Miller CV conversion

[sk178ta]

I`ve always been sceptical about replacing the do-nuts with uncushioned driveshafts. I also had 4 Elans in the 60s/70s and there was criticism then about "surge" which I never experienced and put down to a lack of smooth driving. BUT having chewed up another set of rottenflexes in a year, for the price of 2 sets................. I sought advice from this forum and more particularly from Pete who due to the size of his intellect is president of the Cheshire Lotus Owners Group. He`s also the founder member of the Size isn`t Everything self help group!
Taking his, and other`s, advice, I`ve gone Sue Miller purely for the fit and forget. Initially I can`t tell any difference, no discernible improvement in handling, but why would there be? No harshness on take off but a slightly more aggresive feel as you come off the power. Significantly, there are no clicks or untoward noises, and I`m now hoping to forget them.
Jim

[chrishewett]

I fitted Miller driveshafts to my +2 recently and agree with Jim. They don't seem to have a downside except the price and looking at the price of new donuts now that is not an issue either.
Chris

[miked]

I have the TTR sliding spline UJ type on my road car and they are great. No worry.
I keep them greased. Did have tick tick noise on pull off when I fitted them but this turned out to be the diff hanger bolts not tight enough. Since then the "dogs dangly bits".

Doh nuts did my head in. The are not the same as the old ones and do weaken off and do surge even with the most careful driving. The ones i kept buying did. Even worse on the Plus two.

Mike

[Elanintheforest]

I've heard that Matty is getting really fed up with the rubbish being produced as Rotoflex couplings, and is thinking about not stocking them. He's tried to have them re-engineered a couple of times, but they just keep on breaking up. There seems to be no point at all in fitting the current couplings, especially as they are half the price of the CV units, and can cause a huge amount of damage when they let go.

Apparently the same is true for the Lotocones and the diff mountings...the only way to go seems to be the TTR upgraded ones.

Ho hum...at least we all know what not to fit...
Mark

[nebogipfel]

IMO They are the best modification/improvement you can make to an Elan.

[Dave_Newcastle]

Apparently the same is true for the Lotocones and the diff mountings...
Mark

....and engine mountings - this spring, my new ones failed after three miles and 100miles

and I have got new some suspension bushes which I wont fit because the rubber looks like black porridge based liquorice and the inside of the steel tube looks like its been "honed" with a round file.

Steer clear of new rubber it seems - though I do believe that we should all keep the pressure on the suppliers to do their best and not to compromise. Certainly for me. I dont believe that keeping the price to the minimum is the issue. We would prefer to pay what is required for the correct specification and quality products. and its not just lotus - similar difficulties exist in triumph circles and and I have seen first hand the tat offered to mini owners.


Back on topic - I fitted Miller drive shafts this year and am absolutely happy with them. As said above no particular downside in the way the car drives. One upside now is that you can drive the car away from standstill without having to deal with the doughnut surge which has made the car subconciously easier to drive in modern traffic conditions

[chrishewett]

Just thinking about it another bonus is I don't now have the judder when reversing.
That is when I finally get the engine mounting I ordered on thursday and get the car on the road again. I might then be able to check if the new speedo cable ( third new one in two weeks but thats another story ), works!
Does it never end?
Chris

[steveww]

I have fitted the TTR type to my S4 and I am very happy with them, no surge, no judder, no downside.

I also had 2 new engine mounts from PM and both failed in under 100 miles. I got some replacements from Sue Miller and so far so good. May be PM got a bad batch or Sue uses a different supplier?

[elansprint71]

I sought advice from this forum and more particularly from Pete who due to the size of his intellect is president of the Cheshire Lotus Owners Group.
Jim

Too, too kind.

Actually I did find a downside to the MM shafts! Because the diff top mountings are now also made of crap rubber, I trashed a new set (from Spyder) in six months. The answer: TT's heavy duty top diff mounts! These are unbelievably tough and should the case arrive, he also has matching items for the diff torque rods.

El Presidente.

[Keith Scarfe]

I have just noticed a rotoflex is buggered on mine (whilst under there doing my propshaft). This too has only been on there a couple of years and only done prob 1k miles. Looks like I will be going for a cv conversion after all these modern rubber horror stories and the Mick/Sue Miller one sounds the best from all the reports on here.

Is it really a direct replacement for the roto's and inter drive shafts? No other mode reqd at all? Are they easy to fit? What about the massive droop on the rear can the cv's really cope with the massive misalignment angles? Don't they get damaged when you jack up the car or worse take off whilst driving (hump bridge etc). Do you get instructions with them? Anyone got a copy you can scan and put on here to show how easy/difficult a job it is? How much are they?

Thanks.
Keith.

[Keith Scarfe]

I have just noticed a rotoflex is buggered on mine (whilst under there doing my propshaft). This too has only been on there a couple of years and only done prob 1k miles. Looks like I will be going for a cv conversion after all these modern rubber horror stories and the Mick/Sue Miller one sounds the best from all the reports on here.

Is it really a direct replacement for the roto's and inter drive shafts? No other mods reqd at all? Are they easy to fit? What about the massive droop on the rear can the cv's really cope with the massive misalignment angles? Don't they get damaged when you jack up the car or worse take off whilst driving (hump bridge etc). Do you get instructions with them? Anyone got a copy you can scan and put on here to show how easy/difficult a job it is? How much are they?

Thanks.
Keith.

[rgh0]

Keith

Yes they are a straight swap for the donuts and intermediate shafts. The tolerances on the holes on the Lotus diff and hub shafts were not great and the holes may need a little reaming to line up with the CV adapter plates. Changing them over is normally easier than fitting a new set of donuts

The Elan moves the CV joint close to the limit of its angular travel. Depending on the specific shocks you use you can end up going over the limit and needing to fit some kind of droop restraint strap. No big deal just fit the Cv's check they dont bind on full droop if so all OK if not fit a droop restraint.

cheers
Rohan

[Keith Scarfe]

Hmmm thanks. I guess these 'droop restraint straps' aren't included from Sue? Can you buy them or is it 'make it yourself'? What do they look like? Where do they fit to? the spring? damper? strut casing? Has anyone had to do this?

[rgh0]

Keith
I did my CV conversion around 20 years ago and fiitted a restraint cable between the bottom of the rear suspension tower and the lower A arm. Others I know have fitted a strap between the top and bottom spring supports.

Whether you need to do this or not depends on your shocks and amount of droop they allow, the specific type of Cv's used and how fussy you are in worrying about a little binding at full droop. In my Elan I get the inside rear wheel to full droop on almost every corner on the track, in road use this would be a rare event unless you "Yump" the car regularly!

cheers
Rohan