I'm just about to fit a new bike engine into my car.

Can I mount the engine so that the prop shaft is in a slightly (3 inches or so) different horizontal plane to the dif?

Both flanges will be parallel. With the Horezontal alignment being out slightly, will this affect the vertical movement? Or will the UJ's just simply take out any twisting errors?

It's just concerning me and I can't get my head around it. Suppose I should just get a prop and try it

If I'm reading you correctly, the layout you describe is ideal - the flanges at each end shouldn't be exactly in line with each other as that knackers the UJ bearings (brinneling).

Each UJ should work at a slight angle to ensure that the bearings work properly, although the faces of the flanges must be parallel.

If you do a Google on 'propshaft brinneling' you might find some better descriptions - you may have to reduce the number of 'n's and double the number of 'l's in the second word to get the right answer!

David

Hi David thanks for your reply.

What I mean is that the prop shaft will be not only vertically away from the engine but horizontally too.

like this... please excuse the bad drawing...



[Edited on 11/8/05 by VinceGledhill]

I'd guess that it makes no difference! As long as the flange faces are parallel, and the centres of rotation aren't TOO far away from each other, then all should be fine.

...but get a few other opinions!

David

That's how the prop runs on every rwd live axle car (remember the pinion isn't in the middle) so I guess it will be fine

[Edited on 11/8/05 by NS Dev]

Thanks guys. I wanted to have some flexibility in the engine mounting of the bike engine lump. I'm just in the process of making all the brackets and stuff.

Looks ideal set up. U dont want too much angle there though.

Why do the flange faces need to be parallel?

I'm not disagreeing, just interested to know?

something about u/j's not being constant velocity joints, if they are not square to eachother then movement is turned into pulses of movement

if you have a universal joint at hand, give it a go with some angle! If you hold them at 90 degrees, then each side must be rotated 180 degrees before the other can move

this is also why the knuckles must be lined up, so the effect cancels out

[Edited on 11/8/05 by JoelP]

Yeah. UJ's are not CV's.

They have to be aligned in Parallel.

When one moves more than the other then the others movement to a lesser degree cancels it out.

Sound like bollox? could be I'm pissed whilst typing.

I know what I mean.

re the cv / uj debate, look at a propshaft, the arms are in the same place each end to cancel this varible (pulse) movement.

Just had to correct that mistake an hour ago.

Glad i noticed it!


I`ll put some pics of my front and rear prop when i finish.

Darren