My run around with the issue that has my truck currently parked at home, instead of on the road, has me with a theory:
I've been lucky over the past few years to have rear drums that are effective. I've adjusted them several times with good results. However, for one reason or another, I'm not able to adjust them properly anymore. Several other people have told me that they eventually ran into the same problem, and were frustrated with continuously trying to get them to work right, the way they used to. Of course, I could buy new drums, pads, and adjustment kit for something like $250 if I go cheap, do the job, and have drum brakes that have worked like I've had over the past two years. The drums on my Series work very well, and when these worked correctly, they worked well. The problem with this route is that in my experience, drums simply do require more maintenance, they warp more readily, and they are less effective in the wet, especially when they actually get wet.
Why are mine so difficult to get adjusted properly now? I'm not sure, but my theory is that the drums have warped. This not only makes it down right difficult to properly adjust, but I have a feeling that it may have contributed to my hub coming loose. Now the hub must have been loose for some time, even though I didn't actually identify it with the standard lift and shake test. This looseness also contributes to the loss of proper adjustment in the drums, and the cycle repeats. One way or another, that's where I am right now.
Although I've never broken an axle, I've also never bashed a diff open. I'm super careful off road! I get out with a shovel for that crap. Well, and the ground here is often soft, even if it is rocky. So when I do hit rocks, I'm often just pushing them out of the way with the diff. But the extra strength is appealing, so are disc brakes ------ so why not convert? If I'm lucky, I can find good used items, and buy the new items I need for the same price as what I would spend on a new set of drum kit. The trade off being that I never have to adjust the drums again! or deal with the other disadvantages of drums.
However, I am still open to the idea of swapping to a Disco axle and ditching the Salisbury. But I have not been able to search for the process involved here. Mods and fab? More expense, or less? Is it a straightforward swap, or is there welding and new parts needed?