Hardened halfshafts

[Alex'n'Ane]

Does anyone have any experience of these? How much of an improvement strength wise do people seem to think they are? Want some for a 1.4 but competition halfshafts are so expensive i could fit an escort axle and get it adapted for minor pcd at that price i recon...

[charlie_morris_minor]

the trouble with hardened half shafts is that you move your point of failure to your diff... so for my money get the escort axle.. and when i spent my money i went for the bigger axle..

[Alex'n'Ane]

Thing is i want to keep her as standard as posible externally and keep the character still, so minor pcd would be preferable, and am not too sure about re drilling the ford axle. Also would like to keep costs down if possible.

[chrisryder]

could you get the moggy wheels professionally re-drilled to ford pcd in between the existing holes? not sure what affect the hole in the middle of the wheel would have, whether that could need to be opened out too. you wouldn't see the machining/extra holes once you've got a hubcap on.

[IslipMinor]

I have experience of both the 'hardened' and the Peter May EN24 half shafts.

I fitted the hardened ones at the same time as the 1380 engine, which produces 100+ bhp and 100+ lbf ft torque and all was fine until I fitted a limited slip diff. Before that the rear wheel(s) would just spin if overloaded.

Immediately after fitting the LSD, well 200m from home, the RH toughened shaft broke whilst turning a climbng LH turn at a crossroads. Fortunately it is a plate diff so I could limp home. With the LSD, instead of spinning the less loaded wheel, it transferred the torque to the more loaded one and broke the half shaft!

After stripping the axle, diff etc., and cleaning everything up, I fitted Peter May's EN24 half shafts and after 5/6 years have had no further problems. Yes they are expensive, but with a well modified engine + LSD, they are a very good investment really.

With no LSD I would try the hardened ones.

[Alex'n'Ane]

Thankyou, may well give the hardened ones a go as still have the standard diff in, and will have a 5speed box. Does anyone know where you can still get these from?