Ok guys time to pick your collective brains again.
I'm using an alfa 33 engine and droping it in the back of my chassis to create a middy.... is it possible or a good idea to lengthen the
driveshafts/axels that come from the gear box directly to the wheels? or better yet cut them off then afbricate new ones using the orignal alfa ends
at the gear box side but something else at the other thus enabling me to use a different set of wheel hubs?
if you can find rorty's web site he describes a way to do it.
basically, you cut the shaft, and weld a sleeve over it of a significant length, 'rose welding' thro holes at several staggred points.
luego sell a sleeve for sierra shafts. you might find a pic on the net or from some helpful person on here.
bear in mind the shafts are hardened, and wont be as good after welding due to the softening. the shafts (if like the ford) are solid construction.
atb
steve
There's a company (mentioned in a post I read yesterday) that'll make you new, ultralight shafts for £70 (each?).
HTH,
James
GB engineering in Nantwich?
That's the one I keep on about! Geoff berrisford supplies nearly all the autograssers in the uk with their driveshafts. He is an automotive
toolmaker/prototyper by trade, but does a lot of VERY nicely made "other bits" too.
I cannot fault any of the stuff I have had from him and I am very good at finding faults!!!
I know its the one you go on about , thats how i know of it - never used him just heard of him ......................only via one source
though...............Mr Dev!
I think Mr Ison has dealt with him before and will back up my claims!
I wasnt disputing your claims just letting you know that if you throw enough mud some will stick
If they can make parts to withstand grasser abuse then locost will be piece of P***.
Where do you find out about grasser events btw? wouldnt mind going along to have nosey.
I wasn't accusing, just wanted to show that I am not the only happy one with GB's work!
re. grassing events, first off the national website, www.national-autograss.co.uk,
the fixture list on there tells you about every event on up and down the country (most weekends there's something from now to October) and then,
depends on where in shropshire you are, but you really are at the heart of the sport in your area. North Shropshire Club's track is near
Whitchurch, Shropshire and Telford's track is at Crudgington near Newport (I went to college at Harper Adams just down the road from there!)
then there's loads of clubs in the Hereford and Leominster area, plus Evesham, Radford etc etc etc, spoilt for choice!!
I race mainly at Melton and Leicester's track, near Shepshed.
If you can make it, try and get down to the "MAP Open" (it's on the fixture list) at Evesham. I'll be there this year again, this
time hopefully not trashing my engine in the first race! There are usually around 600 cars entered in this event!!!!!!!!!!!!
low res pic of my car in action (ps. the car 2 behind me has a 6 ltr chevy in it!!!)
[Edited on 22/3/05 by NS Dev]
[Edited on 22/3/05 by NS Dev]
[Edited on 22/3/05 by NS Dev]
I am using 4x4 sierra running gear with vectra hubs.
I tried welding two half of the shafts together, but found the heat of welding distorted the driveshafts.
I am now getting some hade up at a cost of £200 which is efffectively cost price through a local enginer. (it always helps to wait for until the
person can include your work with someone elses.)
Darren
quote:
Originally posted by turbodisplay
I am using 4x4 sierra running gear with vectra hubs.
quote:
Shropshire and Telford's track is at Crudgington
I'm building a monster Liam...... but to gain experience first of all I'm building ...erm....something, not really sure how to describe it.
Imagine the front end of a porsche boxter and the rear end of Angelina Jolie...sorry got distracted, the rear of a lamber. Alfa mid engine, one or two
of my own aerodynamic tweaks and hey presto we have either a smart sorts car or possibly much more likely the next turner prize winner.
im within a hairs breath of getting a shaft made up for my car, as i dont trust the cut n shut ive got.
will give em a call in next few days and let you know my experiences.
atb
steve
quote:
Originally posted by turbodisplay
I am using 4x4 sierra running gear with vectra hubs.
I tried welding two half of the shafts together, but found the heat of welding distorted the driveshafts.
I am now getting some hade up at a cost of £200 which is efffectively cost price through a local enginer. (it always helps to wait for until the person can include your work with someone elses.)
Darren
I'm going to be needing some custom driveshafts made up pretty soon. Ford outers (fiesta xr2) to toyota Mr2 (mk1, 4a-ge engine) inners, So
thanks for the lenk to GB engineering. They aren't too far from my Parents house.
A quick question though (aimed at NSDev!). Does the chap at GB engineering need the original shafts the replicate the ends, or can he work from
sketches, and knowing that the shafts need to fit a Mark2 fiesta XR2 outer cv joint?
Cheers
Andy
Good question, I have no idea, give him a ring and see is the best idea. I have only had them made up with the sierra 4x4 spline, which he reffered to
as "Ford small CV spline". I think the big one is the cosworth one???
Don't know on the fiesta ones though, give him a call.
I will do. I was under the impression that Ford splines were all basically the same. I know the outer CV joints on a fiesta XR2 are the same as some
of the Escort ones.
I quite like the sound of having custom made shafts, as I originally anticipated cut and shut ones!
Cheers
Andy
Hello all,
Does anyone have a number for Geoff gb engineering
Cheers
David
Geoff Berrisford Engineering are on 01270 841081
when I visited "classic conversions" they had some titanium halfshafts on show with ford splines.
I can't remember the cost but it was not too exhorbitant; minus a kilo of unsprung weight I reckon!
go on - you know you want some.....
BTW I cut&shut my mx5 halfshafts. I put a taper on the shaft and sleeves & hammered home prior to welding - they seem to have come out
straight. I also messed about grinding flats on and zig- zagging the welded edge.
They'll probably fall to bits first drive... I'll let on if they do (that'll be next year then)
Bob C
You may well be fine, but as a precautionary note, a friend of mine who races in autograss, had a car with a Vauxhall 2.0 8v engine in the back and cut and welded driveshafts. The short side one failed at the weld on the first lap of a race (not the first race it did though!) and flailed around, smashing the gearbox to pieces in the process. Pieces of the ally casting (Vauxhall F20 gearbox) were distributed all over the track by the time he realised what had happened!!
There's no doubt that billet axles are a nice option if your budget permits (and at 70 quid a pop, why wouldn't you!), but welded axles have
worked well for me too. I've run welded axles in everything from a 5.1 litre mid-engined Beetle to my off-road cars and I've never
experienced a breakage. It's all down to how they're assembled and welded. If you're welding is suspect, don't even contemplating
welding any axles. They have to be done properly and allowed to cool really slowly. otherwise you will only be making grenades.
Lobro and GKN (the makers of most of the world's CV joints) both list splined axle ends in their catalogues which are intended for welding into
tubing for custom length axles. There's nothing wrong with welding them, it just has to be done by an experienced fabricator.