After hours of staring at the differential and swing axles on my Spitty I have come to the conclusion I just can't live with it.
I am 90% convinced to put a R160 Subaru differential in the back and run CV joints instead of a rotoflex set-up.
Does anyone have a CV setup to fit the GT6 hubs and verticle link?
I know Canley sells a cv axle kit. However it is expensive and it fits the Triumph differential. I have seen people who have used MGF and Rover Metro parts. These are difficult to find in North America. Mk 3 Escort outer joints are supposed to fit, but North American Escorts are mechanically different .
After extensive research it looks like the best candidate for the outer joints is from a '95-'00 Geo Metro/ Suzuki Swift. I do not know how much torque these can handle. The Metro is only 70 bhp.
Another possibility is from a '76-'83 Honda Accord or Civic. The age might make these difficult to get.
If you know of joints that fit please let me know. Also let me know if you have dimentions from a Geo Metro outer joint. The catalogs only show the spline counts, thread, OAL, and seal diameters.
The setup I have in mind would use the Subaru inner joints, a custom drive shaft, and stock outers from something. Hopefully It would need no or minor modification to the verticle link.
I would go picking through the junk yards if wasn't so damn cold outside. Thanks.
-Tim
I don't know if this helps, but check out Taylor Race Engineering,
www.taylor-race.com 1.800.922.4327
They are mainly a drive line company that features cv conversions, half shafts, hubs, ventage gear boxes.
Might be a little bit of money, but might be a lead?
Tim, you might give Todd Budde a call (check Custom Rod Works add on this site). He built my IRS for me using an R200S diff and CV 1/2 shafts. Not sure if the splines are the same as the R160, but he used S10 4x4 hubs because the splines happened to match the half shafts but, I recall he check a lot of hubs & probably kept notes of what size various options were. Alternatively he could probably fabricate uprights for you & use the hubs from a car that used the R160 CV shafts.
Good luck & keep us posted.
Hey Tim,
I don't have anything specific for you but in the past I've had custom CV axles made up fairly cheaply.
Find an axle that fits you diffy and is the right length for your needs then find a CV joint that fits your hub. Take them both down to your local CV rebuilder and have a hybrid CV joint made to mate the two up. I done this a few times and it has worked well.
Alternatively a custom 1/2 shaft isn't that expensive. The subaru shaft is likely too long so have it cut and resplined for the CV of your choice.
Cheers
Fred
Well, no joy on the Geo axles. In a break in the weather last weekend I got to the wreckers and measured up the splines. Close but not close enough. The OD is about .050" smaller and the pressure angle is different. The search continues................
Call Frank at The Drive Shaft Shop (http://www.driveshaftshop.com/contacts. They just hooked me up with custom CV axles but may be able to help you with specs on some cars or components that'll work if you can give them the spline size, angle, count, etc. that you're after.
I think the Subaru or Datsun Z R180 diff would be perfect. Also the Volvo or BMW IRS diffs. You could make adapters from the diff and Rotoflex flanges to VW Type 2 (Transporter/Vanagon). Get 2 Vanagon axles and shorten and respline to needed length. Mark the used axles L and R and In and Out as they came off. Figure your axle length from adapter flange to adapter flange straight and full droop so the axle doesn't bottom either way(1/4" clearance either way). Put the shortened axles in the same orientation as marked. I just remembered you have the swing axle so outer adapter to hub.
Another idea 88-92 VW Jetta/Golf GTI driver side axle (16")and hub(4X100). Sleeve upright for VW bearing. You could drill hub to Spitfire wheel pattern. Or change front pattern to 4X100 for better wheel choices. Inside CV is VW Type 2 bolt pattern so same adapter to diff. Here is a picture of axle and hub and a typical 4 bolt u joint to CV adapter:
golf_ds_axle_hub.jpg
dsc_00701.jpg
MGB260, the Golf hubs and CV joints aren't a bad idea. The uprights would have to get a skim cut to open them to 66mm for the bearing. The face of the outboard brake backplate pilot looks like it would need to be shortened. I'd have to have all the parts to figure out where the snap ring grooves need to be placed so the brake drum ends up in the right location. One problem is the VW hub wheel pilot is smaller than the Triumph one. Spitfire/GT6 wheels are lug centric but the drums use the hub pilot to center on.
Subaru differentials use unique plug-in style tripod joints, so the easist route is to use Subby axles with the outboard ends turned down and splined to fit the VW cv joints.
I guess I need to find a Golf/Jetta at the wreckers and start measuring.
- Tim
Those axles were used in a sand rail with a R180 out of an early Z. The adapter bolts right to the 510(R160) or early Z R180 u joint flange. It was the GTi version axle and the drivers side was the length he needed. Here's a picture why I personally don't like Tripod joints. Of course I don't think they were intended for 400+ HP. And a picture of the adapter on a 510. You can buy or make a concentric ring for the drum but I would look at adapting the VW rear rotor and caliper. There used to be a guy that would make snap in hybrid axles for Subaru R180(WRX and others) to Datsun flange for 510. I think you send him the 510 stubs and he cuts and resplines your core for the Suby diff.
med_DSC02661.jpg
dsc_0071.jpg
Here are the guys who do the stub conversions: http://www.betamotorsports.com/products/products_main.php?cat=11&scat1=46&scat2=31
Subaru R160 with Vanagon cut and resplined axles,Type 2 CV's, Hybrid stubs and adapters. You can also use R180 diff(7"ring gear vs. 6.3" in R160). This is for a Datsun 510. Some have used the 510 U-Joint axles in GT6. You would have to figure out the hub connection. Maybe Datsun Z hub?
rearendparts.jpg
Heavy duty Clearanced U-Joint (1310) axle
U-Joints_Axle.jpg
Also check above thread on Toyota option.
Tim,
Where does it all end?
I thought the same, then considered the brakes, then the control arms for the outer stubs/ uprights, and then the leaf spring.
In the end I though it all out.
http://www.ado13.com/dohczuke/dohc.htm
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.1827964070949.2100607.1595737255&ref=pd
It isn't road tested to be fair so I can't call it a success yet- - there could be refinement required i guess.
Stephen from Sydney