Sue Miller CV joint versus Spyder

[thor]

An old chestnut no doubt. Which one is the best, an how easy is the changeover. This is the main job I plan to do this winter...

[stuartgb100]

Thor,

I researched this fairly thoroughly in the sunner of '05, before deciding on the 'Susan Miller' type of conversion.

They've been fitted for over a year, now, and can only say that I'm more than happy.

Fitting ......... can be a problem !! But not a major one.
Especially as you have a nice big, heated and illuminated workshop to hand (vbg:).

If you search on this type of thread, you will find lots of similar (and some contradictory) opinion.

HTH.

Regards,
Stuart.

[hatman]

I fitted a pair a couple of years ago and they're literally 'fit and forget' (unlike doughnuts). Mick Miller told me I'd be able to fit them in half an hour or so. That was, to say the least, optimistic and it took me most of one Saturday (in his defence I would have to say that Mick could have no way of knowing what a cack-handed mechanic I am).

[bcmc33]

Thor,

I asked this question a little while ago in the Elan section, and as you will see if you look, there were some different opinions. Looking at some other back posts as well, I think the CVJ system has it. I shall pick-up my shafts from Susan at the Stoneleigh meet.

Brian Clarke

[Jason1]

Hi

I have just fitted the Sue Miller shafts, but as yet have not had a chance to try them out as I also need to change the broken rear springs

I spoke to Tony Thompson about these shafts last week and he has scared me a bit. He says without fitting his stronger diff and hub shafts the CV shaft will break them, his exact words were "they are a time bomb waiting to go off".

Have you guys that have fitted Sue's shafts also upgraded the diff and hub shafts???

I understand that Tony has a vested interest in selling these shafts but he did seem like a genuine guy.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that you guys have not fitted the stronger shafts and I have nothing to worry about

Oh, by the way, I consider myself a pretty competent mechanic and I had to remove the allen key bolts and split the joint at one end as there was not enough room to get the shaft in. Also the studs in the shaft are too big to fit the existing shafts so I had to open up the existing holes. In total, in the cold laying in my front garden it took about 3 hours. I have told Sue that "easy fit" is not how I would describe them.

I am looking forward to next spring for a non-rotoflex drive

Jason

[andyhodg]

With regard to the fitting of upgraded diff output shafts I have an early +2 which has has cv drive shafts fitted but not had upgraded diff output shafts. I have taken it on track three times driving as hard as my skills (SIC) would allow. I have had no problems at all. I can thoroughly recommend them. In terms of handling a higher than standard power my car has been ported and had big valves fitted by Vegantune by a PO some time in the past. It is similar output to a standard big valve engine but with a narrower power band.

Hope this helps a bit

Regards

Andy

[ppnelan]

How long do the CV joint rubber boots (gaiters) last on these shafts ?

I imagine they have to be dismantled to replace them, which is a similar (if much cheaper!) job to changing the original doughnuts....

Matthew

[Hamish Coutts]

Guys,

I fitted the TTR drive shafts but did not fit strengthened diff output or outer drive shafts.

When I bought the TTR stuff I asked a couple of the Club Lotus guys, who did a bit of competition work, if strengthened output shafts should be fitted. Their reply was a unaninous "there is no need to unless you are doing some serious racing".

Hamish.

PS I don't rate the Spyder set up. It looks like they have been made by somebody who can't make their mind up. ("Now, should I keep the doughnuts or put in CV joints instead"?. "I know I'll have a halfway house - that's bound to work"!) Mmmmmm.

[Midlife]

Personally I like the TTR/Kelv Lotus ones with the two UJ types, takes your preference I suppose.

Spyder do drive shafts with 2 CVs, I believe they have the type with one CV and one rotoflex as some people prefer that (well that?s what I?ve heard).

[steveww]

I have fitted the TTR UJ/spline driveshafts to my S4. The engine has around 135bhp and I have not fiited uprated diff outs. I have done a number of track days, trips to Le Mans and numerous blatts around the local lanes. Nothing has broken, so far...

[bill308]

I have the Dave Bean CV joint system which comes with an uprated, purpose built, output shaft. I also fitted uprated axles.

Bill

[schroeder]

Having sheared off an inboard drive shaft on std doughnuts during road use and witnessed an outboard drive shaft failure at a recent track day I vote for uprated drive shafts for all applications. Competition or not.

Stuart

[Sarah Ryan]

Guys check out the Elan factory CV conversion then check out the Pound to Aussie dollar rate to save a bundle. Also ask Steve Taylor who he has working with him & what he did before joining the Elan factory. This is the same person who makes the Elan factory CV shafts conversions.

[Sarah Ryan]

Guys check out the Elan factory CV conversion then check out the Pound to Aussie dollar rate to save a bundle. Also ask Steve Taylor who he has working with him & what he did before joining the Elan factory. This is the same person who makes the Elan factory CV shafts conversions.

[hatman]

Don't know about the 'time-bomb' comment but I suppose, from TTR's point of view, anything they produce/sell has to be capable of being raced hard for as long as required, otherwise they're going to acquire a bad reputation. I'm pretty sure that most Elan's aren't actually used like that, despite most of us enjoying the odd track day and as many back-road hoons as we can fit in.

Also, I'm sure I've read that the only real reason that Colin Chapman opted for doughnuts was that they were cheap to source, did the job well enough and guaranteed to provide an income stream as they failed and had to be brought back for replacement. I understand that the cushioning effect was a happy by-product rather than a design parameter.