CV Driveshafts

[AussieJohn]

I also had 1 cv boot fail after a few hundred miles on the +2 but was not confident that jacking it up caused it. If it did then the problem on an S4 will be worse because of the sharper driveshaft angle. I jack it now supporting the wishbone to stop the possibility, John.

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

CV Boot failure is one of the most common failure modes for CV joints in production Cars.
I have thoughts about the displacement of Grease within these boots causing imbalance & possible premature Boot failure.
However I don't understand why you Guys worry so much about full droop conditions when CV/UJ Joints are involved in the Elan/+2 Drivetrain.
Don't the same limitations apply to Rubber donuts except for the audible clonktety clonk noises?
Full droop is, I think, rarely encountered under normal driving conditions.
If you know that your Car is going to be Airborne frequently, fair enough put some Suspension movement limitation into the System, Donuts or not.
IMHO CV or UJ Shafts provide an added sense of security & longevity for our delicate little Cars; the way to go, I think.

John

[Robbie693]

Forgive me if I'm opening a can of worms but, what about the oft mentioned increase strain on the diff shafts or the diff mounts from removing the rubber 'cushion'?

Anyone had problems or failures with these two parts as a result of fitting solid shafts?

Robbie

[Old English White]

Robbie ,
You are right .
Despite the better effectivness , Uj shafts are making the Elan rear end rough , very sensible to each variation on road/track ...
I put TTR's on "OEW" and you sure can feel that more effort are supported by the diff and its shafts.
This even with a standard engine .
Tony thompson show us a twisted standard shaft ... and its race spec special steel diff output shafts as the end of problems ...
Anyway I don't have them since long time , and keep the green light/grand prix start for others , having my gear box rebuilt by engine man who gave to me its last close ratio 2nd gear pignon ...
Cv's seems to be the answer for who don't want an FIA racer ... next time !?!
Christian.

[GrUmPyBoDgEr]

Forgive me if I'm opening a can of worms but, what about the oft mentioned increase strain on the diff shafts or the diff mounts from removing the rubber 'cushion'?

Anyone had problems or failures with these two parts as a result of fitting solid shafts?

Robbie

Due to the anticipated increase in Tower & Torque from the Zetec fitted into the car I also used TTR Stub Shafts, inner & outer as part of the "fit & forget" package.
Standard Diff mounts seem to be holding out well so far.

[AussieJohn]

I know someone in OZ who made his own CV conversion for a +2S using VW bits, this is still running after about 30 years; the +2S had the stronger halfshafts and diff brace, good enough probably.

[alexblack13]

I fitted perf**** un*****ed. (southend on sea at the time) Drive shaft conversion. I went to the shop to pick them up and had a talk to the maker. First issue with me was the Hardie Spicer joints locked up at quite a bit less angle than the car's driveshafts produced on full 'droop'. His 'answer to that was a 2' length of wire rope and a bulldog clip. One had to set a limit on the strut by 'wiring' in the rope and securing with said bulldog (U bolt type) clip. Hopeless!!

The driveshaft(s) failed after about 10 mls. 'Conversations' took place requesting re-embursment, which never happened. The failures were at the welds on both shafts. After the second attempt failed also (The Wire rope had no hope of limiting droop) I stripped off the struts and shortened the damper shafts, re-assembled the whole lot minus springs to check for binding/fouling up. This did work.

I then broke a halfshaft. After the repair I removed the driveshafts which sat in my garage for years untill someone asked if they could have them. After telling him of my experience with them I gave them to him to try. If he got on ok with them (which I doubted!) he could have them as a gift. I never saw them again. Thank goodness.

I like the idea of a bit of rubber in the system, One of the reasons I fitted the Spyder items.

Alex....

[john.p.clegg]

Alex

Re P.U.'s conversion,what I did was extract the u/j from the shaft and source a length of splined shaft of the required profile and cut to length....internal spring at each end....sliding in each u/j.....no problems since....

John

[RedS4]

John
Check out the website for Elan Trickbits (in South Oz) at http://www.elantrikbits.com/ . Of particular interest for you would be the video of the half-shafts rotating happly at angles that would be beyond full droop.

[AussieJohn]

Thanks Evan, are you a mate of Owen W. who lives in Toongabbie? cheers, John.

[john.p.clegg]

John

...as promised...

John

P.S. just cut the ties on the central "rubber" and pulled apart..

P.P.S.

Just pick up some Mini U/J's a length of splined shaft and "knock-up" a couple of adaptor plates etc,etc.

[john.p.clegg]

P.P.P.S
The outer CV boots are held on by a bit of stainless trim against the nylock nuts securing the plate to the fingers..

John

[AussieJohn]

A work of art John PC, very good solution, cheers, John.

[Jas]

Does anybody know if the Mick Miller, TTR and Paul Matty CV driveshafts are the same?
I can see that they have agreed on the same price.
Can anybody recommend one owe the other, that is if they are different?

I know that RD Enterprices and ElanTrikBits have their own product.

[ceejay]

Hi All.
FYI:
Links to elantrikbits drive shaft video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfuqmifnEPU
Or:
http://www.elantrikbits.com/
Col.