The argument I have heard for why Rovers have such weak half shafts is that it was intentional. The reason is that by making the half shaft the weakest link, there was a smaller likelihood of damaging more serious and less trail repairable items. It's a lot easier to pull a broken half shaft on the trail as opposed to rebuilding a diff. Take that for what it's worth. Frankly, I've broken half shafts on my Series III simply pulling away from a stop light.
Yes, Rovers, from a structural perspective, are very strong by I will never understand why the company took so long to upgrade half shafts from 10 spline to 24 spline. All the while, Toyota, Jeep, Mercedes, ect have had stronger half shafts. Why is it that Land Rover never offered factory locking differentials? Mercedes, Jeep and Toyota have for years. How could they take away the locking center diff on Discos for years? Why only two pin differentials? There are too many questionable choices that Rover has made over the years to blindly believe that they are "The best four by four by far."
Don't get me wrong, I love my Rovers, but when I can buy a Rubicon off the showroom floor with lockers, skid plates, ect. and then hear someone say, with a straight face, that only Rovers are built for the trail, I have to wonder what you're smoking. Yes, Rovers are very capable trucks but to deny that Jeep, Toyota, Mercedes, ect aren't capable as well is wrong. I remember seeing a guy in a D90 get stuck everywhere on a trail in MA a few years ago. Meanwhile, his buddy, driving an old FJ40 made it through the same spots without a hitch. In the end, it's my opinion that what it really boils down to is not the capability of the truck, but the capability, or lack, of the driver.
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