Date:         Fri, 1 Apr 2011 21:10:16 -0700
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: new driveshafts for raised vanagons
Comments: To: Phil Zimmerman <philzimm1@SHAW.CA>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="Windows-1252";
              reply-type=original

well..
the idea of gear reduction boxes for the axles has merit..
not an April Fool's day thing either ..

beccause .....there are not many transaxles that turn the right way, in
order to be able  to use a clockwise turning engine in the rear, like our
vanagons have.
( porsche 911 is one of the few transaxles with the same layout as our vans
use )

  Say you turn around a whole subaru engine and trans ..
and install in the rear of a vanagon ..
you'll have 1 forward gear and 5 reverse gear ratios.

this is true of many transaxles from cars with front-mounted engines.
Basically 'all' cars built that way.
( most engines turn clockwise when looking at the crankshaft pulley .
a rare exception are honda engines ...those 'originally' - older honda's
turn backwards ...somewhere in the 2000's I think, they went to normal
clockwise rotation. )

but ....reduction gear boxes change the direction of axle rotation . !
so ...that opens up lots of possibilities for transaxles to use.
sure they'll turn backwards..
but a two-gear box reverses direction of rotation of the alxes....so while
the axles will be turning backwards ..the wheels will be turning forward
correctly .

they do not have to be 'reduction' gear boxes  either .....they can be 1 to
1 ratio ..
or even 'gear up' boxes..
furthermore ..
while they were used to increase ground clearance on old split window VW
Buses..
they have also been used, as in a few racing dune buggies long ago, to
extend the wheel base..
just point the gear box aftward, rather than downward.

...since someone mentioned reduction gear boxes.

scott
www.turbovans.com


----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Zimmerman" <philzimm1@SHAW.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 11:32 AM
Subject: Re: new driveshafts for raised vanagons


Date:         Fri, 1 Apr 2011 09:17:11 -0700
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA

…...  I've found a better solution, this German made driveshaft set up.It
allows extreme axle angles using stock CV joints

http://www.eathen64.de/AndreasBilder/KurbelgelenkwelleCleanKlein.jpg
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Wow, what an improvement over the ol' gear-reduction boxes on the early
Busses.
I dog-leg VC-Jointaxle… So simple!
Donno why this was not thought of sooner?
Can be done at home with metal bending-torch.

Any idea of the ride quality at speed Alistair?

Phil Z.
Campbell River, BC
Suspension Capitol of Kanada
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