me if I'm wrong.

vatchman
Is that all the cage your building? You're not going to go full exo-cage? Or atleast tie it into the new frame in the front more?
When all is said and done. What will your weight balance be? Was that one of the main reasons for such an extreme build?

Keep up the Great Work!!!
I love the build!!

 

ok ive looked into the lube problem with the axles,and as far as i can see its gona be ok,the axle will be half filled with hypoid oil,so the inner bearings wont be affected,as for the diff or third member as some of you guys call it this should be ok to. these are b/j axles not hilux axles.the pinion bearings are the same right side up or upside down,the only thing i can see thats would be different is that there is a kind of sump cast in to the bottom of the axle,the only thing i can think its there for is to return the oil back into the diff casing.but i really cant see this being a problem.i will just have to suck it and see,and if i do start buning up bearings then i will have to go with the dry sump arrangement that some one mentioned.its not as if the truck is gonna be used on the road every day,this was built for off road racing.so thanks for all your input guys it is appreciated and its all been taken on board so if i do get probs ive only got myself to blame,so just to re cap,if and when i do get probs i will sort it then.



grant to answer your question regarding the cage,yea its really only there to add strength and give protection to the driver,i could if i wanted to cage the front end but because this is a racer i want to keep weight to a minimum.so as long as the cab is protected im not really worried about the front end,its gonna hit a few trees and rocks any way.

 

wow ive let this little project fall behind.so heres a few updated pics.now that the other project truckis finished i can concentrate on this one now.so here we go.
front bumper fabbed up and fitted,along with front clip and a few other bits a pieces.

starting on the wiring,complete rewire from start to finish,what a nightmare.

another pic from inside the cab.

and this is the rear end,radiator cooling fans fitted and wired,

 

Lookin' spiffy, vatchman!

BTW, is that a rover sitting on the lift next to your rig in the 2nd pic? Sure wish we could get real Rovers in the states. If I'm informed correctly, we can't even get the Defenders anymore.

 

thook, you swearing at me!!!! its a land rover hybrid.the body and some of the original land rover parts,sit on a shortened range rover chassis.dont ask me why.

 

Whuh? Haha...no, man. Spiffy means swell, or cool, or neat, nice, sweet! It's a compliment....not a typo...lol!

 

LMAS.! it was early when i read that post i thought it said something completly different.lol..

 

holly crap thats truck pron nice job man

 

dude sick ride, and i fricken love maltese!

 

ok i dont know what that means dude,but i.... er take that as a compliment.

 

They did that on an extreme 4x4 episode

 

you got maltesers sitting on top of your hood in one pic, you know the candy. I get them when i go to ireland every few years.

 

I love Maltesers...we get them when we go to England and sometimes we can find them at insane prices here...

 

Sweet Rig!! One question though, what is the benefit of relocating the engine to the rear/middle that makes the work worth it?

 

Moving the engine to the back makes it have a better weight distribution. It's closer to the center of the car rather than all the way up on top of the front axle.

What makes all that work worth it? Well, all that work is what makes it worth it. Its part of the hobby.

 

How are you ever going to drain the axles if the drain plug is on top?

 

One could class that as a blessing in disguise.

How come they don't import/export Landy's over your side of the pond? Is it another of those weird regulations things, or something more mundane?

 

Give 'em a big pic of the Maltesers Snatch.