Triple D Dual Drive differential (1 Viewer)

[JungleBiker]

I recently came across a reference to a company in Ohio called Triple D and a Torsen Type 1 differential that they marketted as the "Dual Drive" for Land Cruisers back in the 1970's. Anybody familiar with these? Has anybody here got any experience with them and better yet a photo of one?

 

[Downey]

Previously I have reported that they were mal-designed (long story, I won't go int that now), but then some Mudders posted that they had used them for years with no problems. Keep in mind that back in the 1970's 31" 10:50's were huge, and rock crawling had not been invented yet.

 

[JungleBiker]

Previously I have reported that they were mal-designed (long story, I won't go int that now), but then some Mudders posted that they had used them for years with no problems. Keep in mind that back in the 1970's 31" 10:50's were huge, and rock crawling had not been invented yet.

I did multiple searches, but found no info on here about them.

Is this a Triple D?

It has only these markings on it:

I have it and am planning to use it, but want to know if it can be used in a front axle or not, no rock crawling here, but lots of mud.

 

[reddingcruiser]

Yup, I owned one and had it in the front axle of my first FJ40 back in 1978. Like @Downey said, I had huge "Monster" 33's, on white spoke wagon wheels. Personally, I loved my Triple D and made many trips across the Rubicon and Fordyce (when it was a much easier trail) without any issues. Because of its construction, unless you have a FF Rear axle the front axle is pretty much the only place you can put it.
That looks like a later version. IIRC, the ring gear surface of early versions was re-machined from a different application to accommodate the FJ40 ring gear.

 

[Living in the Past]

I've read what ever you do don't take them apart. if you don't put ever worm gear in just right it will destroy itself. Would like to find a set of fine spline Torsens. Like mentioned they require full floater axles. I have a 1960 FJ25 with these front and rear. A pinion bearing went out in the rear. Couldn't figure out how to get the C clips out of the back. Lucky for me I pulled the rear drums off and discovered it has custom made housings for a press on bearings. Removed the bolts holding the backing plates and pulled the inner axles right out. being coarse spline they may have been some of the original Torsen that were hand cut my the designer. Not a rock crawler and for my use their great. While redesigned Torsens are still be used today. Toyota has used them in T cases for well over ten years. Can't remember if it's Eaton or Detroit that makes them for the diff just notLand Cruiser.

 

[JungleBiker]

I've read what ever you do don't take them apart. if you don't put ever worm gear in just right it will destroy itself. Would like to find a set of fine spline Torsens. Like mentioned they require full floater axles. I have a 1960 FJ25 with these front and rear. A pinion bearing went out in the rear. Couldn't figure out how to get the C clips out of the back. Lucky for me I pulled the rear drums off and discovered it has custom made housings for a press on bearings. Removed the bolts holding the backing plates and pulled the inner axles right out. being coarse spline they may have been some of the original Torsen that were hand cut my the designer. Not a rock crawler and for my use their great. While redesigned Torsens are still be used today. Toyota has used them in T cases for well over ten years. Can't remember if it's Eaton or Detroit that makes them for the diff just notLand Cruiser.

Thanks Downey, Living in the Past and ReddingCruiser for the first hand info. This one is set up for 30 spline shafts and I've already proven that my front ones will fit into it (I currently have my front diff all apart). I could see that there is just no room inside of it for c-clips, so my options are pretty much to either put it in my front axle or to switch to a FF rear, which I am also looking into. I'm running 33x12.50's on alloy wheels.

Honestly I think I'd rather put it in the rear axle, but if I can't come up with a FF, then I will probably put it into the front axle and then later put a loc-rite/Spartan/Aussie lokka/whatever in the rear. I think I'd like to try putting the Torsen in the rear and leaving the front open; as I said earlier, there's no rock crawling here where I live, but there is a lot of mud and a lot of muddy roads on steep hills. My ultimate plan for this rig is to be able to drive it on any "road" in Papua New Guinea, which may not sound like a very lofty goal, but one day I'll post photos and everybody'll see what I am talking about.

Was reading up on these and discovered that the military HMMWV uses Torsen Type 1's (like this, but a Humvee diff assembly weighs 90 lbs., so I imagine it must be bigger), in both front and rear axles.

 

[Living in the Past]

What engine are you running? Even without rock crawling HP/Torque added to large tires not sure how well it will hold up. Seen videos of playing in the mud. Like mentioned this aren't the most robust diffs. These are worse then Fairey Overdrives for finding parts for. It breaks and you have a paper weight. In the front with some other type of auto locker in the rear it would probably have a better chance of surviving.

 

[JungleBiker]

What engine are you running? Even without rock crawling HP/Torque added to large tires not sure how well it will hold up. Seen videos of playing in the mud. Like mentioned this aren't the most robust diffs. These are worse then Fairey Overdrives for finding parts for. It breaks and you have a paper weight. In the front with some other type of auto locker in the rear it would probably have a better chance of surviving.

Well, at first I'll be running a good condition F-135 that I have, but that won't stay in there--the plan is to slowly and carefully rebuild (and maybe balance) the original 2F and put that back in. Can this diff really be run in the front axle without locking hubs? For now all I have are drive flanges, I still haven't managed to scrounge a set of locking hubs.

 

[reddingcruiser]

Well, at first I'll be running a good condition F-135 that I have, but that won't stay in there--the plan is to slowly and carefully rebuild (and maybe balance) the original 2F and put that back in. Can this diff really be run in the front axle without locking hubs? For now all I have are drive flanges, I still haven't managed to scrounge a set of locking hubs.

I would NOT run the Triple D in a 'full-time' configuration. Mine generated a fair amount of 'shavings' during break-in, and I remember the instructions saying that condition was normal. And there was always a little each more time I changed the diff oil throughout the time I owned it. That's my 2 cents worth.

 

[Living in the Past]

The one I have in the rear could be fifty years old. Didn't anything when I replaced the bearing. I would be concerned about not having lock out hubs if running in the front. reading up on these. has something to with the worm can drive the gear but gear can't frive the worm. I know this how PTO winch works. Same with the steering box. except ratio is smaller. hit a rock and turns the steering wheel. while it will let the wheels drive the driveline. just wonder if it's hard on it and doing it all the time might shorten it's life. My FJ25 has old school Warn lockout hubs.,,

 

[JungleBiker]

Any idea how much play is acceptable where the worm gear pins fit into the carrier? I understand how the who thing works, I just am not sure how tight some of the clearances should be.

This particular example of the type is well broken-in, it works smoothly when me and another guy put axle shafts in it and played around with it, no notchiness or unusual noise--I found it hidden in the attic of the workshop where I work, I am pretty sure that some long-lost mechanic pulled it out of a truck that was being junked and stored it away because he thought it was worth keeping, there certainly does not appear to be anythign wrong with it other than dust and some light surface rust.

 

[AlaskanWheeler]

Unfortunate the company didn't continue to develope this Torsen style LSD. There sure would be a market for them today...